The Only True Dinner Plates Are White

[Mysterian]

I was killing time in the homeware district of my local big Sainsbury's today when I stumbled upon the dinner plate selection. I was distressed to see such a myriad of patterns and hues flagrantly displayed. Why would anybody want anything but clean clear crisp white plates? I don't want to accidentality misplace a nugget or waffle fry amongst a geometric jungle of shapes and shades. Surely the beauty of a blueberry pancake would be dulled when presented on a blue and white oriental landscape? And you can tell when white plates still have congealed egg on them from the other day.

AIBU?

Obviously not, but why do shops sell stuff like that?

I don't like white china/crockery myself. When we married, in 1989, the two best selling everyday crockery sets were Eternal Beau and M and S Harvest. We had Harvest and l still like it. It is hard wearing and attractive. I also have some Portmeirion Botanic Garden. The Harvest teapot makes the nicest cup of tea in my opinion. Our best dinner set is Royal Doulton Candice, a pretty blue floral design with a gold rim. I also have some very pretty tea sets inherited from my grandmother.

Well, they didn't ask me and I can't agree. I do think tea tastes better when drunk from a china cup, though.

I hate white plates. So boring.

Mine are also a bit boring - Denby everyday, mix of blue, green, red and black edges. They're in good condition after a lot of use, and because they're thick I've managed not to break any (a miracle for me - I'm a clumsy bugger).

I love having dinner at DHs grandparents. They use whatever is remaining from the sets they've had over the years.
There's not enough of any set for everyone to match, none of the plates are plain and the colours and sizes appear to be a bit random.
My favourites are a bit like the pics:

@FranklySonImTheGaffer we have some of those oval ones,not sure where they came from. I think they are steak plates! Quite handy for buffet party food too.

For fans of blue and white: I have four plates of this design, part of a long-lost family dinner service. It's by Keeling & Co of Burslem, who produced between 1886 and 1936. I love the Art Nouveau vibe. Sadly I've never managed to find any more plates for sale.

I like a border on my plates

White is boring

I have a beautiful Royal Doulton dinner service with a gold rim

I find white gets a grey scratched effect in the dishwasher over time

Love it, I remember those

Love that, so elegant! 😍

Equally, cups and mugs must be white on the inside. Preferably china.

I had solid pink and blue plates and my cousin a wonderful cook and decorator commented all food looks better on white and so young me switched to white and I love my white dishes. A wedding gift which long outlasted my marriage. Manufactures do preference white which is why the center circle is often (but not always MN I know) white or cream with detail on the borders. I like to buy salad plates at boot sales or antique stores and layer them up and white dishes really support the variety. Here’s my mix from Christmas…

I used to think like you OP. All mine are cool cream in line with my scandi aesthetic. Now I think I'd love some patterned ones. Used to have cool plain glasses now I'm into vintage knobbly and coloured ones.

why do shops sell stuff like that?

Because some people like them.

@TheNoodlesIncident if I had £££ I'd pay a ceramics factory to make me a whole set with that carnation design. Dinner plates, soup bowls, coffee pot, gravy boat, the lot. Gilding on the edge too (it's mostly worn off on the plates I have).

@moggerhanger , look for losolware

@Bouledeneige
Take a look at Royal Copenhagen and Arabia for authentic Scandinavian patterned sets.
Also Iitala, Lyngby, and Kosta Boda for glassware. Lyngby also do table ware.

Gorgeous.

I like white plates. I like colourful plates too. The sets I have in use at the moment are a white company set (in white, naturally), and a patterned Denby set.

I have linen Denby and some Emma bridgewater plates. I like white plates too. Denby on your wedding list where I live is like a right of passage. I don’t think someone plates are an indicator of anything other than what they like. I’d quite like a fine dining china set but they’re so expensive for something so rarely used.

Denby Juice works perfectly well for everything. The workhorse of the kitchen.

Oh yes thanks I’m very familiar with them and have lots of bits and pieces but I’m more interested in going more maximalist!

Married in 1989 my wedding set was Summer Chintz. I have an almost complete set of 8 of everything but the two different size oval serving plates are cracked. I have replaced a few bowls previously but it's lost favour as the dinner plates aren't very big.
Everyone seems to prefer the size and depth of the Denby, although the shape of the bowls in the new set (Studio blue, I think) isn't as good as the previous every day set we had. We need something that holds 2 Shredded Wheat!

My plates were my grandparents from the 70s. They are Wedgewood, and were saved for "best".
They are now my everyday plates. They are absolutely not a design/colour I'd have chosen myself, but I like the fact that there's a link to my grandparents. They both died before I hit my teens, and lived a good 2 hour drive away, so I never really knew them very well. They were my mums parents, and I know she absolutely adored them both, so that's good enough for me.

I eat off an old set of Limoges plates with a floral pattern and I have others designs too. They get put in the dishwasher as I intend them for everyday use and if they break so be it! I only got them from the thrift shop anyway. They are much prettier than plain white. I also have some beautiful Minton and Royal Albert plates with gold edging that I keep for nicer occasions. I just love beautiful tableware and collect it. I collect crystal glasses too and carnival glass.I use both for everyday, but they do have to be hand washed.

And some people like Crocs so are you suggesting they are legalised?

Ohhhh nooooo! It’s lovely!