Fast Food Cup Lids n Straws

I'm sitting in a Culver's (if you're from the midwest especially Wisconsin you know them; if not, they do butterburgers and frozen custard) eating a burger and drinking a root beer. My paper drink cup has no lid or straw on it, as I am eating in the restaurant. At home I manage to drink out of cups every day of my life without lids or straws. But as I look around, every other person eating in the restaurant has a lid and straw on their cup. Now, for To-Go orders I get it, people probably drink their beverage in the car. But in the restaurant, do adults need straws to drink a soda? Now, I know fast food packaging is super wasteful in general and I hate the pile of paper junk I have left over after my occasional burger joint jaunt. Some of that we as consumers have little control over. But this is a simple one. Think of the millions of single use plastic lids and straws that could be saved if just the people eating their fast food order IN restaurant drank from a cup as they would at home vs. through a straw.

So that got me curious: do you automatically put a lid and straw on your cup when you get your order FOR HERE or do you skip it like I do and just drink from the cup? Am I the only one?

Same here. Restaurants always give a straw with the drinks also, and I don't use them.

Thank you stating a conversation about this senseless waste.
Hopefully you've thrown a small stone in a very large pond and will create some giant ripples.
P

I would just like to point out that this is a political post, as it relates to policy positions regarding how we should conduct ourselves vis-a-vis environmental management and husbandry. Some may hold the view that we have bigger fish to fry because paper is derived from renewable resources and plastic straws/lids are the least of our concerns when it comes to petrochemical consumption, which will not pose a significant threat to humanity for a long time anyway, if ever, given the pace of technological advances and the available supply. Ocean pollution is an issue, but comes mostly from China, India, third world, and developing countries; not from the U.S., and certainly not from Wisconsin. Advocating inconvenience, or even forced departure from preferences in service of a policy position that is arguably immaterial in the grand scheme of things, is inherently political. I appreciate the fact that your post was not advocating legislation, but rather mindfulness, but it may still come off as politically preachy depending on your point of view and perspective on these things.

I have seen active moderation on this forum about political posts. Perhaps the fact that this is in the Cafe makes it different, but unlike other boards I frequent, this one does not have an OT political sub forum (I'm new, so maybe I just haven't seen it), and the policy seems to be that this is a politics free zone.

Please consider the fact that a point of view that seems uncontroversial to you may not seem so to others who come from the other side of the political spectrum. Conventional wisdom when it comes to society and politics is rarely, if ever, objective.

I actually have no political affiliation whatsoever, and this wasn't meant to be political post at all. As a Mod here, I am familiar with the rules. I'm not advocating for legislation or anything of the sort in this post. As Peter Yetman pointed out, we can all take a look at our daily consumption habits to see where we can generate less waste, if we choose too. I was merely looking at something while I had my meal, and was curious about others' dining in habits. I even pointed out that I understand using this items in situations that call for them - they were invented for a reason of course. But this particular situation seemed to me to be a circumstance where a person could easily and without inconvenience generate several less pieces of trash. On the other hand, If a person wants to consume every piece of plastic available to them, who am I tell them they can't?

I know it's wasteful but I still use the lid/straw when I'm in the restaurant. At least the straws are covered, the cups not so much. Who knows how many hands have touched the rim or inside the cup before it was given to me also was the cup dropped on the floor and the worker just put it back in the stack?

I know you can say the same about the straws before they were put inside the paper covering but I'll take my chances.

You are still drinking out of that cup, how is a straw and lid gonna help? Haha

Makes me feel better because my mouth isn't physically touching the cup. It's a placebo effect :twothumbs

CigarPundit said:

.... Perhaps the fact that this is in the Cafe makes it different ....

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Just talking about cups and straws, sitting here in The Cafe, among friends

CigarPundit said:

.... unlike other boards I frequent, this one does not have an OT political sub forum (I'm new, so maybe I just haven't seen it)....

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Oh, we do actually, and the politics is directed to the CPF Underground.

Where I live it is a politically charged issue. I can't get a plastic straw in many areas because they have been banned. In other areas you can get one, but only if you ask. We have to purchase bags for items we purchase at stores, when they used to be complimentary, because free bags have been banned. There are many things I can't buy at all, even though they are freely available virtually everywhere else. All because the politicians and the people here focus on the frivolous and ignore things that actually matter and have a real impact on liberty, the economy, and our quality of life.

For those truly worried about contamination (and it is a very reasonable concern) , by far the worst risk is the ice.

CigarPundit said:

Where I live it is a politically charged issue. I can't get a plastic straw in many areas because they have been banned. In other areas you can get one, but only if you ask. We have to purchase bags for items we purchase at stores, when they used to be complimentary, because free bags have been banned. There are many things I can't buy at all, even though they are freely available virtually everywhere else. All because the politicians and the people here focus on the frivolous and ignore things that actually matter and have a real impact on liberty, the economy, and our quality of life.

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Got to be Commifornia.

Yep. Counting down the days to my departure.

archimedes said:

the politics is directed to the CPF Underground.

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Well that sounds interesting. I'll have to go spelunking.

CigarPundit said:

Yep. Counting down the days to my departure.

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But you just bought a SPY! You can't leave before sharing pics of it.


But going back to the original question, I always put on the lid. Mainly because the cups themselves are typically flimsy and insecure to hold with out it. Putting on the lid gives it more structure. But because the lid is on, obviously I have to use the straw. So yes the lid and straw are automatic.

I will I'll admit that I prefer to drink straight from the cup though. Drinks just seem to taste better that way.

I haven't used a fast food lid or straw in a few years.
i keep a few Ss straws in the glovebox, along with a good Ti spork.
usually, I have them fill my own cup also.
It's not a political issue at all to me, but a question of being wasteful
or not. Our collective striving for convenience has led us to lose sight of the bigger picture; keeping our environment clean and safe.

badtziscool said:

But you just bought a SPY! You can't leave before sharing pics of it.


But going back to the original question, I always put on the lid. Mainly because the cups themselves are typically flimsy and insecure to hold with out it. Putting on the lid gives it more structure. But because the lid is on, obviously I have to use the straw. So yes the lid and straw are automatic.

I will I'll admit that I prefer to drink straight from the cup though. Drinks just seem to taste better that way.

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I'm pretty sure they have Internet access in Tennessee. And I hope the wait isn't THAT long!

I use the top and straw (where available) for the same reasons, unless the establishment in question only offers those revolting paper straws, which impart a nasty flavor to the drink. But hey, we're saving the world out here, right?

Tennessee. Early welcome to the better side of the country haha

I love Tennessee. Went to school at Vandy.

If I am eating there I just use the cup without the lid and straw. I never really thought about it. I've always been doing that. The only time I need a straw for anything when I am dining in is when a drink has ice in it.