55 Strange Way to Serve a Meal

Restaurants today are under constant pressure to be different. With so many places competing for attention, some focus on low prices, others on bold flavors or unusual menu items. Many invest in stylish interiors or themed décor to leave a strong first impression. But there is also a smaller group that believes shock value alone can win people over.

That is where things often go wrong. Instead of improving taste or service, these restaurants rely on strange presentation tricks, especially in how they serve food. Plates, bowls, and trays are replaced with objects that have no real purpose in dining. While the idea may be to surprise guests or spark social media buzz, the result is often confusion, discomfort, or frustration.

Food served on cutting boards, bricks, shovels, or even items better suited for construction than eating can turn a simple meal into an awkward experience. What should feel enjoyable suddenly becomes messy, impractical, or just plain annoying.

In many cases, the gimmick distracts from the food itself, which is meant to be the main attraction. We’ve put together a collection of some of the most over-the-top and poorly thought-out examples of restaurants refusing to use anything close to a standard plate. Enjoy.

"Our Hummus Was Delivered On… An Art Canvas?"

Chemical_Minute4305

"I Mean I Think The Round Base Is Technically A Plate?"

quaked2023

"Vegan Dish Served On A Bone"

mrde2022

"Hope You Haven't Already Seen This One A Million Times"

One_Understanding267

"Serving Dessert On A Cast Of The Chef's Sneaker"

Civil-Lettuce-85

"Paid $26 For This Charcuterie Board. I Literally Had To Peel The Plastic Off"

TheD0HCtor

"I Love Scraping The Nonstick Coating"

O-4

"Roasted Brussels Sprouts Served In A Toilet"

doublebarreldarrel

"This Meatball Martini That Was Served"

4nchored

"I Can’t Even Pour The Syrup On Or It’ll Get Everywhere ??"

redwoodvelvet

"Scallops Served On A Bed Of Wood Chips"

dippymcskippy

"Check Out Those Knife Marks. Is That Sanitary For Next Customer?"

Regallybeagley

"Strange Way To Eat Strawberries And Cream"

mikeyyy_69

"When The Waiter Said “I’ll Just Go And Get Your Vegetables” I Didn’t Expect This"

MissingFork

"This Japanese Guest Did Not Enjoy The Food At Alton Towers Resort... (To Be Fair, They Have A Point!)"

Snoo41241

"Steak Served In A Deep Bowl On Top Of Fries. Had To Ask For A Plate So I Could Actually Cut It"

beta_vulgaris

"Served In A Jar"

sig19992

"Easily One Of The Worst Salads I’ve Ever Had…"

1985ChiBears

"It’s Not Even A Real Cast Iron Pan. It’s Plastic!"

Subpar-Saiyan

"This Is How They Served Me A Fish... It Was Good Though"

nsgx

"There Is A Plate Right There. What Is The Point?"

fillerbitch

"Who Needs Plates When There Are Dysfunctional Metal To Go Boxes"

idgafosman

"I Brought Myself Here"

Cute_Instruction_450

"Dumpling On A Skull On A Board"

713_Mija

"Linguine Fishbowl"

babygirl420xo

"A First For Me: Had My Burger And Chips Served To Me In A Lunchbox That Was Burning Hot"

OhShitItsSeth

"Burger On A Couple Of Bent Licence Plates"

Cobrachimkin

"Brownie And Ice Cream On A Slice Of Wood With A Big Crack In It"

Space_Patrol_Digger

"My Caesar Salad On A Log…. split In Twain"

handcocktongueholy

"Salsa Platter At A Local Mexican Joint"

jadedtortoise

"A Glass That Can Only Be Kept In Its Dock In A Certain Way? This Is A We Want Cups Situation"

I2-OH

"A Little Too Transparent About The Portion Sizes Maybe?"

quesadj

"Chicken Burger In A Shovel In New Zealand"

Sad-Friendship-2537

"Today’s Lunch, Served On Some Building Materials"

2spicy4dapepper

"Fish Are Friends, Not Food"

adore_daisies02

"Wrong Kind Of Plate!"

CaptainJAmazing

"How Am I Supposed To Scoop This Out With Chips?"

PresentDayDufus

"We Want (The Other 3/4s Of The) Plate"

lefay_yaka

"Whoever Thought About This Has Never Eaten Onion Rings"

xsmellmybikeseatx

"Chicken Parm On A Plank"

Adventurous-Bath7077

"Ice Cream In An Egg Carton"

CrankinThatHog

"Birria On A “Traditional Mexican Clothesline”

Candid_Hotel_2937

"Relatively Mild I Suppose"

vrphotosguy55

"Sushi On A Ceramic Hat"

ohlikeyoursissogood

"You've Won... But At What Cost?"

JustKoiru

"Fries Stuffed In A Mini Pitcher"

jgraham6

"Cheese Ball In Monopoly Shoe"

Quazaka

"It Arrived In A Chocolate Bowl, Which Was Promptly Smashed On The Table"

SwimmerIndependent47

"The “Board” Is Not Even Wood, It’s Ceramic…"

bduxbellorum

"Most Of The Dishes Were Served On Plates But This One, Inexplicably, Was On A Little Tree"

SpareStrawberry

"Went To A Coffee Shop, The Food Was Served On A Broken Plate And The Straw Was Made Out Of Pasta"

LowJacket5476

"A Mini Staircase Of Chicken Bite Appetizers"

toomanynamestakentbh

"Alchemist, Copenhagen"

justschh

"Found This Ridiculousness In The Specials Of A Restaurant Near Me"

TheMaybeMan_

"Service With Sole"

RainbowChainsaw