Shovels, Dustpans, and Toilet Bowls: 40 Times Restaurants Completely Forgot About Plates (41 photos)

Sometimes a regular plate just feels too boring for restaurant owners. That's why you might end up with hummus served on a canvas, pasta on a shovel, or bacon hanging from a gallows. Redditors document these bizarre culinary choices in the r/WeWantPlates community, which boasts over a million members. Here are 40 of the most absurd examples—including a langoustine served on a telephone receiver at a Michelin-starred restaurant.





Let’s start with a bar in an ordinary hotel in the American Midwest. The guests ordered hummus. The server brought it out in complete silence—spread on a canvas resting on an easel—with zero explanation.



Hummus as high art: nice to look at, but eating off an easel is another story.

The person who took this photo called this highball salad one of the worst meals of their life. Getting to the greens at the bottom without an extra-long fork is next to impossible.





By the time you reach the bottom layer, the dressing on top will have dried out.

This establishment serves its roasted Brussels sprouts in a toilet-shaped bowl. The chef clearly thought it was clever; the diners respectfully disagreed.



The ceramic may be brand new and spotless, but that doesn't make it any more appetizing.

Loaded fries with meat and onions served straight in a non-stick skillet. The poster sarcastically noted how much they love scraping Teflon off with a metal fork.



Metal forks and non-stick coatings are a match made in kitchen nightmare land.

Here, strips of bacon were arranged on a rack above a license plate. The pun hinges on the word "plate," prompting the poster to caption the photo: "Wrong plate!"



Bacon on a license plate—presumably so the server doesn't lose track of the order.

A caviar hot dog is already an odd pairing, but serving it inside a green plastic dinosaur takes it to a whole new level.



A children's toy and luxury caviar in one dish: a bold choice for an adult menu.

This food arrived straight in a deep-fryer basket placed on a black slate board. The poster admitted they actually kind of liked the presentation, though it still fits the sub perfectly—while offering a quick apology for the messy tray.



An honest presentation: at least you know it came straight out of the hot oil.

The original poster checked out a new spot near their house. The place was deserted, and they almost turned back at the door. Once seated at the bar, it became clear: the food was mediocre, but designed for Instagram. Then came this $10 onion ring "tree."



Whoever came up with this clearly never ate an onion ring: pull one off and the whole tower comes crashing down.

This charcuterie spread was clipped directly onto office clipboards, giving it a distinct team-meeting vibe. The poster captioned it: "Professional (Non) Plates."



The charcuterie report is ready—just needs a signature and a stamp.

Chicken Parmigiana is an Italian-American classic: breaded cutlet topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese. The poster sarcastically noted it was served "just like Nonna intended"—on a piece of lumber straight from the hardware store, complete with splinters for rustic charm.



Italian immigrants in the US may have invented the recipe, but serving it on a 2x4 definitely wasn't part of the tradition.

Yet another order of hummus—this time served in a metal hand shovel, with pita tucked into a wooden crate. As the poster quipped: "I'd like a scoop of hummus, please."



Hardware used as tableware: a theme you'll be seeing plenty more of in this round-up.

This cocktail was served in a white takeout container, the kind instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever ordered Chinese food in the US.



Cardboard and liquid are a risky combo, so you'd better drink fast.

Food served inside a waffle cone held up by a metal stand. The original poster summed it up simply: "Not a plate."



At least the cone is edible—a rare instance where you can actually finish the dish along with your meal.

A pink drink served in a clear plastic bag. Good luck setting this "glass" down without spilling it all over the table.



You'll be holding this bag all night—there's no putting it down.

Food and cutlery served directly on a ceramic roof tile. The poster dubbed this an "alternative use for roofing materials."



At least the curved tile keeps the sauce from running off onto the table.

Chicken wings and carrots served on a slate slab. Instead of tossing the wings in sauce, the chef smeared it across the stone, forcing the diner to drag each wing around to scrape up a drop of sauce.



The sound of chicken scraping against stone is a noise your fellow diners won't forget anytime soon.

A burger and fries served on a wooden shovel. Shovels are a recurring theme here, so get used to them.



It looks like a baker's peel, minus the actual baked goods.

They went all out on this one: the steak arrived on a metal spade, while the burger was served on a mini wooden shipping pallet.



Pallets and shovels: looks like this restaurant is sharing space with a hardware supply warehouse.

A bowl of food balanced on a black inflatable pillow. Why? Even the poster couldn't figure that one out.



A soft landing for your meal—just be careful not to pop the pillow with your fork.

The menu listed this side dish as "couch potatoes." The chef took the idiom literally, presenting three potatoes "lounging" in a wooden boat covered in sauce.



Clever pun, but the execution remains open to debate.

The original poster's friend ordered fried rice at a Chinese restaurant. It was brought out on a black spade.



At least the shovel looks brand new, which offers a small sliver of comfort.

Dips served on a painter's palette placed on top of artificial turf. The poster was left wondering: does this count as a plate or not?



Sauces instead of oil paints, astro-turf instead of an artist's studio.

A burger and fries served inside a miniature rolling shopping cart. The original poster was thrilled to finally encounter one of these in the wild.



You can push the cart around the table while you wait for the ketchup.

Flatbreads hanging from a clothesline with clothespins directly above the dipping sauces, looking like laundry drying on a clothesline.



Unclip a piece of bread and dip it in sauce—just try not to knock down the rest of the laundry.

Sliders are a classic American staple. Here, two mini burgers were served on a clear painter's palette along with sauces. The caption played on homophones: painter's palette versus a refined palate.



Painter's palettes pop up in restaurants almost as often as shovels.

Now for some fine dining. This course was served at The Man Behind the Curtain in Leeds, UK—a name referencing

The Wizard of Oz

. Chef Michael O'Hare's restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2015 before closing its doors in October 2023.

A Basque changurro-style langoustine dish was part of a 14-course tasting menu. It was served on a vintage black telephone.



Even Michelin-starred restaurants aren't immune to bizarre plating choices.

A burger and fries presented inside a metal dustpan. Even if it's squeaky clean, certain unappetizing associations are impossible to avoid.



A dustpan is easily the most unappealing piece of "tableware" on this list.

The original poster admitted they'd never seen anything quite like this before: meat and melted cheese served directly on a folded black napkin. They called it a "linen platform courtesy of the local laundry service."



A napkin belongs on your lap, not underneath your main course.

This restaurant featured a "Nostalgia" theme menu. The appetizer was served right on top of a VHS cassette tape. For anyone who grew up with a VCR, it had a strangely endearing charm.



The tape itself even reads "Nostalgia."

And yet another shovel—this time a metal spade with a wooden handle, loaded up with pasta.



A portion clearly meant for a construction worker after a hard day's shift.

Fish and chips is the quintessential British pub staple. The original poster's local pub decided to modernize its presentation by serving it on a wooden board. Regulars were not impressed.



Back in the day, British fish and chips came wrapped in newspaper—which, in its own way, was far more practical than a wooden board.

This is how a cruise ship served a bacon appetizer to the original poster's husband. Strips of bacon were suspended from a metal rack resembling a gallows. Bizarre presentation aside, it tasted great.



"Bacon gallows"—the original poster's nickname for the photo.

A prawn on mashed potatoes with greens, served once again on a slate slab. As the poster sighed: eating off a rock again.



Slate looks stunning in photos, but scraping a fork against it feels like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Avocado toast topped with a fried egg served on a flat wooden board with no raised edges. The poster wondered where the runny yolk would go. The answer: straight onto the table.



A flat board and a runny egg yolk: a guaranteed recipe for a stained tablecloth.

Biryani is a fragrant Indian spiced rice dish. At this Indian restaurant, it was served inside a massive glass mason jar. The poster noted that the portion was enough for three or four people.



It looks like a jar of home canning for the winter, except it's filled with rice instead of pickles.

Tacos suspended by clothespins above a bed of salad. The poster joked that the extra clothespins were purely decorative.



Restaurants seem to love clothespins almost as much as they love shovels.

Spring rolls and dipping sauce served inside two terracotta flowerpots. The poster admitted they were tempted to take the pots home for their house plants.



Tableware that doubles as garden supplies after dinner.

Dessert served in a flowerpot too, topped off with a yellow bloom. As the poster sarcastically put it: "Bon appétit, enjoy your dirt."



"Dirt pot" desserts made with crumbled chocolate cookies have long been a favorite among pastry chefs.

A coworker was heading off on maternity leave. Someone brought lemon jelly with prunes served inside a white chamber pot—a remarkably themed choice for the occasion. The poster dryly captioned it: "Lovely."



The baby-themed humor is clear enough, but it doesn't exactly whet the appetite.

Finally, tacos with fixings served on a wooden board. The poster asked the community: is this a plate or just a cutting board?



A board like this is meant for chopping vegetables, not serving dinner.

Shovels, dustpans, roof tiles, and flowerpots—restaurants will serve food on practically anything if it gets guests to snap a photo. But judging by these pictures, diners just want a normal plate.

Have you ever been served a meal on something totally unexpected? Let us know in the comments!