There's a fine line between being creative and ridiculous, and even some of the best restaurants have passed it. I get it, competition in the food service is high. You need to think outside the box to attract more customers than that Turkish Kebab joint with questionable sanitary conditions around the corner. But that doesn't mean you have to embellish your dining sets with cocktails served in an actual umbrella. Or fried chicken on a sunbathing chair with kitchenware sticking out. Bored Panda has already shown you the 10+ Times Restaurants Went Too Far With Food Serving, but we've found so many more absurdly funny fails encountered while eating out, we just couldn't resist from making a successor list. Continue scrolling, check out the most hipster things that food has ever been served on, and upvote your favorites!
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This Chocolate Mud Pie Is Served Like An Actual Potted Plant
London Bar Served My Girlfriend’s Cocktail In A Levitating Glass
We Received Our Onion Rings On A Giraffe
Food Looks Delicious... But A Toolbox?!
Potted Bread
It Has A Plate... But Still
Self-Aware Absurdity? Apple Pastry Desert Served On An Image Of A Plate.... On An iPad
Sometimes words can't convey how you feel when you see something so stupid. This is one of those times.
"Plate? What plate? I only have an iPad in my purse. No, no. That's mine." (point to my name on back written with Sharpie...a very seconds ago)
Welcome to the Douchebaggery restaurant where we charge you $300 for a mediocre 5 course meal served on an IPad that looks like you're eating off of Chinet.
This is one of those absurd rich people things they do to assure themselves that their 700$ meal is actual worth something.
This is the dumbest thing I think I've ever seen. A plate would be CHEAPER and it'd look better too!
an i pad as a plate, that must be the most expensive place to eat.
Do you get to keep the iPad? How is this sanitary? How can you adequately clean it after use?
All I can think of are the filthy fingerprints that could be all over that tablet!
I can't think of anything clever to say...just desserts am I right?
they don't, ah can't you taste all that savagely relished decadence, all in a simple bite of, very off puttingly underlit as American as apple-pie. served with gold plated utensils of corse.
Load More Replies...There is no way that is sanitary! You simply cannot clean a functioning iPad the way you can clean a real plate
This is a magnificent waist of time and money on the restaurant's part
disgusting. hope they disinfect that thing before they serve your food on it
overlooking the damage to the screen/ protector, maybe you can choose what sort of plate picture you're eating this off of...?
Can I eat off of Donald Trump's face? Seems like it would be fun..
Load More Replies...Eggs In Egg Carton
Salad With A Side Of Bleeding
This looks like an art piece instead of a salad. This is a Salart. This will be a thing now. I invented Salart.
Why?????
It's Portable
Breakfast On A Tray. Am I In Jail?
My French Onion Soup Was Served In An Actual Onion
Taquitos In A Cigar Box
I like this one. I wonder if the box smells like cigars, that would be a plus for me.
I'm A Simple Man. I See An Injection, I Take My Pants Off. Why Am I Being Kicked Out?
The Tree Of... Pizza?
Oh Brilliant, Just Serve My Cocktail In An Umbrella
Please Return Your Shopping Trolley After Finishing Your Coffee To Reclaim Your Tiny £1 Coin
The trolley looks so cute, someone needs to return it to the Walmice right now!
White Chocolate Filled With Miso, Served On A Flip-Flop
The Most Hipster Beans On Toast I've Ever Seen
"Would You Like Some Bread While You Wait?""I'm Forty-Eight Years Old"
So I Went To Eat Hot Pot Today
So you undress the dolls while you eat? If one was male it would be slightly less creepy. But still weird.
Steak And Mashed Potatoes In A Martini Glass
I Asked For A Pint Of Lager... Ended Up With A Science Experiment
Oh For F*ck Sake! This Has Got To Be The Worst
Fish Goo Smeared On A Floor Tile
If I had fish goo I'd put it on the floor tile too... or on any floor the restaurant had.
This Dessert Trend Needs To Stop
Forgive Me, But There's A Plate In This One. In A Sink
A Motel Served Me This Breakfast Tray For $15 And Contains A Toaster, And A 2l Milk
I Received My Drink, Complete With Bird Cage Prison
Single Mini Macaron Topped With Basil On A Rock
Justice Is Served
Cheesy Triceratop
Uh, Ok Then
N O J U S T N O I A M S O S O R R Y B U T N O (does anyone know how long double spacing takes lol)
My Basket Of Chicken Wings, Not Quite What I Expected
A Poutine In A Dog Bowl... I Think They're Just Humiliating Us At This Point
What would be funnier is if u had to eat it with ur hands tied behind ur back. Get the full K9 experience.
They Recommended To My Friend That He Get His Cheeseburger “In A Cup”
Pork Scratchings On A Plank, With A Mini Wheelbarrow Of Apple Sauce
We Are Almost At Peak Cake/Milkshake Stupidity
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Icecream... Served On A Giant Block Of Frozen Flower Petals
Chocolate Pudding Served In An Ashtray With Sesame 'Ash'
Canalla Bistro In Valencia Really Know How To Serve Up A Pork Starter
Communal Spaghetti Served On The Table
A Coal Iron On Steak
When A Restaurant Buys New Crockery And Glassware But The Road Leading To It Is Full Of Potholes
I Just Got Served My Pizza Oil In A Baby Bottle
In China, Having To Pull Pieces Of Fruit Off A Tree
Soup In A Bowl, In A Bag
Fish Served On An Empty Beercan In A Dirty Ashtray
Fermented Plums Served On Pine Branches
I hope they washed those and it doubles for toothpick too so win-win.
Shoonk! French Fries In A Pneumatic Tube
Six Opportunities For The Waiter To Trip And Impale Himself
Creme Brulee In A Dish Too Thin To Fit A Spoon Comfortably. Can I Just Get A Bowl?
Is It More ‘Alaskan’ When Served On A Piece Of Tree?
Of Course I Want To Eat My Noodles From A Log. Silly Bowls And Plate Eaters I Tell You
Dear God Why Would You Bring An Entire Popcorn Machine To A Table
This Was Served To A Group Of 5K+(A Few Are A Million) Followers In A Restaurant In Stockholm. Yes, Those Are Tacos, Served In Shoes
Because Nothing Says ‘Fresh Bread’ Like An Old Man’s Flat Cap
Prawns In A Child’s Beach Bucket. On A Plate
At least they are trying to stick with a common theme. Better than tacos in shoes.
How Am I Supposed To Pour My Bloody Custard Into This?
Friend Went To A Restaurant And They Served Him Paneer Tikka On An Iron
Fries Served In A Dustpan
Worker: Oh no where out of plates! Janitor: I got you covered.
They Even Managed To Make A Simple Croissant Look Unappetizing
But I Don't Even Need The Bucket It's A Damn Sandwich
I'm absolutely sick of hipster food layouts...but that sandwich looks pretty good... now I want bacon...thanks a lot.
Carrot Cake Served On Round Mirrors
Serving A Drink In A Flimsy Chinese Takeout Box Is Stupid
This Appetizer Was Well Balanced
Raspberry Ice Cream On A Twig, In A Hole Drilled Into A Rock
Best eat it fast, before it melts slightly and immediately falls on the table.
Nachos On Tap...
How many do you see? I see...let me count, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, sinko!
Whitefish Roe On Hardtack Bread. On A Mousetrap...
Cakes And Pastries On A Skateboard. Rad
It’s My Birthday Today And Someone Told The Restaurant. Birthday Brownie Technically Came On A Plate, However Said Plate Was Placed On A Board Propped Up By Two Tomato Cans
If they had just skipped the tomato cans (or propping it up at all) it would have actually been nice.
This Hip Coffee Shop In Memphis Uses Dry Pasta As Stirring Sticks
Technically This Meat Is Served On A Plate, But...
Boss, We’re Out Of Plates.... Wait, Never Mind, This Will Work
This one at least look like it has some extra coating on it specifically for this purpose.
Salt, Pepper And Brick Dust
Those look like they've been used for something else (like their original purpose) before this.
Whipped Butter On... A Rock. Deliciously Impractical!
Gimme A Shot Of Salad..... Wait, Make That A Double!
When Recycling Goes Too Far
The Chopping Board Is The Least Of It. Inside The Camden Hells Can Is... Gravy
Yeah I’ll Have A Crusty Can Instead Of A Glass I Guess
This Jungle Gym Is Supposed To Be My Salad
My Dessert Was A Literal Ashtray, Complete With A Cigarette And Some Chewing Gum
Anyone From Bristol (UK) Have To Deal With This Sh*t?
Reindeer Served On Reindeer Antlers
Breakfast On A Shovel (Eggs Benedict, Hollandaise, Spinach And Some Sort Of Waffle)
Now I Get Why It Was Advertised As "Half A Bottle Of Fries"... Fries In A Cut Off Bottle Of Wine
Ask For Plates, And You Shall Receive
Here's Your Beef In A Log, Now STFU
Just Bring It Straight From The Fryer And Dump It On My Morning Newspaper Please
First Aid
My Boyfriend Got His Creme Brûlée On A Porous Tile Plate With A Message. We Thought It Was Edible, But Nope! It Was Glue
Just Give Me A Fucking Plate. Not A Board With A Hole In It And A Half Broken Wine Glass
What On Earth
I Ordered Some Cheese Filled Cottage Cheese. It Came On Miniature Stairs. With The Dip On Top
In Iceland They Served Bread And Butter On A Volcanic Stone
We Were Served Icecream In A Kitchen Sink At This Restaurant
Beignets On A Tree
Creative, But Still Not A Plate
Coffee Cake In A Can
The Food Is Somewhere In There
I can see a little bit on top but yeah having to forage for ones own food inside a restaurant is ridiculous.
Frozen Dessert Served On A Giant Lego Brick
Rice In A Carved Out Rock
Watering Can For Chips (Fries)?
Waitress Was Unable To Give Me A Knife As It Could Damage The Wooden Board...
There's a metal dish right there. Just put the chicken in that and get a knife if you need one. Or use your hands like you're supposed to eat fried chicken.
Huge Burger Served On A Small Frying Pan. Why? Just So You Can Make A Mess On The Table, Which Is A Barrel
its hard to join in your outrage when you are at a theme restaurant...
Birch Please...
In Belize, My Burger Arrived On A Tiny Wooden Disc On Top Of Another Wooden Slab
Cheese Fries In A Glass
Fries Sitting In Ketchup In Shot Glasses, Getting Soggy
Do I Eat The Leaves?
Chicken Wings Straight From The Supermarket
Digging In The Garden
"Chicken And Waffles" Served On A Beer...
Can Be Useful When It's Windy...
Wait. The restaurant is called The Fashion Shack? And they serve sandwiches on clipboards? It should at least be a Prada clipboard.
The Pint Of Spaghetti Bolognese
Greek Gyro Served In An Ice Scoop
Yummy!!!! And I don't really care what my Gyro is served in or on as long as it is delish and not from a local place that thought stuffing a hamburger in a pita made it a gyro...should have known when the spokes person on the advert couldn't pronounce it. LOL
Went To A Restaurant In Spain And Ordered Some Guacamole. Had To Crush My Ingredients By Myself
Worst Nachos Ever
Crackers With Fried Ham And Dressing, Served On A Bone Resting On Barley Grain In A Bowl
Appetizing
I Had To Eat Like A T-Rex Just To Get At The Lasagna
Poutine Served In A Bag Of Doritos
Just A Spoonful
Burger On An Upside Down Hub Cap
Re-posted because no one was sufficiently horrified and repulsed the 1st time.
The Caviar Kept Falling To The Hay
Brownie And Ice Cream Presented In A Cellophane Ball In A Bamboo Dim Sum Bowl. What The Eff Is This?
Iced Tea Served In A Urinal + Tube
Steak With A Serving Of Tasty Newspaper Ink
Half A Pint Of Mac And Cheese Please, Barkeep. On A Saucer Not Functioning As A Plate Yes Please. And A Parmesan 99 Sure
at least they gave you a plate to dump it on.... but who ever is doing the cooking defiantly isn't doing the dishes.
This is disgraceful, food is supposed to be a joy, and eating out an experience. Food presentation should not have you cringing, fearful or reminded of the bathroom. This is complete lack of respect for customers, and the c**p that they are pushing more and more to see how far they can push, if your food and service needs such a horrible gimmick, fire your cook/chef.
I agree. If the food is really good, and the price is fair, you won't be needing this c**p to sell it. If this even works as a selling point, at most you'll get people to come one time out of curiosity, but never to actually eat.
Load More Replies...If you have to dress your food up this much, it cannot be that good and likely costs more than it should.
Any one been to Kirsch's in Massapequa, NY? they have a huuuge sundae with waffles served in a kitchen sink for an Ice Cream Eating contest. If you finish the whole thing you win a t-shirt, you get your picture on the wall and you don't have to pay the $40 for it. yea it's not great but it looks so funny. IMG_0569-5...3c5f1a.jpg
Unless that's 10 pounds of ice cream, the price seems a bit steep!
Load More Replies...Drinks in funny containers, ok, Fod, No. First of all, most these things aren't meant to have food on it and are full of BPAs - which are fat soluble. Then you wouldn't be able to put them in a dishwasher, so they'll never truly be cleaned at a high temperature and if the lack of hygiene wasn't putting me off, already, the garishness would and the fact that I WANT MY FOOD ON A GORRAM PLATE!!!
Drinks yes, I agree, the umbrella and rock were a bit overdone though, but I remember a club in Sydney doing ceramic toilets and baths for cocktails in the early 90's but they were ceramic and made for that purpose. I also worked for a place that used themed tumblers for events like Halloween, but again brand new and disposable after use for that event.
Load More Replies...I just wonder how many people new prior to ordering how the food was going to be presented and got it anyway. I think i would be most concerned with the ones that had the open cans with possible sharp edges that could cause injury. I would not even risk eating off of something like that. And worst part is they probably had to pay extra for the chef's "creativity."
I live smack in the middle of America---right in the very center of the most Midwestern area---and I'm very happy that all of our restaurants here serve food on/in the proper vessel for whatever is ordered. No idiotic "artisan" rocks, or shovels, or outhouses, just plain, simple, CLEAN plates, bowls, cups and mugs, each used appropriately.
What the heck? Chefs should let their flavors speak not the silly way they can plate.
The ice cream in the sink is literally called The Kitchen Sink for a reason...it was featured on Man Vs. Food a while ago.
A few of these are good... the majority I would send back, or walk out. Put it on an appropriate plate. Bread can go in a basket. A wooden or slate underplate slab, fine. Sand? broken glass? bones? Ash trays? URINALS? Anything involving bark, hair, hay, twigs or dirt, or shaped like an animal or part of such, is a firm no. Seriously, a dead rat? Is that supposed to suggest good food hygine? A lot of these things look like they aren't intended for food service. They may not be food safe. Beautiful or interesting food presentation is great, but the food needs to be clearly safe, sanitary, and easily and neatly extractable and consumable.
What the Hello Kitty were they thinking? Maybe the restaurant managers/waiters/whoever thought these ideas were cute and/or clever. A cocktail in an umbrella? I yi yi yi yi!
Just provide a decent meal at a decent price and forget all the artsy fartsy bulls**t!
So many of these seem like excuses to charge huge amounts of money for tiny amounts of mediocre food-----folks are just paying for weird presentation.
This is the best Pizza in a Cup! Way better than the other Pizza in a Cup.........What a joke. These hipster douchbags need a swift kick in the a*s.
Any time I walk into a random restaurant, and see that it's a hipster place, with idiotic servings like those in the pics above, I immediately turn around and walk out. For several reason.. #1. I am NOT eating food out of a shoe, or a shovel, off an old license plate or out of an old tin can. #2 I am NOT paying $20 - $30 (or more) for $5 worth of food. #3 Hipsters.
A lot of these wouldn't even be appetizing on ordinary serving ware.
This reminds of te Black Books episode where Bernard and Manny try to turn the bookshop in a restaurant: "There's no more plates" "Use books with plates on the cover!"
See people using expletives for the food or presentation. But why go to a hipster place and expect normal plating? Did you not know about it beforehand? Stop bitching!!
If I would received my food in any of these kind of servings I would send it back and ask to have it on plate! And looked normal
Having worked many years, at a variety of jobs in the food service industry, I feel qualified to ask: what the actual f**k are people thinking?!
Heston Blumenthal has a lot to answer for. In case any aspiring chefs are reading, ANY deep fried food will go soggy if served inside a container, be it glass, metal, plastic or paper.. just don't do it.
I'd be concerned not only about the sanitation issue, but also about whether most of the creative serving items are actually food safe. Certain finishes can leach their chemicals into the food, and suddenly you're consuming stuff that's bad for you. Restaurants should avoid gimmicky presentations, and focus their energies on what really matters - THE FOOD!
Why is this even necessary? It won't really get extra stars on zomato or any reviewing site. Just a waste of time and can also be unhygienic
This is disgraceful, food is supposed to be a joy, and eating out an experience. Food presentation should not have you cringing, fearful or reminded of the bathroom. This is complete lack of respect for customers, and the c**p that they are pushing more and more to see how far they can push, if your food and service needs such a horrible gimmick, fire your cook/chef.
I agree. If the food is really good, and the price is fair, you won't be needing this c**p to sell it. If this even works as a selling point, at most you'll get people to come one time out of curiosity, but never to actually eat.
Load More Replies...If you have to dress your food up this much, it cannot be that good and likely costs more than it should.
Any one been to Kirsch's in Massapequa, NY? they have a huuuge sundae with waffles served in a kitchen sink for an Ice Cream Eating contest. If you finish the whole thing you win a t-shirt, you get your picture on the wall and you don't have to pay the $40 for it. yea it's not great but it looks so funny. IMG_0569-5...3c5f1a.jpg
Unless that's 10 pounds of ice cream, the price seems a bit steep!
Load More Replies...Drinks in funny containers, ok, Fod, No. First of all, most these things aren't meant to have food on it and are full of BPAs - which are fat soluble. Then you wouldn't be able to put them in a dishwasher, so they'll never truly be cleaned at a high temperature and if the lack of hygiene wasn't putting me off, already, the garishness would and the fact that I WANT MY FOOD ON A GORRAM PLATE!!!
Drinks yes, I agree, the umbrella and rock were a bit overdone though, but I remember a club in Sydney doing ceramic toilets and baths for cocktails in the early 90's but they were ceramic and made for that purpose. I also worked for a place that used themed tumblers for events like Halloween, but again brand new and disposable after use for that event.
Load More Replies...I just wonder how many people new prior to ordering how the food was going to be presented and got it anyway. I think i would be most concerned with the ones that had the open cans with possible sharp edges that could cause injury. I would not even risk eating off of something like that. And worst part is they probably had to pay extra for the chef's "creativity."
I live smack in the middle of America---right in the very center of the most Midwestern area---and I'm very happy that all of our restaurants here serve food on/in the proper vessel for whatever is ordered. No idiotic "artisan" rocks, or shovels, or outhouses, just plain, simple, CLEAN plates, bowls, cups and mugs, each used appropriately.
What the heck? Chefs should let their flavors speak not the silly way they can plate.
The ice cream in the sink is literally called The Kitchen Sink for a reason...it was featured on Man Vs. Food a while ago.
A few of these are good... the majority I would send back, or walk out. Put it on an appropriate plate. Bread can go in a basket. A wooden or slate underplate slab, fine. Sand? broken glass? bones? Ash trays? URINALS? Anything involving bark, hair, hay, twigs or dirt, or shaped like an animal or part of such, is a firm no. Seriously, a dead rat? Is that supposed to suggest good food hygine? A lot of these things look like they aren't intended for food service. They may not be food safe. Beautiful or interesting food presentation is great, but the food needs to be clearly safe, sanitary, and easily and neatly extractable and consumable.
What the Hello Kitty were they thinking? Maybe the restaurant managers/waiters/whoever thought these ideas were cute and/or clever. A cocktail in an umbrella? I yi yi yi yi!
Just provide a decent meal at a decent price and forget all the artsy fartsy bulls**t!
So many of these seem like excuses to charge huge amounts of money for tiny amounts of mediocre food-----folks are just paying for weird presentation.
This is the best Pizza in a Cup! Way better than the other Pizza in a Cup.........What a joke. These hipster douchbags need a swift kick in the a*s.
Any time I walk into a random restaurant, and see that it's a hipster place, with idiotic servings like those in the pics above, I immediately turn around and walk out. For several reason.. #1. I am NOT eating food out of a shoe, or a shovel, off an old license plate or out of an old tin can. #2 I am NOT paying $20 - $30 (or more) for $5 worth of food. #3 Hipsters.
A lot of these wouldn't even be appetizing on ordinary serving ware.
This reminds of te Black Books episode where Bernard and Manny try to turn the bookshop in a restaurant: "There's no more plates" "Use books with plates on the cover!"
See people using expletives for the food or presentation. But why go to a hipster place and expect normal plating? Did you not know about it beforehand? Stop bitching!!
If I would received my food in any of these kind of servings I would send it back and ask to have it on plate! And looked normal
Having worked many years, at a variety of jobs in the food service industry, I feel qualified to ask: what the actual f**k are people thinking?!
Heston Blumenthal has a lot to answer for. In case any aspiring chefs are reading, ANY deep fried food will go soggy if served inside a container, be it glass, metal, plastic or paper.. just don't do it.
I'd be concerned not only about the sanitation issue, but also about whether most of the creative serving items are actually food safe. Certain finishes can leach their chemicals into the food, and suddenly you're consuming stuff that's bad for you. Restaurants should avoid gimmicky presentations, and focus their energies on what really matters - THE FOOD!
Why is this even necessary? It won't really get extra stars on zomato or any reviewing site. Just a waste of time and can also be unhygienic