Product Purchasing Guide

Best
Make your default opt-in. Make opt-in specific to which cutlery items are needed.

Good
Provide compostable cutlery.

Avoid
Plastic cutlery. It is not recyclable and will end up in the landfill or contaminate the recycling stream.

Best
Durable bowls.

Good
Compostable bowls. See bowls tab.

Avoid
Styrofoam bowls. Plastic bowls. If you must pick plastic, look for containers with the numbers 1-3 listed in the recycling chasing arrows and make sure to let customers know the plastic must be food- and grease-free before recycling.

Best
Aluminum cans. These are recyclable and have a lower carbon footprint than other recyclable materials.

Good
Glass containers. These are recyclable but have a higher carbon footprint from shipping due to their weight.

Avoid
Plastic containers. The market for recycling plastic bottles is variable so they often end up in the landfill.

Best
Allow customers to bring their own container or start a buy in program for repeat customers in which they buy a reusable to-go container up front and then get to reuse it at your restaurant. Contact us for help setting this up at your establishment.

Good
Provide compostable to-go boxes. See to-go tab.

Avoid
Compostable boxes without BPI certification (Primeware is an example for sale locally).
Plastic to-go containers. If you must pick plastic, choose a container with numbers 1-2 listed in the recycling symbol and inform customers that plastic must be food- and grease-free before recycling.

Best
Allow customers to bring in their own cups to fill.

Good
Compostable cups and lids. See cups/lids/straws tab.

Avoid
Styrofoam cups. Paper cups with plastic liners – this makes them neither compostable nor recyclable.
Paper cups that aren’t BPI certified compostable.
Plastic lids that are neither recyclable nor compostable locally as they tend to cause recycling stream contamination.

Best
Have your default option not include straws. Let your customer opt-in for straws when ordering as an item modification.

Good
Paper straws, which work for hot and cold beverages or compostable clear straws for cold beverages only. See Cups/Lids/Straws tab.

Avoid
Plastic or paper straws without BPI certification as these lead to contamination. If you do choose to provide these types of straws make sure customers know that straws must be disposed of in the trash.

Best
Make your default opt-in and only provide sauces by request. Sell your specialty sauces in large containers with a bottle deposit for customers.

Good
Compostable portion cups. See Portion Cups tab.

Avoid
Plastic, styrofoam, or non-BPI certified compostable portion cups. Single-serve sauce packets.