New Jersey implements request-only mandate for disposable utensils

New Jersey restaurants must implement a new request-only mandate for disposable items starting August 1st. Under the “Skip the Stuff” legislation, foodservice businesses—including restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and cafeterias—are generally prohibited from automatically providing single-use utensils, condiment packets, and other disposable accessories.

Customers may still receive these items, but they must specifically request them. For online and third-party ordering platforms, websites and mobile applications must now default to “no utensils or condiments,” requiring customers to actively select any items they wish to include. The law aims to reduce plastic waste and litter by preventing the distribution of unnecessary disposable products.