Starting on Monday, restaurants across New York City are no longer allowed to serve plastic utensils, plates, and other plastic items to customers unless the customer specifically requests it.  

Employees at the Blue Diamond Coffee Shop in Kingsbridge told News 12 that they fully support this requirement not only for the reduction of plastic waste but for the space in their restaurant that having less plastic products will provide.  

This change is a part of the brand-new Skip the Stuff requirement, which is an ongoing initiative to reduce single-use plastic in our waste streams.  

“In reality, I think this is best, because there’s so many people that don’t need them,” said Eduardo Guerrero, chef at Blue Diamond Coffee Shop. “They only accumulate it as garbage. We send them, but they don’t use them.” 

New York City restaurants are currently in a warning phase for the new rule, but starting June 30, 2024, enforcements including fines could be made.