City of San Mateo Law Library
City of San Mateo Municipal Code.

5.89.020 Distribution of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories and Standard Condiments

Except as provided in Subsection (b), Food Facilities, for on-premise dining and off-premise dining (e.g., Takeout Food Delivery Service, catering off-site, etc.), shall not provide any Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories or Standard Condiments in Disposable packaging to a consumer

(a) unless the specific type of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessory (including different types of utensils) or specific type of Standard Condiment is requested by the consumer.

(b) Food Facilities may ask a drive-through consumer if the consumer wants a specific type of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessory (including different types of utensils), if the item is necessary for the consumer to consume Prepared Food or to prevent spills of or safely transport Prepared Food.

(c) Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories and Standard Condiments in Disposable packaging provided by Food Facilities for use by consumers shall not be bundled or packaged in a manner that prohibits a consumer from taking only the type of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessory (including different types of utensils) or type of Standard Condiment desired without also having to take a different type of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessory or type of Standard Condiment. Food Facilities cannot distribute Disposable Utensils that are bundled or packaged together. Each type of utensil (e.g., fork, spoon, knife, etc.) must be specifically requested by the consumer in order for a Food Facility to provide the item(s).

(d) Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit a Food Facility from making unwrapped Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories available to a consumer using refillable self-service dispensers that dispense different types of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories one item at a time to allow for Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories to be obtained.

(e) Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit a Food Facility from making Standard Condiments available to a consumer using refillable self-service dispensers to allow for Standard Condiments to be obtained. Food Facilities that offer Standard Condiments are encouraged to use bulk dispensers for the condiments rather than condiments packaged for single-use.

(f) Takeout Food Delivery Services shall provide consumers with the option to proactively request the different types of available Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories (including different types of utensils) and the different types of Standard Condiments from a Food Facility serving Prepared Food. The default option on the digital ordering/point-of-sale platforms of Takeout Food Delivery Services shall be that no Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories or Standard Condiments are requested.

(g) Takeout Food Delivery Services shall provide Food Facilities the ability to tailor the digital ordering/point-of-sale platforms so that Food Facilities can customize and itemize the different types of available Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories (including different types of utensils) and the different types of available Standard Condiments for consumers to proactively select.

(h) If a Food Facility uses any Takeout Food Delivery Service, the Food Facility shall customize its menu with an itemized list and/or provide options of the different types of available Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories (including different types of utensils) and the different types of available Standard Condiments for consumers to proactively select. Only those specific types of Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories (including different types of utensils) or specific types of Standard Condiments proactively requested by the consumer shall be provided by the Food Facility. If a consumer does not request any Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories or Standard Condiment, no Disposable Food Service Ware Accessories or Standard Condiment shall be provided by the Food Facility for delivery of Prepared Food. Pursuant to Subsection (c), each type of utensil (e.g., fork, spoon, knife, etc.) offered by the Food Facility shall also be listed individually, unbundled on the menu and provided by the Food Facility for delivery along with the Prepared Food only if requested by the consumer.