Dear bars and restaurants, we do genuinely appreciate how hard you try to impress us. After the pandemic hit, it has been a continuous struggle to save your business and attract both workers and clients. So it’s only normal to put that extra bit of effort into everything, from the thoughtful playlist to premium Marseille soap in the bathroom.

Some restaurant owners and chefs take the dining experience up to the next level and come up with very ingenious ways to serve their food. Think of starters served straight on the table, croquettes served in an iron mask and no, I am not kidding.

Thanks to the internet’s beloved We Want Plates project founded by Ross McGinnes back in 2015, we now have a crazy collection of absurd food servings to scroll through. “It’s the global crusade against serving food on bits of wood and roof slates, chips in mugs and drinks in jam jars,” says its description and hey, thanks for the public service, you guys.

Psst! More hilarious food servings from We Want Plates can be found in our previous posts here, here and here.

More info: wewantplates.com | Reddit | Facebook | Instagram |Twitter

#1 Multi-Flavor Pizza Served In A Tire

Image credits: fndo84

#2 This Rose Flavored Chocolate Dessert That You Have To Lick Off Your Hands! (Miami)

Image credits: TheFlavorFox

#3 The Croquette In The Iron Mask

Image credits: izzygomes

Previously Bored Panda spoke with Ross McGinnes, the founder of the ‘We Want Plates’ community. Ross started the campaign in 2015 after a friend posted a picture of an average-sized steak on Facebook, which had been served to him on a large chopping board.

“It was captioned, unironically, ‘That is a big meal!’ It wasn’t a big meal—he’d fallen for all this style-over-content hipster gastropub nonsense,” he recounted. Then, Ross searched Twitter for an account which would allow him to vent his spleen with like-minded people, but he found nothing. That’s how We Want Plates was created. Today, the project has 900,000 followers across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Reddit.

#4 Breakfast In A Egg Carton

Image credits: Vastylez

#5 The Juices Dripped Onto My Legs Through That Nice Crack In The Board

Image credits: Platinumtide

#6 Quality Postmodernism

Image credits: this_is_zainab

McGinnes also noted that some restaurants put food on strange things because they want to try to impress their customers. Sometimes, that turns against them. “My local pub used to do a great Sunday roast: twelve quid, piled high, tasted great and yes, it came on a plate. One weekend they added a quirky offering to the menu: little sandwiches, pies, dainty cakes and mini milkshakes served on a miniature picnic bench. The benches, painted bright pink and yellow, sat on top of tables seating actual grown adults. And what was the first thing these infantilized diners did? It wasn’t to try the food—it was to whip out their phones and take a picture.”

#7 Pasta, Sauce, Bread. In A Wire Cone

Image credits: AI_YA

#8 Friend Of Mine Went To A Restaurant And Their Starter Came In A Book

Image credits: deadsocial

#9 Friend’s Mother Went To A Restaurant And Got A Glass Of Pasta! Upside Down!

Image credits: VinWing13

“Over the following months the picnic benches became increasingly popular, coinciding with the specials board becoming progressively smaller, before it eventually disappeared altogether,” Ross told us. He remembered sitting there one Sunday, watching bench after garish bench emerge from the kitchen like a technicolor carnival of idiocy, before his usual roast arrived.

#10 So I Went To Alinea This Weekend

Image credits: dabuttmonkee

#11 On A Cleaver…

Image credits: kolli299

#12 Our Corn Chips Came In A Rusty Bucket

Image credits: mezzoforte24

“The meat was cold and the potatoes were burnt. It was once their main Sunday trade, but the traditional roast had died an unpalatable death. But that’s OK because they were doing a roaring trade with the benches, right? Sure, until the pub down the road started doing them too. Then the one around the corner.”

Ross recounted that before you know it, everyone’s doing the same ‘quirky’ thing. “Except it’s not ‘quirky’ anymore because you can’t move for mini picnic benches and now all their roast dinners are rubbish to boot,” he told us.

#13 You Could Order Barbie Meat At A Chinese Hot Pot Restaurant My Sis-In-Law Went To Last Night

Image credits: luketherock

#14 A Bottle Of Fish

Image credits: oli1904

#15 Dinner With A Side Of Tetanus Anyone?

Image credits: rawgabbitschnitzel

#16 A Friend Ordered Tiramisu In Scotland. Why Sugar The Lid?

Image credits: NoBid9404

#17 So This Is Supposed To Be The Best Way To Eat Caviar…

Image credits: Zaea

#18 Reject Modernity, Embrace Tradition

Image credits: theirskills

#19 Plates Shouldn’t Fall Over When You Stab Them With A Fork

Image credits: ruspow

#20 Spaghetti-No

Image credits: sarahdara

#21 An Actual Non Stick Pan, Instead Of A Plate

Image credits: henlohihenlo

#22 Lunch Served On A Heavy Stone? I Felt Bad For My Server Who Had To Carry It

Image credits: Xboxben

#23 Steak Pie In A Jar…

Image credits: jml1877

#24 Twigs And Moss

Image credits: jaavaaguru

#25 Flattened Chips Due To The Weight

Image credits: EverFinch

#26 Removing Splinters With Greasy Fingers

Image credits: aloofloofah

#27 My Meal Was Served In A Folded License Plate. I Mean I Guess It Is A Plate In A Way

Image credits: motherofdargans

#28 I Guess We Are Serving Fish On Fish Bones?!

Image credits: mmajamm

#29 This Would Be Embarrassing

Image credits: kooshetty

#30 Pasta Flight, Ended Up Everywhere

Image credits: moglyman

#31 Not One, But Two Pans And A Cutting Board

Image credits: Taroin

#32 I Guess The Chicken Wings Are… Flying?

Image credits: IanthegeekV2

#33 We Want Tables?

Image credits: Bragisson

#34 Aah Yes, I Finally Experienced The Classic Shovel Plate

Image credits: deodit

#35 In An Ad For A New Greek Place In Town. Yummy, I Love My Hand-Torn Bread Served To Me On A Round Stone Covered In Paste

Image credits: chonky_tortoise

#36 My Boyfriends Ice-Cream Came In A Little Metal Tub, But Mine Came In A Little Plastic Wheelbarrow

Image credits: lazycarrotcake

#37 Giving New Meaning To The “Onion Dip”

Image credits: gall-nyu

#38 2 Scallops On Seashells Placed On Top Of Fake Grass, Real Rocks And All On Top Of A Log

Image credits: awawawa222

#39 My “Flying“ Noodles. They Where Cold Within A Minute

Image credits: PaulusLangus

#40 Soup In A Laboratory Flask

Image credits: ya_boy_mayofeet

#41 Jelly And Cream In A Straw

Image credits: eat_sleep_fapfapfap

#42 So I Heard You Guys Like Seepage

Image credits: GivinItAllThat

#43 Soup In A Burnt Cabbage

Image credits: Thunder_Tree

#44 Pot Of Yoghurt And Some Bread In A Box Of Inedible Rocks

Image credits: Eddy1050

#45 I Swear, It’s A Chocolate Mousse And Pop-Corn On A Wooden Board….

Image credits: Call_Me_Bitsch

#46 We Want Cups. Mai Tai In A Spam Can. Sea-Tac Airport

Image credits: e______ok

#47 The Meat Juice Fell Off The Side And Stained My Jeans

Image credits: kehos

#48 I’d Send This Back. This Replaced An Amazing Restaurant In My Town That Was Killed By Covid

Image credits: throwawaydogmama

#49 Crepes Served As Babushka Barbe

Image credits: auxdear

#50 This Isn’t What We Mea-

Image credits: General-Kenobi-212th

#51 Kids Food On Dvd-Case (Photo From Restaurants Own Page)

Image credits: Minion2

#52 Hot Dogs In A Dog Bowl

Image credits: OgOnetee

#53 This Is Aggravating

Image credits: FarkinRoboDer

#54 Not Even The Same Size Of Skillet

Image credits: hersplat

#55 “How Do You Want Your Chocolate Mousse? Clean Or Dirty?” Paris, France

Image credits: vic9248

#56 Everyday We Stray Further From God’s Light

Image credits: dreamsofdion

#57 Tonka Truck Full Of Wings

Image credits: LoveMaterials

#58 Chicharrones.. Served On Animal Skull They Even Have A Plate Right There..

Image credits: millllosh

#59 Uhm.. How Do I Drink It..?

Image credits: lmews

#60 Fries Served In A Small Trash Bin

Image credits: alex1058

#61 We Thought That They Allowed Dogs Here Until We Realized That The Bowls Are For Us!

Image credits: MikeyRidesABikey

#62 Not What I Meant When I Said ‘A Pallet Of Food’

Image credits: YeMothor2457

#63 Just Put It On A Plate, This Presentation Adds Nothing

Image credits: whitemike40

#64 Shoe Boba (Not Mine, Found It On Twitter)

Image credits: GMMHCR

#65 It’s Like They Heard People Like Ribs But Didn’t Really Grasp It

Image credits: ChristmasMint

#66 Medusa Calamari?

Image credits: rr90013

#67 It’s Called El Ultimo Baño (The Last Bath). Roasted Whole Quail In Foamy Broth And A Piece Of Spongy Bread. It Was Pretty Meh-Tasting. Once Won The City’s Weekly Tapas Award. (Bar Is Called Depikofino)

Image credits: wintrydrop

#68 $12 Gin & Tonic

Image credits: Radiodead31

#69 I Was Reading A Review Of A Spanish Restaurant And This Come Up….

Image credits: amaquinadeuoberro

#70 The Kid’s Meal At The Big Texan Served In A Hat. The 7 Year Old Recipient States, “Yeah, This Is Kinda Weird, Dad….”

Image credits: Bon_of_a_Sitch

#71 The Menu Specifically Called It A Charcuterie Plate

Image credits: meowmiixx

#72 Yeah I’ll Have Some Brisket On The Rocks Please

Image credits: burgereclipse

#73 Cocktail In A Takeout Box. Only A Little Leaky

Image credits: NikkiFinn1987

#74 We Got Appetizers Served On A Tray Full Of Stones

Image credits: slothyninja

#75 My Friend Sent Me This Picture

Image credits: Firedragon28

#76 Berries Straight From The Tree

Image credits: ebarley

#77 Apple Pie And Whip Cream In Pots

Image credits: NatureLifted

#78 Went To A Fancy Cocktailbar Just To Get My Bloody Mary In An Old Tomato Can. Also Spotted Someone Getting A Whole Pineapple Instead Of A Glass

Image credits: CorrectSheepherder0

#79 I Ordered A Cocktail, I Got A Salad

Image credits: notquitesuew

#80 Nearly Bought This Watering Can For My Daughters Mini Cacti Until I Read The Label

Image credits: lauraf2009

#81 I Just Thought You Guys Were No Fun, But I Get It Now….

Image credits: EZZE__________

#82 A Pizza On A Board That’s Too Small. Cutting It Was A Challenge

Image credits: faerae_princess

#83 Calamari In A Box, Pasta In A Pan. The North End In Boston

Image credits: Conis1

#84 Emergency Room Margarita

Image credits: SaxarBattleCow

#85 Some Cutlery Would Be Nice Aswell..

Image credits: OGcheezey

#86 Onion Rings And Gravy On A Stone Slab!

Image credits: BANDRABOYMULLI

#87 Fish Tacos For Two, On A Cutting Board…

Image credits: Danedelioncares

#88 Saw This In An Ad On Facebook – Who Doesn’t Like Their Sashimi In A Tipped Over Wine Glass

Image credits: HonzaS97

#89 I’m A Cow Now

Image credits: MisterSkater

#90 Two, Put Your Beef In That Box

Image credits: voxadam

#91 They Call This A “Sushi Cupcake Ferris Wheel”

Image credits: L_gecko

#92 Onion Rings Served On An Oil Funnel

Image credits: HuskingENGR

#93 I Was So Hungry For Cake That I Didn’t Realize Until Mid-Way Through That I Got Served In A F*cking Tile

Image credits: -drunk_russian-

#94 From An Instagram Ad. Just…wow

Image credits: whenfartsattack

#95 My Breakfast Came On A Shovel… What’s Next?

Image credits: OvidiuTudosa

#96 Fiancée Said “Do You Think I’m Allowed To Put Ketchup Directly On The Cutting Board?”

Image credits: captain_dudeman

#97 Deep Fried Mushroom On A Ceramic Log

Image credits: latenightsnack1

#98 What The Hell Is This Crap?

Image credits: igotubabeub40

#99 Decent In Comparison To Some Of The Sh*t I’ve Seen But Damn Just Give Me A Damn Plate!

Image credits: imfanboi19

#100 Literally

Image credits: Sawathingonce

Source: boredpanda.com