Connecticut Public Act 21-58 also restricts automatic distribution of single-use plastic utensils and condiment packets at food service establishments. Bridgeport restaurants must provide these only when customers request them, particularly for takeout and delivery orders.
Public Act 21-58, the same Connecticut law that addressed plastic straws, also limits automatic distribution of single-use plastic utensils, stirrers, and certain accessories. Restaurants in Bridgeport, including takeout and delivery operators, may not pack plastic forks, knives, spoons, or condiment packets unless the customer requests them through online checkout, by phone, or in person. Third-party delivery platforms must include an opt-in checkbox rather than a default selection. The rule reduces unnecessary plastic in residential trash and aligns with broader Connecticut waste-reduction goals. Compliance is checked during routine health and DEEP inspections; civil penalties apply to repeat violators. Restaurants may still include utensils with dine-in service.
Automatically including plastic utensils with takeout or delivery orders, defaulting third-party delivery utensil checkboxes to yes, or refusing utensils to customers who request them can result in citations.
See how Bridgeport's utensils-on-request rules stack up against other locations.
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