Virginia Beach has no upon-request mandate for plastic forks, knives, or condiment packets; restaurants choose whether to default to providing or asking customers if they need utensils.
Virginia state law does not require restaurants to withhold single-use plastic utensils, napkins, or condiment packets unless customers specifically request them. Virginia Beach has not enacted a local upon-request ordinance, and Dillon's Rule limits the city's ability to do so without General Assembly authorization. Many resort-area and Town Center restaurants voluntarily ask customers whether they need utensils for to-go orders to reduce waste reaching the Atlantic shoreline. The Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission promotes voluntary participation, and third-party delivery apps operating in Virginia Beach generally allow customers to opt out of utensils.
There are no local penalties for providing or omitting single-use utensils in Virginia Beach. Standard littering rules under Virginia Beach Code Chapter 23 apply if utensils are dumped on public property.
See how Virginia Beach's utensils-on-request rules stack up against other locations.
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