What do you think of those restaurants where you can throw your peanut shells on the floor?
ByMy boyfriend and I went to the Roadhouse Grill recently. Their “thing” is that there are buckets of peanuts on every table. However, there is no place to put the shells, so everyone just throws them on the floor. Also, it doesn’t look like anyone sweeps the place often. This, to me, is disgusting. It’s like they’re asking for rats and roaches. I complained, and I got this response in an email: “Thank you for the information. You will probably always find peanuts on our floors, we tried putting out extra buckets but for most, that was the fun of Roadhouse Grill.” I looked it up online, because that just seemed so odd to me, and the Roadhouse Grill isn’t even the only restaurant that does this. What do you think? Does a floor full of peanut shells add charm to a restaurant, or does it gross you out as well?
23 Comments
November 25th, 2009 at 4:27 am
I don’t really care. I didn’t realize they were still around. We had those in Ohio when they were called “The Ground Round”. It is fun for kids, I guess.
It isn’t a feature that would specifically attract me there. They would have to have fantastic food for me to enter.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:15 am
its supposed to be old fashioned and fun i guess. A smack to the face of all the retentive clean freaks american advertising has spawned. Ive heard that people with peanut allergies cant even set foot in those places though.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:31 am
No, I think that it is a great way to attract bugs and rodents and I also think that its going to take a lawsuit (someone slipping and falling on peanut shells) before the restaurant changes their tune.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:49 am
I like it myself. But the only ones i’ve ever been to sweep on a regular babsis.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:04 am
I’ve been at one of those restaurants late at night, just before closing. I saw people cleaning up the shells. Although, I don’t know for sure if they do it every night, or every other night, or every week, or whatever.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:38 am
A fire hazard?
November 25th, 2009 at 6:50 am
they usually sweep a couple to three times through out the shifts. there are several restaurants like it. they do clean thoroughly at the end of the night. for people with kids it’s great because if the kids make a little bit of a mess the parents don’t feel as bad. my kids love those places because they’re allowed to throw the shells in the floor it’s something they aren’t normally allowed to do. but most places do sweep throughout each shift. the best i can say is if you don’t like it just don’t go there because they are right you will always find shells in their floors.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:57 am
To tell you the truth it sounds disgusting. I do not want to eat and sit in a restaurant, where peanut shells that were bitten and opened by someone else , are all over the floor. YUCK. The bacteria in that place must be huge. Just gross. Do yourself a favor, you’ve experienced it, but in the future spend your money in a place you enjoy, not one that sickens you. I don’t blame you one bit, it grosses me out too.
November 25th, 2009 at 7:40 am
wow, that is pretty disgustin!!!
November 25th, 2009 at 7:40 am
I actually find it kind’ve fun, but that’s assuming they do sweep it up every now and then. if they don’t at all that is pretty gross. Also it has to be done where the floor is wood, and not laquered. Otherwise it gets slipperry with all the oil and can be quite a hazard. The history behind it basically is that in the old days (I dont know how long ago)..in steak houses they had old wood flooring. and by allowing customers to throw their peanut shells on the ground, it would leave peanut oil on the floor. So when they swept it up, it kind’ve waxed/oiled the floor for them. So most steakhouses that do this are just trying to upkeep an old tradition. It’s kind’ve fun..assuming they sweep it up every now and then..and the floor is not like concrete…cus yeah..that can be dangerous..As for being a breeding ground of bacteria. I took classes regarding food health. And the thing is..it’s oil and not really water in those shells. Bacteria grow in warm wet environments. You’re talking about peanut oil on the ground, and that’s just like how everyone leaves oil out in their kitchen. It’s not unsanitary..the worse thing is it’s slippery and a hazard, but it’s safe. Not to mention you peel peanut shells with ur fingers, and you’re not spitting it out like Tobacco.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:03 am
These type of restaurants are all over, this kind is just now for you. My self I like going to the Claimants, they serve a great menu. with two different kinds of salads. The atmosphere is great.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:56 am
it must be a cool place
November 25th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Well if I went for a quick bite at a bar or roadhouse this wouldn’t bother me one bit. If I was dressed up and going for a more formal dinner I wouldn’t like it. However, if it was formal I wouldn’t be going to a roadhouse. I actually worked at a bar that did this and although it may look like it is not cleaned, I can say we did sweep it all up at the end of the night. Also throughout the day. If there are mice or roaches they usually come in cases of food when they are delivered by the trucks. It is definately not a place for uptight people. Also in response to someone saying eww, people spit on the ground you walk on everyday and there is bacteria on everything you touch so stepping on a shell that has someones germs from their mouth shouldn’t bother you, afterall you aren’t in your bare feet right? You also aren’t picking them up and putting them in your mouth, which would be gross, so don’t worry.
November 25th, 2009 at 9:48 am
I hate it too! I hate walking on the shells and feel like I’m kicking trash around. Maybe I was raised differently, or maybe because I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for years, I cannot throw them on the floor. Bugs, saliva, germs, whatever. What I wonder is what the restaurant’s liability insurance is like for when someone slips on shells and breaks their hip.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:12 am
We have two restaurants like that here (Lubbock, TX). The first time I went to one, I felt like you did, that it was gross and I wondered how many health codes they were violating. Now I’ve gotten used to it and I even look forward to going to one of them (because they have excellent steaks). However, I will say that I’ve never noticed a huge amount of shells on the floor, they seem to sweep them up on a regular basis. I guess it depends upon the restaurant you go to as to how clean it is and it also depends upon your level of “germ-o-phobia”.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:54 am
This to me is so foul. Can you say red-necked hillbilly? I really doubt that I would patronize an establishment that has worse housekeeping then I apply in my own kitchen
November 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
I don’t care for it, but I know recently one restaurant was sued over this (someone slipped) so I think it will be phased out eventually.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Forget the restaurant being gross- the guys who do it are nasty! I’m sitting there trying to teach my three year old manners and then her grandfather throws food on the floor! Geez!
As far as vermon goes, they sweep it all up every night and start fresh in the morning.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I have to say, as a customer, it didn’t bother me. I would not, however, want to work in a place allowed that…. I agree, if not cleaned nightly, the shells and peanuts missed by customers would be an attractant to vermin of all sorts.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I LOVE THAT RESTAURANT BUT I HATE PEANUTS SO THAT MAKES IT TOUGH TO GO AND ENJOY MY FOOD BUT I AGREE ITS KINDA GROSS
November 25th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Texas Roadhouse is one of the best steakhouses I’ve been to. They do that. They clean it up at the end of the night. Sometimes it can take nearly 2 hours just to get a table, it’s so popular. I don’t understand what’s so gross about it. They’re shells. You open them with your fingers so it’s not like they’re being spit out like sunflower seeds.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
You used to be able to do that at Lone Star, but it was nixed when it was discovered as insanitary( and that so many people refused to eat there). Now, they still serve peanuts, but throwing them on the floor is strictly prohibited.
I don’t think a floor with peanut shells all over it adds charm to a restaurant. I agree with you, it is disgusting. I think if they want to add charm, they should consider a fireplace or some scenery(paintings, memorabilia on the walls. Anyway, nothing screams “dirty” like just throwing your shells wherever. Come on people, show a little dignity and throw your shells in the trash bins.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I remember this sort of thing from about 30 years ago. Ground Round was the name of the place. It was lots of fun. I never really thought of the sanitary aspect of it. Hmm….