Denver’s food scene is vibrant, diverse, and delicious. But the trash left behind by takeout and delivery shouldn't be part of its legacy.
Think about your last delivery order. Did it arrive with a mountain of plastic forks, straws, and napkins you never asked for? That’s instant clutter for customers, a wasteful expense for local restaurants, and a direct ticket to the landfill. Even worse, traditional foam takeout containers are packed with harmful chemicals that can leach into hot meals and break down into toxic microplastics, permanently threatening our water and food supplies.
These ordinances are turning the tide. By switching to eco-friendly packaging and making single-use utensils strictly "opt-in," we are saving local businesses money and keeping tons of plastic out of our beautiful state. Let’s protect the Denver we love, one meal at a time.
Skip the Stuff
Skip the Stuff went into effect in January, 2022. It requires all retail food establishments, including third-party delivery services, to provide single-use condiments, straws, and cutlery only upon customer request. This ordinance:
- Reduces the amount of waste generated by single-use items
- Changes customer habits regarding single-use items
- Helps restaurants reduce unnecessary costs
The ordinance does not apply to:
- Self-service stations inside restaurants
- Special events
- Pre-packaged items that include single-use items
- Meals provided as part of a social service
- Meals provided to guests in hotels
Third-party delivery services may use single-use items that prevent spills, such as spill plugs and cup lids.
Foam Ban
The Foam Ban went into effect in January, 2024. It states that all restaurants in Denver are prohibited from providing expanded polystyrene (foam) containers to customers, including:
- Cups and Mugs
- Plates and Bowls
- Trays and To-Go Boxes
- Containers used for ready-to-eat food
The Foam Ban is subject to the same penalty amounts and schedule as the Disposable Bag Fee. That means that restaurants found in violation of the ban could face civil penalties.
To make this ordinance easy to implement, the City and County of Denver has created printable materials to educate your customers and staff. Materials are in Vietnamese, Spanish, and English. If you need materials, please email sustainability@denvergov.org. We are happy to provide signage in other languages. Thank you for helping us reduce waste in Denver!
If your establishment would like signage in a specific language, please email sustainability@denvergov.org. We are happy to provide signage in other languages.