New Law to Change Takeout Orders in Hudson Valley Forever

A new law is set to change how Hudson Valley restaurants handle takeout orders and what winds up being included with your meal.

New Law Heads to the County Executive

The Dutchess County Legislature has unanimously approved a new local law called “Skip the Stuff,” which would eliminate one of the most wasteful things about ordering food for pickup.

The legislation would require restaurants to only include utensils, napkins, and condiment packets if customers actually ask for them. Right now, most places automatically toss those items into the bag whether you need them or not. Under this proposal, that would need to change.

The measure still needs the County Executive’s signature, but once that happens, the new rules will be put into motion.

Why This Could Be a Big Change

County leaders say this law could have an immediate positive impact.

According to Legislator Lisa Kaul, many customers don’t even use the extra items that come with their food. They just get thrown away. By cutting back, she says some local restaurants could save as much as $300 a month.

At the same time, officials say it could reduce a noticeable amount of plastic waste that ends up on roadsides, in streams, or burned at the county’s incinerator.

What It Means for Hudson Valley Customers

If you’re grabbing takeout in places like Poughkeepsie, Wappingers, or Beacon, you will have to specifically opt in to receive forks, napkins or ketchup packs. Currently, many restaurants do offer a check box to leave these items out of your order but still wind up throwing them in anyway.

The new law would make that illegal.

When 'Skip The Stuff" Law Goes into Effect

The law includes an 18-month phase-in period, giving restaurants time to adjust and customers time to get used to asking for what they need.

Supporters say that the timeline was important to avoid putting pressure on smaller, mom-and-pop businesses that may have more difficulty with the transition.

The law seems like a no-brainer that saves businesses money, helps the environment and saves customers from having to discard unwanted clutter. But, as we know, the Hudson Valley loves to complain about everything, so we'll see how this new initiative is actually greeted once it goes into law.