# Are there still bars and restaurants with sawdust on the floors? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525 "2016-01-18T21:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/1 "2016-01-18T21:26:02Z")
Back when I was growing up and into young adulthood (40-50 years ago) it was not uncommon to find small restaurants or bars that had sawdust on the floors. I remember a sandwich shop with red checked table cloths and sawdust floors. A bar I frequented had sawdust floors, and free peanuts which they encouraged patrons to just drop the shells on the floor. Is that still done anywhere, or have current health codes outlawed that? And how did that work, anyway; did they sweep up the old sawdust and put down new every day, or once a week, or just as needed? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/2 "2016-01-18T21:28:28Z")
Phillippe’s in downtown LA, the birthplace of the French dip, still did it when I was last there about a decade ago, and as far as I know they still do. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/3 "2016-01-18T22:27:08Z")
Logan’s Roadhouse is a BBQ chain and they serve up peanuts in a small galvanized pail and yeah, toss those shells on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/4 "2016-01-18T22:33:50Z")
The Texas Roadhouse chain encourages tossing peanut shells on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/5 "2016-01-18T22:37:00Z")
I haven’t been to a place like that in forever, but when I did, I always felt like I was once drunken misstep away from a broken ankle. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/6 "2016-01-18T22:39:38Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Logan’s Roadhouse is a BBQ chain and they serve up peanuts in a small galvanized pail and yeah, toss those shells on the floor. Same for Texas Roadhouse. I assume they sweep up at night. When I’ve been in at the start of the day for a NH the staff was actively putting peanut shells on a clean floor. In MA locations they don’t seem to do the same. The peanut shells are all from customers and they do sweep them up during the day. I don’t know if it’s just a different district policies or if MA has more restrictive health code. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/7 "2016-01-19T00:10:56Z")
_Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells_ –from The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/8 "2016-01-19T01:28:19Z")
I know of one in PA (the same place has some pool cues in a couple corners but no pool table - rough little joint) but in most of our counties the health code basically prohibits it. We had a couple different steak places allow the peanut-shells-on-the-floor thing and they got fined for it and stopped. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/9 "2016-01-19T01:44:08Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Logan’s Roadhouse is a BBQ chain and they serve up peanuts in a small galvanized pail and yeah, toss those shells on the floor. But the waitresses don’t dance on the bar. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/10 "2016-01-19T02:23:48Z")
It’s been a while since I was there, but last I was Monk’s Pub in Chicago had peanut shells on the floor. (And Really Good grilled cheese.) ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/11 "2016-01-19T04:31:40Z")
There’s sawdust on the floor at “Mad O’Rourke’s Pie Factory” near Birmingham, UK. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/12 "2016-01-19T17:32:54Z")
Saloon #10 in Deadwood, SD still does it. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/13 "2016-01-19T17:39:53Z")
A chain called _Cody’s Roadhouse_ does it. I love peanuts in the shell but have a hard time throwing the remains on the floor. It just feels. . . wrong. And no, I don’t do it at the ball park either. Always put the shells in my food tray. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/14 "2016-01-19T19:35:39Z")
The answer is going to vary by state since, in it’s Food Code Administrative Guidelines, the [FDA](http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/ucm189214.htm) does not specifically disallow it (though it does seem to discourage the practice): > [@](#): > > Temporary floor coverings such as sawdust can contaminate food, attract insects and rodents, and become a nuisance to the food operation. Here is the health code in [Georgia](http://www.foodserviceresource.com/State/GA/Fulton_County/FULTON_HEALTH_INSTRUCTIONS_files/ArticleV_FoodService.pdf) (PDF): > [@](#): > > Sec. 34-160. Construction and maintenance of physical facilities. (cont.) > (3) Floor coverings. The use of sawdust, wood shavings, peanut hulls, or similar material as a floor covering is prohibited. This does not mean they can’t let customers throw peanut shells on the floor, only that the shells can’t remain there on any kind of permanent basis. I think the rule of thumb is that the shells must be cleaned up at least daily. The Texas Roadhouse/Logan’s type places around here have started providing 2 buckets at each table - one for the unshelled nuts and one for the shells. ETA - Some of my favorite BBQ restaurants when I was growing up had sawdust-over-dirt floors, picnic table indoor seating and a loaf of store bought white bread in the original bag on each table. MmmmmMmmmm! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/15 "2016-01-19T20:09:11Z")
And what about spittoons? Surely their aren’t any today, but I’ve always wondered about the awkward transition period. Someone all ready to spit, then realizes there’s no handy spittoon. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/16 "2016-01-19T22:02:24Z")
There are still country and Western bars that have sawdust on the floor, but it’s done for the nostalgia factor. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/17 "2016-01-20T01:29:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > And what about spittoons? > > Surely their aren’t any today, but I’ve always wondered about the awkward transition period. Someone all ready to spit, then realizes there’s no handy spittoon. Another saloon feature that has sadly gone away, is the urinal built into the front of the bar, just beyond the brass rail. Who wants to interrupt their drinking and give up their spot at the bar just to take a piss? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/18 "2016-01-20T01:50:15Z")
What was the point of the sawdust anyway? ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/19 "2016-01-20T01:54:17Z")
My guess would be to absorb vomit. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525/20 "2016-01-20T01:57:39Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > But the waitresses don’t dance on the bar. They do at Ed Debevic’s in Chicago. And they are supposed to be rude/surly, but the one we had came up short in that department. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-bars-and-restaurants-with-sawdust-on-the-floors/743525.md?page=2)