# Indian restaurants, metal cups **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 11, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492 "2012-03-11T21:32:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [March 14, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/41 "2012-03-14T00:30:34Z")
_“One little, two little, three little circles…” 😉_ ---
**Author:** ![eldowan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@eldowan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eldowan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/42 "2012-03-14T00:32:19Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > _“One little, two little, three little circles…” 😉_ Ok, you gave me the giggles there. Good show. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/43 "2012-03-14T01:01:11Z")
Another couple of minor datapoints - my daba masala (set of spice boxes) is metal, as are tiffin boxes. (If you’ve never seen anything about the tiffin deliveries of Mumbai, I highly recommend watching [this very short documentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyiuRWJ2AKE). Puts FedEx to shame.) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/44 "2012-03-14T12:42:16Z")
> [@indian](#): > > In many hotels, which serves teeming millions, steel plates and steel glasses are the norm. This helps in handling, cleaning, and prevents breakage. Imagine having to clean hundreds of plates during peak lunch hours. I stay in one (what I’d call) run-of-the-mill hotel near Trichy, and the only metal were the serving dishes (like any restaurant). But there weren’t teeming millions, so maybe it wasn’t a run of the mill hotel. I’m just offering a data point, by the way. > [@](#): > > Factory canteens use only stainless steel plates. I’d forgotten about my factory canteen (Madaras/Chennai area)! I’d only visited (and eaten there) one day. Yup, metal trays with pre-measured slots for all of the different food types, metal cups for serving your own pickled mango (I think), metal water cups, and metal water pitchers (filled from a plastic garbage can). You’re from Mumbai – is the Crawford Market “Spice King” just an over-priced tourist trap? I got really good stuff there, but am wondering if I’m a sucker… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/45 "2012-03-14T12:54:36Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Indian here. Circle or dot? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/46 "2012-03-14T13:44:26Z")
One thing to understand is that other than roadside food stalls and other casual settings, “eating out” is not deeply imbedded in the Indian tradition and restaurant culture in India to a large extent takes its traditions from Western restaurant culture. So if you’re in India and eating largely from legitimate restaurants, you’re likely to be in a heavily Westernized setting. This is reflected by the Indian use of the word “hotel” to mean food service establishment. Until relatively recently, the only legitimate restaurants were ones set up to serve the guests of hotels. The term “hotel” thus became associated with food service. I’ve seen tiny snack kiosks in rural West Bengal bearing large signs saying “HOTEL” (in Bengali). ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/47 "2012-03-14T14:21:16Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > _I stay in one (what I’d call) run-of-the-mill hotel near Trichy, and the only metal were the serving dishes (like any restaurant). But there weren’t teeming millions, so maybe it wasn’t a run of the mill hotel. I’m just offering a data point, by the way._ > > \*\*As I said upthread, India is far too diverse. In southern part of India, you will find most restaurants offering meals on plantain leaves instead of metal or glass.It is a deep rooted tradition. In same city, an upmarket place will serve you in glass or porcelain plates. > > Here is an image of [plantain leaves.](http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/12/24/stories/2010122451321100.htm) (scroll down) > \*\* > \*I’d forgotten about my factory canteen (Madaras/Chennai area)! I’d only visited (and eaten there) one day. Yup, metal trays with pre-measured slots for all of the different food types, metal cups for serving your own pickled mango (I think), metal water cups, and metal water pitchers (filled from a plastic garbage can). > > You’re from Mumbai – is the Crawford Market “Spice King” just an over-priced tourist trap? I got really good stuff there, but am wondering if I’m a sucker… \*:smack: \*\*Crawford market is overpriced no doubt.I my memory serves me right, there are multiple outlets. Most of the stuff is authentic, AFAIK. If you visit Kerala, you can pick genuine spices from Cochin.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/48 "2012-03-14T14:22:38Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Circle or dot? dot.😉 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/49 "2012-03-14T14:31:44Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Circle or dot? I think this needs to be the new “Hi, Opal!” ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/50 "2012-03-15T21:01:54Z")
I am of Indian origin and grew up in India in the 70’s and 80’s. We used brass/bronze cups/plates when kids and then switched to Stainless steel later. There were copper utensils too - but they were reserved more for religious ceremonies / occasions. Now to the question - why metal and not glass ?, I have a few observations : 1\> The British setup the Indian Brass industries with a lot of copper brought in from Britain (and brass exported back). It is evident that the Brass industries started catering to the domestic public. 2\> Metal is not breakable like glass and hence can last a longer time. This was important from the economics point of view. 3\> Metal cups can be piled (much like in the sink) with metal dishes in a basket and all of them could be washed together. Glass can easily break - so can porcelain. Since running water (like tap water) was not so prevalent in India - you could not wash dishes as you used them. 4\> Detergents or soaps were not usually available for cleaning. In the 70’s, I remember many folks using ash leftover from cooking with coke used for cleaning dishes. Glass would scratch and lose its luster. My guess is that western cultures did not wash their cups and glasses - they rather would have wiped them with a towel or paper since water was scarce in colder climates. 5\> Some other slight things that comes to mind are : In olden days glasses were not so robust - in the sense that if you put really hot liquids, they would crack. Most Indians are used to having their tea/coffee hotter than their American counterparts - they slurp (?) it while drinking though. Also you could heat a liquid while it was inside the cup on an oven. In my opinion - food habits/practices are more a result of geography/climate/availability than some so perceived cultural advancement. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/51 "2012-03-15T23:41:47Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I think this needs to be the new “Hi, Opal!” Ah, it’s a 1920’s circle ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492/52 "2012-03-17T04:55:43Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > God, they’re all just so much better than us, aren’t they? Yes, like you, I am totally offended that any other group has different customs than ours. This is something totally to be upset about. How dare people from India have different customs than mine?!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-restaurants-metal-cups/615492.md?page=2)