# Knives and forks in airport restaurants **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282 "2002-06-21T16:01:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mystery\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mystery\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mystery_Dog)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/1 "2002-06-21T16:01:17Z")
I recently took a plane trip that involved a long layover in the Philadelphia airport. During that layover, my SO and I ate in a TGI Fridays restaurant within the airport concourse. We had already passed through security to get on our first flight, so we were in a part of the airport that couldn’t be reached without going through a security check somewhere. As it happened, we both ate sandwiches and didn’t need any silverware. The question occurred to us later: what if one of us had ordered something that couldn’t be eaten without a fork and/or knife? You normally can’t have those items in that part of the airport. Would they have given us plastic utensils? Or would they have made sure we couldn’t leave the restaurant without utensils? Or did I just fail to notice that the menu didn’t have anything that required knives and forks? ---
**Author:** ![Baron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@Baron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/2 "2002-06-21T16:08:32Z")
It’s a good question, actually. I’ve flown a lot recently and been wanded over several times before boarding (at the gate), but they certainly don’t wand everyone. I’m sure if the restaurant discovered that a knife was missing, mass panic and lockdown would likely ensue. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/3 "2002-06-21T16:16:01Z")
Warning: FOAF reference: Someone we knew recently ate at an airport restaurant after passing through security, and was astounded to find a steak knife with the silverware. **Baron’s** suggestion that the restaurants carefully monitor their inventory of silverware is somewhat amusing. However, I can confirm that the last time I flew (some months ago, but post 9/11) random people were pulled out of the boarding line. They were wanded, and their carry-on luggage was given a cursory check. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/4 "2002-06-21T17:22:32Z")
Maybe the restaurants simply use “safety knives” (rounded tips, serrated edge with a dull blade)? ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/5 "2002-06-21T18:11:36Z")
The last time I ate at an airport restaurant, they only had plastic utensils. I assumed that was the standard now. But I wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that some airport restaurants don’t do that. It would only further confirm my conviction that all these new airport security measures are completely useless, and accomplish exactly zip outside of their PR value. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/6 "2002-06-22T00:46:22Z")
Super-frequent traveller here… It depends. I typically get plastic eating ware, but have had steel “silverware” on a couple of occasions lately, including knives. Then in a lounge, I had a steel spoon and fork, but a plastic knife…I don’t actually think there is a national rule about it, or otherwise how could there be so much inconsistancy? ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/7 "2002-06-22T01:26:45Z")
My observation is that there is no rule in the U.S. and certainly no rule world-wide. Immediately after 9/11, the FAA said they would be banning all knives – even plastic ones – from areas inside the airport security checkpoints and from all flights. > [@](#): > > Already US airports have announced that all knives, whether plastic or metal, will be banned from airport complexes. Cafes and restaurants have been asked to remove them from service. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/wtccrash/story/0,1300,551070,00.html](http://www.guardian.co.uk/wtccrash/story/0,1300,551070,00.html) This rule lasted for about a day. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/8 "2002-06-22T04:20:45Z")
I also traveled immediately after 9-11 and was surprised when I wasn’t able to have a knife I asked the server to take my plate back to the kitchen and cut to his heart’s content. Worked for me! ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/9 "2002-06-22T09:40:17Z")
last week i flew Gulf Air from Bombay to London… i was surprised to be served food with a steel knife and fork… ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knives-and-forks-in-airport-restaurants/115282/10 "2002-06-22T13:48:03Z")
I’ve had metal cutlery (on EVA Air) in the last month too.