We’re always given straws when we order soft drinks or water, but neither my husband nor I ever use them. When they’re wrapped, we just set them aside, assuming they’ll be saved. Some places upwrap them, except for a short bit on the tip, and we just set them on the table. The only time I use a straw is when I get a milkshake.
So, yea or nay on straws?
I rarely use them. Almost never. Which is too bad, because I have this really pretty antique straw dispenser at home that sits unused.
I use them because I don’t like choking on little ice chips. With no straw, I’m doing this uncomfortable tight-lipped sip to avoid getting ice cubes in my mouth, and it’s annoying.
I don’t use them at home (which means I often have little red Crystal Light stains at the corners of my mouth - ugh!), but I do use them in restaurants.
I also amuse the children at the table by making little “worms” out of the straw wrappers and dribbling water on them to make them wriggle. So I’m sad when they bring the fancy straws on the half shell already in the glass.
I use straws all the time, including at home. Any drink that has ice in it, gets a straw. I don’t like ice near my teeth.
I gave up sippy cups at the age of three and straws at the age of six.
I use them at restaurants, mostly out of habit, I think. At home, never. Except as cat toys.
I use them at restaurants. They’re fun! When I was a kid I think straws always seemed like a novelty since we never used them at home.
Use them at a restaurant to compensate for not having a favorite mug. Don’t use them at home because my favorite mugs are always handy.
And I echo that they are indeed fun!
I always want them for any drink with ice in it - I hate getting to the bottom of the glass and having the ice suddenly come forward and splash your drink over your face and shirt. I also hate trying to get at my drink around the ice - I do that tight-lipped sip, too, and I don’t like it. I never use them at home because I never put ice in a drink at home.
I like them. Aside from the tight-lipped ice avoidance which is annoying to do, my front teeth are sensitive to cold and it allows the cold drink to bypass them painlessly. I also have one really sensitive tooth on the side, and they allow me to aim the drink away from that tooth. Without a straw, anything I drink is:
sip “OWWWwww!” grabs cheek, winces And repeat.
Yes, I know I need to see a dentist.
I like them, too.
I, um, even used a straw when drinking some tea this weekend. (Hey! I hate hot liquids, and I normally avoid them. It still freaked me out.)
I also until recently had no idea that the little stirrers that come with cocktails weren’t meant to be straws. Apparently it’s sort of endearing that I drink out of them. I just think it’s neater because I invariably pour liquid on myself when I drink out of a cup straight.
My daughter and son-in-law use them all the time. I had to lay down the law that they do NOT leave glasses in the sink with straws in them. Sheesh - no couth, them two. :rolleyes:
I often use them, but not always and there is no rhyme or reason.
I use them, in restaurants, due to the ice thing. Don’t use them in restaurants with a non-iced drink, don’t use them at home.
We often have the odd thing that I order iced water, and get no straw delivered for it, but Himself or the Boy order pop and get a straw they didn’t want to begin with. Apparently, iced water isn’t a real beverage so no straw delivery, but at least I can snatch their straws.
I love straws. I also smoke and chew gum incessantly, straws fit into that oral fixation quite nicely.
I only use straws if they’re the right size.
Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s have these huge straws that are horrible.
I say thin straws, or no straws.
I use straws. In restaurants, and at home. I make note of when we are low on straws and buy more. They must be bendy straws 
. Mixed drinks, especially, must have straws, as I use the straw to stir the liquor (usually vanilla vodka) into the soda (usually Diet Coke).
Straws are cheap and amusing, and somehow. . .I dunno. . .civilized or something.
ETA: in restaurants, we tear the ends off of the straw wrappers and use the straws themselves to blow the wrappers at each other. It’s like family bonding!
Never when I drink water (my usual beverage). They’re useless.
Water is best ice cold. But most restaurants fill up the glass and then add ice, or don’t put in enough ice to do the job. So with a straw, you’re drinking the lukewarm water at the bottom of the glass instead of the nice icy stuff at the top.
For other drinks, I’ll use a straw if it’s in a paper cup and not if it’s in a glass.
I never use them. Ice isn’t a problem because I never use ice either.