This article was originally published on 24/7Mirror
Restaurants these days face so much competition that they have to take drastic measures just to get noticed. What can restaurant owners do to make their establishment stand out? One way to address this is to offer customers something they've never seen before, like outrageously plated dishes or beverages, that will surely get them talking. Here are some of the most drastic examples of food servings you've NEVER seen before.
Terrifying Towering Tempura
When you think about all the potential ways it is possible to serve tempura, sticking it on long, scary, wobbly sticks like this simply is not one of them. Do you want your food terrifying? Well then, you've got it.
Not only that, but it turns out this establishment marketed this dish as environmentally friendly made with sustainable seafood. Going through all that trouble only to serve it on a polystyrene block seems a little silly to us.
Alcoholic Bath Time
Extravagant cocktails are so common these days, you can find them in any bar. How does this restaurant make itself stand out? Think outside the box, and inside of the bath. That's right, these cocktails are served in little mini bathtubs, fully equipped with rubber duckies for good measure.
This little creation is NOT how you would normally expect to be served your cocktail under any circumstances. It might be slightly on the ridiculous side, but it's definitely cute.
Fight For Your Food
Imagine being served your Beef Wellington with a side of barbed wire. Sounds terrible, looks terrible, and honestly, we just can't think of one positive thing about this serving suggestion.
Maybe the restaurant is owned by vegetarians who want to put you off eating meat? Maybe the restaurant's owners are trying to close it down and make sure that customers don't return. Either way, we're definitely not feeling it.
Challenging The Concept Of Salad
Call us old-fashioned, but we tend to like our salads in a bowl. And with, you know, more than four leaves of lettuce. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and this restaurant clearly disagrees with us, as you can tell by their take on 'Caesar Salad'.
This looks like some kind of sad and disgruntled Christmas Tree and this interpretation of salad really pushes the limits of what is acceptable to serve. Personally, we'd be very angry if our order looked like this. However, it's undoubtedly hilarious.
Leaning Tower Of Pie
It seems that in this case, the owners of the restaurants are trying to save on dishes. Maybe they want to sell two desserts in one, or they want to get rid of some extra pie they had laying around. Whatever it is, they are up to something.
There's simply no other explanation as to why they would serve a pie, balanced on top of a milkshake, and act as though this is normal. We're just worried about the stability of the whole thing.
Age Old Chips
Using unusual plating options can be fun, but it doesn't always work. Take this for example. Two single corn chips on top of a rock? We'll be honest... it's not doing it for is.
Surely, it's unique, but it looks ridiculous, and it really just feels like a step too far. On the plus side, maybe it means less dishwashing.
Phone Box Lunch
This meal really takes lunch boxes to a whole new level. It has a very Japanese vibe to it, and not just because of the rice. However, we'd be disappointed if this meal was presented to us at a restaurant.
We wonder how the cardboard box is cleaned after the diner is done with their meal. Is it disposable, or is this located next to an iPhone factory?
Wired Up Pig
You've heard about pigs in a blanket, but what about pigs on a wire? Not quite as catchy, sure, but this piece of bacon was actually served to someone at a restaurant. To be honest, it's not at all appealing.
Having to wrangle your meat off a wire, with one end that frankly looks sharp and dangerous, is not our idea of a fun night out. Sometimes there's just trying way too hard, and this is one of those times. Give us our bacon on toast and we'll be perfectly happy.
Messy Mucky Fun
To continue with our theme of restaurants that are pulling out every stop to try and stay relevant, we have the restaurant that pours the food straight onto peoples' hands in an attempt to get them talking.
Chocolate is delicious, melted chocolate is delicious, licking it off our hands? No thank you. We don't think this is what they mean when they say finger food.
Fast Moving Coffee
We had a bathtub, we've now got a toilet bowl. That's right, this place serves their coffee in a miniature toilet. We'll be honest, it is pretty funny, but we don't know if we'd actually want to drink it.
It does look professionally made, but other than that, we don't have many positive things to say about this creation. Think about it, would you drink brown substance out of a toilet bowl?
Clipboard Charcuterie
Mixing work and dining is a great idea, but this restaurant took that a little too literally. It's not just the fact that the meat, cheese, and bread are somehow fixed to the clipboard. It's also the fact they are all standing up vertically stacked next to each other.
That means all of that cheese and meat is getting pressed into by some more cardboard, which is just plain weird. Just give us our food on a plate, the way it was intended, and we'll have no complaints.
Extravagant Royal Sausages
Here we focus on the age-old question, should sausages be served in a bun, or is it legitimate to serve them on their own? The answer is, well, we have no idea if this is the answer.
This image of five chubby sausages atop a fancy pillow is simply beyond reason. There is no excuse for serving food this way, and we will firmly state that we in no way endorse it.
No Parts Gone To Waste
This image is really a vegetarian's nightmare, as an actual deer's antler is used to serve a piece of meat from the very same animal. Little venison cubes served on top of an antler is hardly in good taste.
The meat itself apparently was very tasty, and it doesn't look bad from the photo. The plating, however, is not appealing to us one bit. And we're not even vegetarian.
Gruesome Gravy Boat
This gravy is straight-up being served out of a plastic container, that looks like it should hold some kind of chemical substance, like something you would clean the toilet with. Sorry for being blunt, but it's what we're all thinking, and it's true.
Frankly, this is a crime against food and a crime against gravy. Gravy should be poured out of a gravy boat, or at at the very least a small jug. Give people a chance to enjoy their food, for crying out loud.
Eat Straight From My Mouth
If eating from someone's mouth sounds disgusting to you, then definitely do not go to this restaurant in Barcelona. The owner made a mold of the inside of his mouth, and decided he should serve food on it.
This makes the food look as if it were already pre-chewed, to be honest. We'll give him the fact it's unique though. We'll also give him the fact that his teeth do appear to be in pretty decent condition, so at least he has that.
Flat Out Pasta
This looks like someone is trying to feed their farm animals with pasta, not some diners who spend their hard-earned money on a night out.
The chef here simply threw food on the table, slapped some sauce on, and called it a day. Appetizing? Hell no. Delicious? We don't even want to try it to find out.
Hubcap Substitutes
At some point, when a restaurant decides down to go down the gimmicky route like using hubcaps instead of plates, they really have to stop and ask themselves: is this worth it? This restaurant clearly did not do that, however.
They could have just used a plate. Yes, it's kind of funny, yes it's kind of different. But it looks dirty and unappetizing.
Terrifying Turd Humor
This restaurant decided to give its patrons a challenge. Are they hungry enough to eat food presented like this?
Serving chocolate truffles in the shape of turds, on top of a manure fork is really pushing the absolute limit. Comedy-wise, it's very funny. Still looks gross, though.
Safety First For This Cocktail
Don't worry guys, this restaurant has very safely secured your cocktail. There is simply no way for the cocktail to fly away. We know that's what you were all worrying about, so you can now chill.
Seriously though, why the cage? How was this necessary? Does add a certain criminal vibe to the whole scene though.
No Rust Today Thanks
This next photo was taken by a customer who was enraged after being served nachos on a rusty bin lid at a fancy four-star hotel. Clearly, the hotel thought they were being clever and different.
The customer obviously felt differently. Why would anyone want to eat out of a rusty bin?
Bathtime Drinks
Now we'll ask you this very serious question: do you prefer your cocktails with or without rubber ducks? Turns out it's a real trend these days.
This restaurant will not wait to hear your response, though. They will serve you a cocktail in a bathtub, with bubbles, and complete with three rubber ducks. Are you impressed? How could you not be?
Tower Of Dreams
This is the real stairway to heaven, and don't pretend you don't think of that yourself.
Pizza steps to paradise? Yes please. While this is completely unnecessary and honestly silly, it's still pizza, and pizza is perfect no matter what.
Served Seated
Sure, you can be seated too, but that's not what's important here. What's important is that the potato is comfortable.
Maybe this little potato had a rough day and couldn't wait to put its feet up. Too bad it doesn't have any.
Missing The Point
When someone is vegetarian or vegan, that generally means that they don't eat animal products... So why is the vegetarian dish at this restaurant served inside the shell of a sea creature?
Really missing the point here, we must say. Compared to other things on this list though, at least this looks edible.
It's For You
We honestly don't even know what this is supposed to mean. Is this meant to be eaten? Is this garnish? Is it a prank?
No, this was actually served to a paying customer at a restaurant. Maybe they used to phone to order a pizza?
Smeared Spaghetti
Now, this looks like the aftermath of a meal, not the meal itself. And it doesn't even look like whoever ate this had a good time.
That didn't stop this restaurant though, maybe they were hoping for some kind of 'Lady and the Tramp' moment where the mouths meet in the middle. Who even knows anymore.
Waste Not Want Not
If you weren't vegetarian before, maybe after seeing this, you will be. This looks like a massacre.
We don't know who thought this was a good idea, or that it was hygienic or sanitary, but we're here to tell you: it's not.
Everything Including The Kitchen Sink
This sharing starter served in a sink is really just proof that anything is possible.
In some ways, it's so ridiculous that it's actually gone the whole way around to beng cool again.
Making Use Of VHS
Since VHS tapes are irrelevant and obsolete, people have to find a way to use them somehow.
This restaurant decided to use them as plates to try and make them relevant again. To us, it just looks dirty.
Careful Which You Pick
It's a little bit dangerous to serve this dish on a plate of rocks, because if you accidentally bite on one... the end result won't be pretty.
We wonder if the owner of this restaurant enjoys getting sued, or is by chance a dentist.
Simply Beyond Words
There is no nice way to say this, this looks like one practical joke taken way too far.
Anyone who would enjoy eating their jello like this, has a problem. We have no further comment. We assume that you don't either
Stop In The Name Of Grape
When this couple heard that the restaurant was selling grape popsicles, they were excited to try them. Who wouldn't be? Grape popsicles sound delicious.
When the dessert arrived, however, they were not impressed. Three grapes, frozen, skewered on kebab sticks. What's more, the grapes weren't even de-seeded. What an insult.
The Wrong Way To Serve Spaghetti
This is not the correct way to serve spaghetti. Spaghetti needs to be served on a plate, how hard is that to understand? How is this even meant to be eaten?
We do see a fork and spoon in the picture, so maybe that's how. We wouldn't know where to start, though. What a mess!
We're Gonna Need A Bigger Pan
It's not just the fact that the frozen dessert is served in a pan meant for hot foods. That's already a weird concept but that's not the end of the world. If only the pan was an appropriate size.
What a waste of chocolate sauce that's dripping all over from this tiny pan. The person who took this photo even said that it ended up dripping on their lap. What a nightmare!
Surely This Is A Joke?
There is no way a real restaurant could have served this. Honestly, it looks like it's straight out of a trash can. We are not impressed.
This honestly looks hazardous to us. If this was actually served to us in a restaurant and we had to pay money for it, there's no way we would stay at that place. No way.
Are All The Cups In The Dishwasher?
Sometimes when we don't have any clean cups, we have to resort to other things to drink from, like jars, at the very worst a bowl. Surely not a plastic bag, and SURELY not in a restaurant.
This image of a cocktail in a bag reminds us of the way people buy goldfish at the pet store, and we'll be honest, that is not an image we want in our heads when we're trying to enjoy our drink. We just hope it wasn't expensive.
Funny, But No
Ok, we get it, cheese, mice, mousetrap. Firstly, are you insulting your diners by calling them mice? Secondly, even if the joke has some kind of relevance, look at the state of that trap.
Rusty metal to eat our food from? No thanks. Also, was this thing ever used? Because if there actually ever was a mouse anywhere near that thing, it's even grosser.
When You Haven't Done The Dishes
Here we have another prime example of not having done the dishes. Actually, in this case, it's more of a 'when you haven't done dishes AND have no food in the house'. Food from a wine glass is a no.
The food itself? Mac and cheese from a box and turkey dinosaurs. Surely no self-respecting restaurant could serve this. This is really an insult to the concept of eating out.
Cursed Ham
This strange image of ham hanging from a chandelier is really a reminder that humans have no shame. It's like everything has gone wrong.
If you actually would eat a piece of ham that was hanging from one of these wires, good for you. You can have ours as well.
Not Exactly A Fiesta
This image of steak and mashed potatos inside a sombrero really leads to a lot of questions. The main one being: why? The food isn't even Mexican.
There is no need for this, and it just looks difficult, messy, and difficult to eat. Surely cutting the steak will damage the sombrero, and more importantly, how do they clean the sombrero after use? So many questions with no explanation.
Biriyani In A Fruit
What happened to just serving a rice dish in a bowl, or a plate, like normal people? Is that too boring these days?
This choice of fruity plating makes the whole thing look like dessert, which we're pretty sure it isn't. How are people supposed to eat this, anyway?
Left Out To Dry
Now that's one way to serve cured meat. It's for sure creative, but not very appetizing.
Yes, like the laundry nobody asked for and nobody wants, these bacon strips are held up by pegs, and if you want to eat them you'll have to unpeg them yourself. Enjoy?
The Magical Beignet Tree
Now, we've got to admit, this one is trying too hard, but... isn't the end result pretty. We're not hating this idea. The tree looks nice, the beignets look nice, and the chocolate looks nice.
We wouldn't return this if it were served to us at a restaurant. Even if it does look slightly like it's out of a fairytale where something bad happens at the end.
Crocs Galore
Sometimes you just need to stop and realize how lucky you are to be living at an age when it's actually possible to eat cheese bites out of a shoe.
Yes, we are all very fortunate. We are simply in awe of the restauranteur who decided this would be a good idea. What a time to be alive.
One Cup Breakfast
A full English breakfast is a wonderful thing, but putting it all in one jar? We don't know about that. Firstly, you're going to get the hash browns soggy.
Secondly, why is this necessary? It makes it difficult to eat, and it looks as though it's about to be blended together to make the worst smoothie ever known to man. We're not feeling it.
Jaws Wants Yours
How about having your pancake hanging out of a shark's mouth, over a small tub of maple syrup? Would you get that the next time you crave something sweet?
Probably not. It's not necessary, it's not clever, and it reduces the amount of pancake we can have because only so much fits into a shark's mouth. We really must think about these things.
Did It Try To Escape?
What is it with people treating cocktails as if they are criminals on the loose? Cocktails will stay in cocktail glasses if you put them there, we promise.
This cocktail inside a box is a wonderful reminder that people have ridiculous ideas, and most of the time they simply make no sense.
Onion Ring Tower
We can taste the metal just by looking at this photo, it's a no thanks from us.
The onion rings do look good, but the metallic, oily associations we get are turning us off. Ew.
Back To Basics
Fish and chips, traditionally, are served in a piece of newspaper. Was that the inspiration behind this?
Being served on this kind of paper is a bit ridiculous, but also quite funny, and also good for the environment. We're into it.
Shovel It In
This eggs benedict looks absolutely delicious. The shovel is weird, but we'll forgive that.
wanting to shovel food into your mouth really takes on a whole new meaning here.