Beginning August 1, New Jersey restaurants, food trucks, cafes and other food service businesses will no longer be allowed to automatically include single-use plastic utensils, condiment packets or napkins with takeout and delivery orders unless customers specifically request them, as the state’s new “Skip the Stuff” law takes effect.

The law, signed earlier this year by former Governor Phil Murphy on the final day in office, is intended to reduce unnecessary plastic waste and encourage customers to take only the disposable items they need. State officials and environmental advocates say millions of plastic forks, knives, spoons and condiment packets are discarded unused each year.

Under the new requirements, restaurants may still provide single-use utensils, napkins and condiments, but only after a customer asks for them. The rules apply whether an order is placed in person, over the phone, online or through a third-party delivery service. Digital ordering platforms must default to providing no disposable utensils or condiments, requiring customers to actively opt in if they want them included.

The law also changes dine-in service. Full-service restaurants with seating for 10 or more customers must provide reusable, washable utensils for patrons eating on-site instead of disposable plastic cutlery.

Certain facilities are exempt, including K-12 schools, healthcare facilities and correctional institutions. Self-service stations may continue offering individual utensils and condiments, provided they are not distributed in bundled disposable packs.

Businesses that fail to comply will receive a warning for a first violation. A second violation may result in a fine of up to $100, while third and subsequent violations can carry penalties of up to $250. Revenue from fines will support the state’s Clean Communities Program Fund for litter cleanup and public education.

The law will be phased in further over the next two years. Beginning August 1, 2027, restaurants will no longer be permitted to distribute bundled disposable utensil packs, and additional requirements for certain casual dining establishments and food courts take effect August 1, 2028.

The measure builds on New Jersey’s broader efforts to curb single-use plastics, including the state’s 2022 ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, polystyrene foam food-service products and restrictions on plastic straws.