Since the beginning of the year, the fight against plastic waste has also had to be waged by fast-food restaurants, delivery services and restaurants that offer take-away food.
In the Rhine-Main area, many restaurateurs are still unsure about the new rules and have many unanswered questions, reports the Hessian hotel and gastronomy association Dehoga.
If you want to protect the environment with your to-go order, you will sometimes encounter poorly informed employees.
But there are exceptions.
"It's complicated," replies the clerk at the drive-in counter of the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food chain when asked if the coleslaw is also available in a reusable cup.
You have to register online, pay a deposit and if the reusable cups are not returned within two weeks, the deposit expires, says the man.
A few days ago, he explains, a customer accidentally registered with the competition.
He had an hour of stress to clarify that.
So there is the coleslaw in disposable plastic cups.
It's different at McDonald's on Mainzer Strasse in the center of Frankfurt: the saleswoman at the drive-in counter is prepared and the ice cream is available without discussion in a reusable cup, for which a deposit of two euros has to be paid.
Without being asked, she adds that many other drinks are also delivered in reusable cups and that there are more and more customers who are asking about this offer.
According to an industry magazine, the fast-food chain has been working on a reusable system for two years and offers its reusable containers in almost 1,500 branches nationwide.
However, fries and burgers are still only available in disposable packaging, which should be plastic-free.
"We dont have"
"It's the boss's turn, because we have to do it too.
But we don't have any reusable containers yet," says the seller at "Walter's Feeder" and asks for your understanding.
When asked whether many customers had already asked for reusable packaging, he replied: "You are the first".
Anyone who calls a Bockenheim pizzeria with a delivery service and asks about reusable minestrone containers will get similar answers.
"We don't have it," says the employee and hangs up.
This is also the case at a pizzeria on Mörfelder Landstrasse in Frankfurt: there are no reusable containers for Italian salads, even on request.
"Only disposable," the employee clarifies.
There is still some confusion in the retail sector too.
Only disposable plastic cups are placed at the salad bar in the Taunusstein Rewe supermarket on Friday.
There is no sign of reusable containers and the cashier cannot help.
"We don't have anything like that," she replies when asked about reusable cups.
The employee at the information center is even convinced that the supermarket is not obliged to offer reusable packaging for take-away food due to its size and many employees.