The Reason Some Restaurants Don't Have Salt And Pepper Shakers At The Table

Can you name a more iconic duo than salt and pepper? Pepper is the crowd-pleasing spice that adds refreshingly sharp flavors to savory meals, and salt just makes all food taste amazing. (Thanks to its known role as a flavor enhancer.) These facts make salt and pepper a mainstay of any kitchen, and it has a permanent place on most dinner tables too. This might be true for modern homes, but it's no longer so at restaurants. Why do some restaurants forgo leaving salt and pepper shakers at the table? There are a few reasons.

For starters, most pre-bottled salt shakers contain cheap salt. Whether table salt or kosher, most high-end restaurants found that these seasonings detract from the flavor of the food rather than enhance it. While there is an option to swap bad salt with better, this would leave a quality ingredient vulnerable to air exposure, which will degrade its quality over time. (Plus, those stored in pretty bottles are vulnerable to being slipped into a bag and stolen.) This is another expense restaurants don't need, especially if customers don't always use salt and pepper. For that reason, it's best to leave these seasonings to the chefs.

This brings us to our next point: quality control. Most chefs pride themselves on original recipes and want customers to indulge in these creations exactly as they are made. Call it quality control or ego, either way, salt and pepper is off the table.

Another simple reason salt and pepper shakers have left restaurant tables is that there's simply not enough room. Especially at family-style restaurants or those with small tables, salt and pepper shakers are just another obstacle for servers and customers to maneuver around. We have enough on our plates, and especially if customers don't always use these seasonings, it's best to leave them in the back and bring them out as needed.

The last reason for this omission comes down to health. With salt so readily available, it can be tempting to add it to every dish we eat — sometimes even without tasting it first. But what if our food doesn't need extra seasoning? We could end up ruining our own $25 classic plate of cacio e pepe, not to mention our health with the excess sodium. Not having these seasonings in front of us makes us pause and reconsider, which is another reason some restaurant owners have taken them off the table. Additionally, with so many customers coming through restaurant doors, salt and pepper shakers are breeding grounds for bacteria too.

If you're eager to add a few shakes of salt or pepper to a dish, servers should have some to give, so don't be afraid to ask. Everyone's taste buds are different, so there's no shame in asking for salt just like you would a bottle of ketchup or a refill.