Apparently Chinese Food Takeout Boxes Unfold Into Plates

In the case of the first world's most epically disproportionate problems, we have just learned that our use of Chinese food takeout boxes is horribly inefficient.

Here's how we found out. Back in August of 2012, we came across the startling discovery that we've been using ketchup cups incorrectly as well. Months after posting a video on the matter and explaining that the condiment cups seemingly unfolded to allow for maximum dunk square-footage, a comment came in close to three weeks ago explaining that Chinese take-away containers follow a similar concept -- apparently they unfold into a plate. No more getting the sides of your hands greasy digging deep into a takeout box, no more pouring food into unnecessary communal plates, just fold the takeout box' sides down and get right to grubbin'.

Thanks to YouTube user Benjamin Shaw for pointing that out, we had to investigate for ourselves:

Sure enough Mr. Shaw was correct.

We tried boxes with metal hooks, and they work even better than the boxes that were  held together with some sort of adhesive. Either way, the box seemingly unfolds, lays out into a plate, and if you don't finish your food in one sitting, it folds right back up and tucks into itself, ready to store back in the fridge for your future face-stuffing.

Chinese food game: changed. 

 

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Comments

[yipesss]

07:24 PM on 01/30/2013

same thing works for those little condement cups pop open each pleat, and you have a tiny little plate.

[Npn Npn]

06:31 PM on 01/30/2013

Ha! this won't work with saucy food, and that is 1/2 of the menu - sweet and sour sauce, oyster sauce, black bean sauce...

[AG creative]

04:17 AM on 01/30/2013

After all these years...

[MissEmm]

02:19 AM on 01/30/2013

You also probably aren't eating cupcakes the best way possible: open the wrapper (are we noticing a trend, here?), break off the bottom half of the cupcake, flip it over and place it on TOP of the frosting. VOILA - a much better frosting to cupcake ratio.

[joebobjones]

07:43 PM on 01/29/2013

Yes, but it is far cooler to eat out of the carton than to disturb the classic with such a meathead method...... Like Johnny Cash vs. Weird Al.

[LucMee]

05:13 PM on 01/29/2013

So many years... So many boxes... Never crossed my mind. I'm so ashamed.

[brewstie2]

03:08 PM on 01/29/2013

Thank goodness someone told me how to get the food from the box to my mouth. I have been perplexed for years.

[GWChimpzilla]

01:34 PM on 01/29/2013

If you're eating with chopsticks, eat it right out of the carton. If you're going to open the carton into a plate, eat it with a fork. Sheesh, these gringos!

[yappnmutt]

01:06 PM on 01/29/2013

actually the genius of the chinese to go boxes is that they are great for other takeout, too, but the rest of the food industry doesn't want their food to be mistaken for chinese food.

[clarity101]

11:40 AM on 01/29/2013

No, the sauce would spill all over.
Opening just one side forms a 'bowl', and works much better

[CitizenPane]

01:23 PM on 01/29/2013

fanned. good thinking

[SusanElizabeth1949]

10:48 AM on 01/31/2013

And that would end the problem of the sweet and sour sauce all being on top of the meat.

[clarity101]

11:28 AM on 01/29/2013

No, the sauce would run all over.
However if you only open one side then you have a 'bowl', which works much better.

[plantbasedpunk]

11:19 AM on 01/29/2013

Impressive. I still think I'll stick with a plate, though. I usually like a bowl with rice on the bottom, entree on the top. Then it gets popped in the microwave just to get it nice and hot.