Takeaway enthusiasts will be familiar with disposable wooden chopsticks; many may even have cutlery drawers replete with the handy wooden utensils in their neat paper packets.
Many diners make a habit of breaking chopsticks apart, destroying the tab in the process, before removing any unwanted splinters and tucking into their tasty meal. But what if this is wrong?
A theory has been circulating on social media: The wooden tab at the end of your disposable chopsticks is not there to keep the sticks together. Instead, its function is to act as a rest for your chopsticks when not in use!
Simply snap off the wooden tab at the indentation—conveniently separating your chopsticks and preventing pesky splinters in the process—eat your meal, and rest the sticks on the tab whenever you need a break.
Why is this a genius trick? It’s clean, it’s elegant, and it keeps chopsticks from rolling off the table or into your food.
“I feel like such a philistine in this moment,” wrote another, while one user pointed out, “[It’s] just a clever hack possible on SOME sticks.”
The thread also sparked a discussion about disposable versus reusable chopsticks.
Did you know how you were “supposed” to use disposable chopsticks? Share the divisive hack, and discover how stick-savvy your nearest and dearest really are!