Wetherspoons customers have expressed confusion after receiving red plates instead of the pub chain's usual blue ones for their meals.
They have taken to social media sites such as Reddit to share their thoughts.
Wetherspoons, or JD Wetherspoon to give it its proper name, is a prominent chain of pubs in the UK. Founded in 1979, it is known for offering a wide range of affordable food and drinks in a relaxed, no-frills atmosphere across many locations nationwide.
The red plate mystery started when a confused user posted a photo to the r/mildlyinteresting subreddit with the caption: “My BF got a red plate in Wetherspoons.”
The post sparked a lot of conjecture from other Reddit members.
One user said: “If you get the red plate in ‘spoons, take it to the bar after and you get a free drink.”
Another said: “YOU GOT THE RED PLATE.”
One user said “red plates definitely existed at one point” and added: “Uncommon but they were in some pubs.”
Another member shared a picture of the elusive plate and asked fellow users: “Any of you ever seen a red spoons plate? Never saw one while I was working there.”
One curious person asked: “Is that the modern equivalent of the coin at the bottom of your glass?"Red plate, Sir? Come with me, the Navy is this way.”
Another remarked: “I've never seen a red one I'm happy for you.”
A Wetherspoons representative has now provided the Daily Star with an explanation to clear up the mystery: “Wetherspoon did trial a red plate in a small number of pubs for use for children's meals, to ensure all children's meals were served on a cold plate.
"The company has moved on since then and just launched a melamine plate for the whole children’s menu which is in line with the design of the children’s menu.
"But there will be stock of the old red plate in circulation until they break.”
The representative added: "But there will still be the odd red plate floating around until they finally break. [There are] no plans to shift from the standard blue patterned plate any time soon."
