What's new in chicago

The annual National Restaurant Association show came up with fewer radically new products than in previous years, according to the delegates who came with us on the Caterer & Hotelkeeper trip - but the show always comes up trumps with the curious and quirky. Jane Cartwright toured the stands.

Forget the bedpost

At last! a solution to a sticky problem that has apparently plagued the hospitality industry since the invention of chewing gum. According to manufacturer MDC of Malad, Idaho, no one to date has provided an economical way of disposing of gum.

The company's solution to those unwanted blobs under tables or in ashtrays is the Gum Card, a 1in square piece of cardboard that, when folded, forms a packet that will encapsulate and contain used gum, allowing it to be discarded without sticking to surfaces, even if it is stepped on. The cards can be supplied blank or with a company's logo.

The company can even supply a disposal box that can be emptied and reused or thrown away, as the restaurateur sees fit.

PRICE: Less than 1p per card (less for bulk orders)

AVAILABLE FROM: MDC

001 208 766 4109

Bend them, shape them

Wikki StixOne-Of-a-Kind Creatables are designed for tabletop fun.

Made of a patented wax and yarn combination, the sticks are twistable, stickable and non-toxic, and are billed as an interesting alternative to crayons.

Guaranteed not to dry out or crumble, they stick to almost any surface with fingertip pressure and don't leave a residue. A different addition to the standard kids' packs currently available in the UK, perhaps?

A minimum quantity of 2,000 units will enable a personalised logo for a one-off plate charge of around £20.

PRICE: Pack of eight assorted Wikki Stix (2,000-25,000 order), approx 14p per pack

AVAILABLE FROM: Wikki

001 800 869 4554

Safety lighting

Saf-T-Cote Teflon lamps are incandescent, high-density discharge light bulbs for high-temperature applications. They are shatter-resistant, and manufacturer Trojan claims they can withstand temperatures of up to 500ºF. Should a lamp break, the Saf-T-Cote coating acts as a safety net, containing the broken glass and preventing shards falling into food.

The coating will not yellow or crack, and light output is maintained at 99% or higher. A variety of bulb sizes and wattages varying from 9W to 300W are available.

PRICE: On application

AVAILABLE FROM:Trojan Inc

001 800 264 0526