[shankr]

I have heard similar stories from other people who visited USA. So it does seem to be a normal behavior.

[pault]

As a USA-ian, I've never seen this and would be appalled if I did.

[shankr]

This was a first-hand experience of a German guy who lived as a exchange student in Florida. His host family would serve food in plastic plates to avoid doing dishes.

[workinthehead]

It's more of a poor (dare I say "trailer trash") southern thing in my experience.