[AngryData]

I doubt that anyone would prefer a glass or any other hard material straw, straws made out of hard materials are just bad. And I say that as someone who was very enthusiastic about getting steel straws until about the forth or fifth time I nearly broke a tooth on them.

[Klonoar]

You could, alternatively… just not bite down on steel.

Straws are just another utensil, I agree with OP that we could largely make do with alternate materials for them.

[AngryData]

Im not biting down on straws, when putting it into your mouth you aren't holding a straw with multiple fingers like a utensil and it can tap into teeth with the entire weight of the glass and drink behind it because it is not really secured well and it moves. A plastic or paper or silicon or even a bamboo straw its not such a problem because teeth are harder and dig into or bend the material. Glass and steel don't do that and are the equivalent of tapping a tooth with a tiny hammer.

Glass and steel straws sound nice on paper, but using them is a whole different ball game.