Now, I prefer tall tumblers to short, almost always, since I'm usually drinking water, and I prefer not to have to refill with the frequency that a smaller glass requires. Ditto mugs: I want a cup of tea that will last me more than a few minutes. I prefer glass or ceramic to plastic (though that's another post entirely). I almost always prefer a curvaceous glass than one with straight sides, and if I must use one with straight sides, I'd rather they be vertical than angled (ie, a tumbler rather than a pint glass).
In bowls, I usually like deep, round ones rather than wide, platelike ones. I like to be able to pick up my bowl easily without making a mess.
I haven't observed particular consistencies in my preferences regarding plates, however, which is interesting.
I will choose silver flatware over stainless, all else being equal, but balance is obviously important.
In some cases, my preferences are strong enough that I'd rather not eat or drink something at all than have it in a sub-par container.
And, of course, what I'm eating matters for what I'm eating it in:
Ice cream: always in a mug (this is the one time I like a small mug)
Soups (most): big, round, bowly mugs
Water: big glass
Juice: smaller glass
Salad: wider shallow bowl
Cereal (which I almost never eat, and when I do, usually with yogurt): deep bowl
So, I'm fussy. It turns out some other people are, too. I guess I need to visit Asia sometime :)
