Yup…so-called ”quartz” counters are made of crushed quartz particles, dyes, and 33% plastic resins. Heat can melt the plastics in the counter. Happens more often than you may think.

Its plastic of course plastic can bedamaged from heat that is why you do real stone not fake quartz. Next time use a trivet .

Reheat your food on real plates ... who knows where those containers are made and what they are made of ... don't want that in your food.

I am a fabricator. A hot takeout container might be hot enough to scorch the resin in a quartz countertop but it's unlikely. If that did happen to you sometimes a heat damaged area can be repaired but it takes considerable skill. It would be near impossible to heat damage a natural stone top with take out as the stone inherently has a much higher heat tolerance. Typical heat damage to natural stone is cracking that results from heat applied in a localized area over an extended period of time. This creates stress from the heat induced expansion of the heated area. I once had to replace an entire kitchen a few weeks after install because the homeowner had a "lefsa" party with 4 heaters in 4 locations left for hours on her new counters. I used to say if something in your kitchen is hot enough to damage stone countertops your house is on fire. I don't say that anymore. Expensive lesson for me.

Was it actually Tupperware? I'd be surprised if a take-out restaurant used actual Tupperware for take-out. Perhaps it was the containers rather than the heat? (I'm just spit-balling here)

In my neck of the woods, Chinese, and other restaurants all use plastic containers for takeout. They’re not actually Tupperware. Many people use “Tupperware” to generically cover all plastic containers…just like Kleenex often refers to any tissue. or like Xerox came to refer to any photo copy.

So, yes, the OP’s leftovers were likely reheated in the same plastic container the Chinese restaurant originally put them in.

I always use silpat trivets for anything hot on my counters ( including stone and quartz). Protecting your counters with trivets is easy too.

Out of curiosity, are you expected to use trivets for something that is hot but not too hot to touch with bare hands? I'm thinking cooking / re-heating food in a microwave for example. I have Corian or something similar (very plastic-y) and will cook oatmeal in the microwave and put the bowl on the countertop. It's hot, but not too hot to touch with my bare hands. Is that bad? Should I be using a trivet? Seems like a takeout container would similarly be hot to the touch but not too hot to handle (like a pan out of the oven or off the stove would be too hot).

Unless you have soapstone, (which is not affected by heat), it’s just smart practice to use trivets. Even a simple potholder will suffice, in most instances.

Oh c'mon -- there is no way a takeout container from a restaurant is going to wreck a stone countertop or any countertop for that matter. The hottest those containers get is very warm. If you can handle them with bare hands there is no concern whatsoever and no need to use a trivet. That's just silly.

There is no way a plastic container, even re heated in the microwave and set upon the quartz...........would stain it, remove the gloss, or leave a hazy area. So no is the answer.

Boiling hot water wouldn't do it either . Any plastic, heated to high enough for damage? Would have melted before it touched the darn counter top.

Are you POSITIVE you mean quartz? Not quartzite? Which is often sold as quartzite and is actually a marble? If gloss disappeared, and you see "etch" or stain? Is it remotely possible that's what we're talking about? And the stain itself from some acidic food residue left behind in your microwave and clinging to the bottom of the container?

Reaching here.......................really reaching , so don't get in a huff or insulted : )

Quartz is very sensitive to heat. We have solid white quartz. I took two pieces of bread from the freezer and wrpped them in a paper towel to heat in the microwave to thaw them. I left them in a little too long and they got hot. I could still handle the wrapped bread with my hands so I placed them on the quartz counter and opened up the paper towel and they were steamy and very hot from the thawing action. I can now see a faint imprint of the exact sizes of the bread on the counter if you look at it closely from the side where it has lost its gloss.

I have white quartz in my master bathroom and always take care to prop something up under my hairdryer, so it isn't touching the counter when hot. Just something I have always done with anything that is hot, on any type of countertop surface.

Back in the day, you would hear lots of stories of women burning their bathroom counters with curling irons!

A lot of things can leave a haze on quartz. Doesn't mean it's permanent. Grab some baking soda mixed with water and clean the spot. It will probably come out.

In my experience most quartz specific cleaners do a terrible job at cleaning quartz. I have tried almost everything - my last quartz was dark and I could see everything on it. Soap and water, weisman's...nothing worked (water rings were the worst offenders in that kitchen). Baking soda and water cleaned it right up. Current kitchen is whitish quartz so rings and water spots are not as visible, but I can still see them when the sun reflects on it. Same thing - baking soda & water, good as new.

I also think it's highly unlikely that the plastic container would melt quartz before it melts itself.

There are so many people out there who are in total denial as to how sensitive to heat, (33% plastic resin filled) quartz counters are.

The OP is clearly indicating that her query about heated plastic containers, is what happened to her. So why belittle her question?

@JAN MOYER, plastic food containers are manufactured to withstand the high heat of a microwave. Manmade counters, manufactured with plastic, are not.

For anyone to state that it’s ”silly” to recommend the use of trivets for microwaved plastic containers, is demeaning, and irresponsible. So, it’s ”silly” to protect one’s expensive investment, just in case something negative should happen? How much of an inconvenience is it, to place a trivet on the counter? I mean, really. Ask @Gailan -, who replied above, if she’ll take that chance, if even two pieces of steamy bread left imprints on her quartz.

"I can now see a faint imprint of the exact sizes of the bread on the counter if you look at it closely from the side where it has lost its gloss."

My money says that is some sort of residue from the bread or paper towel, not the quartz itself melting from warmth.

What brand of engineered stone do you have? Most of the major brands are heat safe to temps well over boiling water. Not sure about the knock offs.

I have Silestone counters for almost 20 years now - I have, on occasion, had to set down a hot pot from boiling pasta because I didn't have a good grip[ on the handle and it has not left a mark.

I also think the poster above is onto something - maybe the top isn't scorched but there is a thin remnant of the container stuck on the top.

Good luck - I hope you can fix

My point about the containers not being Tupperware is whatever the plastic containers are made up of when heated may have affected the counters. It wasn't the heat but rather the makeup of the containers themselves that affected the counters when heated.

Like leaving a wet label (or plastic bag) with printed colored ink sitting on a counter ... those ink stains are a pain to remove!

oh for crying out loud, post a picture!

everyone on here is guessing what it could be.

what kind of quartz do you have?

I've sat down take out bags on mine and haven't had an issue.

steaming pot lid. no issue.

So lets see this quartz, the take out container and this mark.

unless OP has left the bldg.