Community Chat

[GSPgirl]

My husband did this when I first met him.  He told me its because he was the youngest of 7 children and if you wanted to get your share, you didn't talk.  He has since slowed down.  I had a friend who used to eat faster than me and tap her fingers until I finished.  She would then pick my basket up and clean up after me.  I no longer have lunch with her,  

[Noel7]

I don't eat fast, either. 

Your friend was right, a waitperson is never supposed to clear anyone's place until everyone has finished eating.

I can imagine it was a little awkward for you

[Daisy Sunflower]

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@momtochloe wrote:

I had a friend that would eat her lunch incredibly fast (we would always eat in a group of 6-8 people).  Finally someone asked her why and she explained she came from a very big, poor family and if you didn't eat fast you didn't eat at all.

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My husband had said the same thing.

[Kindaglitzy]

I stopped eating out with a friend a few years ago because she got upset because I ate faster then her. She would get in such a huff that she would ask for a take out box practically as soon as the food arrived at the table. Spoiled getting together so I just stopped going. Reminds me of a person who wants others to fit their mold in this and many other ways.

[HappyDaze]

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@Daisy wrote:

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@momtochloe wrote:

I had a friend that would eat her lunch incredibly fast (we would always eat in a group of 6-8 people).  Finally someone asked her why and she explained she came from a very big, poor family and if you didn't eat fast you didn't eat at all.

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My husband had said the same thing.

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My dad said a similar thing although he is better about eating slower now. He said he came from a large, poor family but in addition, there were three growing boys all around the same age and you ate as fast as possible to get any remaining food (a rare thing) or eat the food the girls left on their plates. 

[SaRina]

The way other people choose to eat doesn't bother me or affect the enjoyment of my meal, unless of course they talk with their mouth full of food.  What would have really bugged me is when the waitress took your friend's plate away.  That was rude.  I would have definitely spoken up and said, "We're not finished yet, thank you" and smiled.

[Buck-i-Nana]

Wow.  No telling what bothers people!

I wonder if your lunch companion went home, logged in to her favorite forum and posted about people eating slow bugs her?  Ya never know!

For me, it's about the conversation.  How fast or slow my companion eats isn't even something I notice.

[Noel7]

@Black Cat Back

Did your friend seem bothered by the experience?  If not, it probably wasn't as issue for her.

I don't think I've ever noticed a timing difference, so I guess it doesn't bother me.  Friends are probably wondering why I eat so slowly, lol.

[GCR18]

I have this issue when I eat out with my mother, except I'm the fast eater.  I never really gave it much thought until she started making comments about it.  I am now conscious of it and make an effort to eat really slow when we eat out.

[Moonchilde]

As others have said, it might well be because of work habits, only having 30 min. to eat. I did this for 45 years - and got told off about it every time I ate with my mother, who believed that the slower you ate, the more ladylike you were; she ate as slowly as humanly possible. I don't gobble outside of work, but I don't purposely draw the time out either - and I don't at all enjoy talking *while* I'm eating, that just annoys me when someone asks me questions, etc. while I'm actively eating. I think that is bad manners.