Community Chat

[hsawaknow]

I cant eat fast due to a surgery I had and Im always the one to finish last. I notice fast dining companions but it doesnt bother me if they finish first I always let them know Im a slow eater.

[Noel7]

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@hsawaknow wrote:

I cant eat fast due to a surgery I had and Im always the one to finish last. I notice fast dining companions but it doesnt bother me if they finish first I always let them know Im a slow eater.

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Sorry to hear that, hsawaknow.  Thank goodness no one has called you rude for not keeping up with them

[Marienkaefer2]

What bugs me is when my dining companions eye my plate, like they would like to have a "taste" of my food.  Then, when I don't say anything, the fork comes over and they spear something!  Seriously, this has happened to me.

For some reason, I have never liked sharing from my plate.  I order mine, you order yours.  I don't ask to taste yours, either.

The other thing that bugs me is this:
We know a couple that we dine out with once in awhile.  They each always order something different, finish half, then switch plates.

It's a little odd, sometimes gross.  Fine if they do it in their home, but in front of others, I think it's a bit crass.

Anyway, that's it from me on this one!

[HappyDaze]

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@Mominohio wrote:

I am very aware of this, and I have a friend that I eat out with a few times a year, that is a painfully slow eater. When I dine with her, I try to slow down and pace it more to her speed, without letting my food get stone cold.

It really is rude to be excessively fast or always too slow compared to the other people at the table. 

I, too, believe that a meal out, unless one is on a set time schedule, should be savored, enjoyed, and  lots of good conversation shared.

And I will not dine out with people I know are going to be married to their phones. Once I know that is how somone is, I just refuse the invitations politiely. And if we have guests that can't let the phone go to visit, they don't get invited back either. I spend too much time and money to either go out, or to entertain, and unless you have something really critical going on in your life that truly needs monitoring, I don't want to spend time with you, while you spend time with your phone.

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oh so now we need to monitor other people's eating speeds and pace ourselves to somehow magically coincide with their pace?? wth! No longer any joy in life when I have to spend all my time at a dinner with people worrying about how fast or slow I need to eat so I don't appear "rude"!  Geez.

I guess I should feel very lucky in that the group of friends we hang out with don't worry about these types of things- we just enjoy each other's company.

[HappyDaze]

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@Marienkaefer2 wrote:

What bugs me is when my dining companions eye my plate, like they would like to have a "taste" of my food.  Then, when I don't say anything, the fork comes over and they spear something!  Seriously, this has happened to me.

For some reason, I have never liked sharing from my plate.  I order mine, you order yours.  I don't ask to taste yours, either.

The other thing that bugs me is this:
We know a couple that we dine out with once in awhile.  They each always order something different, finish half, then switch plates.

It's a little odd, sometimes gross.  Fine if they do it in their home, but in front of others, I think it's a bit crass.

Anyway, that's it from me on this one!

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And, with my own fork,  I would spear the hand that is spearing the food on my plate. That would probably be the last time they'd ever try that with me.

[cotton4me]

I’m a fast eater. It’s just how I’m wired. I tend to be somewhat hyper, walk fast, talk fast, eat fast – so I’m not always aware I’m doing it. I really noticed it when I ate with a co-worker who was the exact opposite – very laid back, did everything slow. I tried to eat slow but as hard as I tried I was still finished long before her. I could eat in 10 minutes whereas she would take an hour. We were on opposite ends of the spectrum. I don’t think it’s a matter of rudeness. I think people are just wired differently.

[MomCat]

Actually, it wouldn't have bothered me.  Everyone I eat with eats faster than me.  I'm used to it.

[Desertdi]

I definitely don't like someone spearing food from my plate.....order your own.

As far as "speed".........well, I'm a slow eater, but my husband ate like a hog at the trough.................

[PeterDM]

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@Hot Street wrote:

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this when dining out with someone.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a nice lady I recently met.  We've been trying for weeks to get together.  She's had to cancel three times due to some work being done in her apt unit.   We decided to meet and catch up.

When the food came we both were talking, sharing stories and the like.   She ate her food so fast.   I was so enjoying my lunch but had no intention of wolfing it down.   She wasn't in a hurry to leave, but she ate so fast.  When she was done, the waitress took her plate and there I am eating alone while she watched which becomes a bit awkward.  You feel like you have to eat fast then.

I don't get to go out to restaurants a lot, so this was a treat for me.   You can't really tell someone to slow down, but I mean she must have finished her lunch in 5 min!   It was so awkward eating by myself.   Part of the pleasure of dining out with someone is to enjoy talking and eating and relaxing.  

I remember years ago, a friend of mine who used to be a banquet hostess at a big hotel, said a waitress should never clear someone's plate if others at the table are still eating.  She said the waiter or waitress should wait until the other party is almost done so it's not uncomfortable as it was with me.

Oh well, I enjoyed my lunch and cleared my plate without wolfing it down.   The irony is we sat and talked about 30 min after I was done!   I guess everyone is in a hurry these days. My stomach thanked me for not rushing my meal!  LOL!

I enjoy eating alone at times in a restaurant... that way I can take my time and enjoy the meal.

Just wondered if anyone else has ever experienced that.   

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Yes, it bother me, too, when a server removes plates from the table before everyone has finished their meal.  It automatically makes me feel like the entire party is being rushed out the door. I guess they don't train servers like they used to. I don't care how fast or slow others eat.  Personally, I like a slow meal with several, small courses and breaks in between.  I've spent a lot of time in Italy, and they know how to appreciate a good meal. It's about good digestion, good company, and appreciating the food.  

[Moonchilde]

I wouldn't dream of comparing my "eating speed" with every other person at the table, every time I dined out, so as not to risk being thought rude. 

If someone I was dining with felt moved to tell me they thought I was rude, or declined further get-togethers for such a superficial reason, I would consider myself much better off.  If my dining companion doesn't value me for anything more than how well I pace myself compared to them, I certainly haven't lost anything.