telloh

It may not be good, but it is amazingly consistent. How did it come to be that there is a Chinese restaurant in most every rural town in America, from coast to coast, serving the same food?

Fredd

^ Likewise, 30-40 years ago in British Columbia Canada some of the most dependently consistent restaurants offering decent foods were the Chinese restaurants, for the same reasons you outline in the U.S. In those days many of them included a menu of western foods as lengthy as the Cantonese selections.

Fragola

But raisins and nuts go so well when baked inside chocolate - Glossettes!

CMK10

Don't take food off my plate without asking. I don't care how close we are, I'm always happy to share but I insist that you ask first. I hate when people just reach over and take some unless the dish is for everyone.

BamaVol

That's funny. Even with a shared appetizer, Mrs BV asks before taking. We had thai tonight and the summer roll appetizer plate held four. I had to offer before she took one. I had to insist that she take a second. Something about threatening her with a sharp fork once, I think. She would never ever help herself to food off my plate. No one else would do it a second time either.

I worked with a guy years ago who told me his rules: don't touch my woman, don't touch my money and if you value your life, don't touch my food. I wonder what Melvin is up to these days.

braslvr

I'll snatch a french fry or 2 off of close friend's plates without asking if I haven't ordered any. Certainly doesn't bother me when others do the same to me. I would ask if a fork was involved for sure though.

gmark1

Nothing cooked or canned in soybean oil. That stuff is poison! Makes me sick, and gives me headaches. Only coconut, or olive oil for me. Coffee should always be served black, nothing added. Unless I get some of that burnt, bitter Starbucks stuff, and need to add cream to make it palatable. Tea is always unsweetened. Don't know how anybody could stand sweet tea.

kipper

I'll do that, and with Mr. Kipper, I'll even use a fork to grab a bite of various sides, or his main course without asking, but we generally always share, so I'm not opposed to him doing the same to me.

violist

There are gradations.

1. The polite "may I taste" approach, which always is acceded to.
2. The less polite "may I taste" approach that is accompanied by
a looming fork, which always is acceded to, but with less grace.
3. The grab and snatch, which is generally frowned upon, but
even here, context matters.

Where practicable, the use of a spare plate is preferable - a
bread-and-butter one at least.

I'll do this only if the food is certainly going to be orphaned otherwise.

But another issue has come up throughout my life - people putting
food onto my plate unrequested. Until recently I was reckoned a big
eater; in fact I chose my traveling companions partially on their
small stomachs and my reaping the reward of their daintiness - but
now I sometimes look with dismay on half a hamburger being sneaked
onto my plate when I can barely finish the food that I bought (you
know who you are).

ILuvParis

It seems to me that with most people who are close, waiting until being offered is the rule, but there seems to be a separate rule for french fries.

BamaVol

Not on my plate. If you wanted fries you should have ordered them. If you want some of my fries, you need to tell me in advance so I can ask for a larger portion.

braslvr

That bothers me immensely as well, unless it is from my wife.

Madone59

^^^^^ Amen.

jackal

This just came out, and I thought it was on-topic for this thread...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/ho...erm=.arGKp59pE

Me:

8/87.

Marmite's one of the most vile things on earth--it's like taking soy sauce and boiling off all the liquid and just leaving a sticky sludge of super-salty salted salt.

Shellfish creep me out. Covered in weird shells and ligaments and mucous and with entrails inside and all that jazz. It's a psychological thing, I know--I'm sure some shellfish taste amazing, but the few times I've either accidentally ingested something or carefully tried it, I've never come away thinking, "OMG, these are so good, I have to give up my phobia." At best, it's "meh," which isn't much motivation.

Never been a fan of radishes. I guess I wouldn't say I *don't* eat them, but if they're presented to me (as they often are with tacos at authentic taquerias), I never bother to eat them. Bland and slightly gag-reflex inducing--kind of like raw carrots, though I love cooked carrots.

Can't stand licorice or understand why some people love it.

Olives are generally too salty to be pleasant.

Liver and kidneys fall under that "gross entrails" thing again (probably related to my shellfish phobia). I've tried both and I can sometimes do pate or foie gras, though, so I suppose I can strike liver from the list. I've accidentally eaten kidneys and they are WAY too pungent and strong to be pleasant to eat.

Pickles: I've decided that I'm generally not a big fan of vinegar (certain types of vinegar have their places, though--malt vinegar on fish and chips, and I do love a good balsamic vinegar), so that may explain my dislike for pickles. Although I don't love them, I can do pickled onions and (less so) eggs, but regular pickles--nah, always ask for them to be held.

Clint Bint

I never eat anything using plastic cutlery or from paper/styrofoam plates or containers.
Begrudgingly I have to break my rule on flights now I'm paying for them myself but as I don't eat takeaway burgers or at fast food joints in the States there's no problem.
I know of no other country as bad as the US for food not being served up on proper plates.