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Original poster

Eating on Trains

293 replies

likepebblesonabeach · 07/06/2024 14:42

I travel on the train daily to work, 30 mins each way. I've just came back from a 3 hour train journey and was shocked that a family of 4 got on with fish and chips. The whole carriage was stinking of fish and chips and the majority of passengers were on the train the whole journey so had to put up with this for 3 hours.
AIBU that if you travel on public transport you should be aware of those around you?

OP posts:
NotMeNoNo · 07/06/2024 20:23

There has been food on trains as long as there have been trains. If you are traveling long distance you are very likely to be on the train at mealtimes. Don't be so precious and give your fellow humans a break. As long as they don't leave a mess.

I often travel to London for a full working day which is 14 hours out of the house including 2 hours each way on the train. The train journey is the only chance to eat something in the evening.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 07/06/2024 20:23

You're never going to please everyone. Personally, I've never had hot food on a train that I haven't bought on a train. I'll usually have a sandwich or something.

However, I despise the smell of oranges. Some people would find that an acceptable thing to eat but I find the smell really awful and overwhelming. For me, a burger or fish and chips would be preferable.

ItsNotInMyMind · 07/06/2024 20:17

TroysMammy · 07/06/2024 19:59

I'll never forgive the woman who got on the Paddington bound train at Swindon, sat next to me and ate homemade egg, cheese and onion sandwiches at 8.45 in the morning.

I literally would have barfed all over her.

If I never get a late train home from London again it will be too soon. Stinking burgers, fries and ketchup. Disgusting pigs.

I also hate the way middle aged male commuters pop open cans of beer and slurp them. As if they are desperate to guzzle it down before they get home.

AgentProvocateur · 07/06/2024 20:17

Changingplace · 07/06/2024 15:20

Why inconsiderate? Because it was probably better quality than the meal you’d get served on a flight? 🤣

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Because it stank.

AgentProvocateur · 07/06/2024 20:16

KimberleyClark · 07/06/2024 15:16

I've never seen a McDonalds airside at an airport, their meal must have been cold by the time they ate it?

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Every terminal in Dubai.

Overtheatlantic · 07/06/2024 20:14

Some people are feral.

susiedaisy1912 · 07/06/2024 20:07

Oganesson118 · 07/06/2024 19:17

To be honest the only reason someone having fish and chips on a train would bother me is because it would make me want some too!

Me too😁

Byronada · 07/06/2024 20:04

RDMPrules · 07/06/2024 18:41

People always eat on the train, I wouldn't think anything of it.

I painted my nails once on the train and some woman a few seats down had a massive passive aggressive rant at her companion about it, saying 'it's giving me a headache, it stinks'. In the 5 minutes it took me to do it?? Lol.

Eating - not always pleasant but ok.
Painting nails - definitely not ok

TroysMammy · 07/06/2024 19:59

I'll never forgive the woman who got on the Paddington bound train at Swindon, sat next to me and ate homemade egg, cheese and onion sandwiches at 8.45 in the morning.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 07/06/2024 19:57

KimberleyClark · 07/06/2024 15:16

I've never seen a McDonalds airside at an airport, their meal must have been cold by the time they ate it?

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There are lots of airports in the world, I can’t imagine you’ve been to all of them.

Amsterdam airport definitely has an airside McDonald’s, I’ve been many times.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 07/06/2024 19:54

RDMPrules · 07/06/2024 18:41

People always eat on the train, I wouldn't think anything of it.

I painted my nails once on the train and some woman a few seats down had a massive passive aggressive rant at her companion about it, saying 'it's giving me a headache, it stinks'. In the 5 minutes it took me to do it?? Lol.

Eating food on a train is fine but painting nails is not. You were completely out of order here and your ‘lol’ makes you come across pretty terribly.

DiscoBeat · 07/06/2024 19:54

cardibach · 07/06/2024 18:29

Why wouldn’t you eat a sandwich near a stranger? I don’t get it. Genuinely.

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Not sitting almost touching, or directly opposite - I would just feel uncomfortable with it.

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 07/06/2024 19:53

likepebblesonabeach · 07/06/2024 18:28

I don't know, are there many beaches in Birmingham?

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Course it's not like Birmingham is a connection station people might be using to get from one train to another....

TomatoSandwiches · 07/06/2024 19:32

likepebblesonabeach · 07/06/2024 18:28

I don't know, are there many beaches in Birmingham?

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Well perhaps they had a nice day out either way and the treat was some fish and chips for lunch.

It may have been a bit off putting for yourself but maybe it was a day of lovely memories made by the family.

It's over now though, no real harm done to you.

BlueBellsArePretty · 07/06/2024 19:24

Anyone complaining about people eating on trains has clearly never been on a train in or out of Glasgow.

Oganesson118 · 07/06/2024 19:17

To be honest the only reason someone having fish and chips on a train would bother me is because it would make me want some too!

Noonecares245 · 07/06/2024 19:12

EverythingYouDoIsaBalloon · 07/06/2024 17:25

So the inconsiderate person gets to carry on being inconsiderate, while those affected by their lack of consideration are the ones expected to alter their behaviour?

O-kayyy, then.

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Okay so you got 100s of different passengers on public transport - so who gets to decide what is considered considerate or inconsiderate? As I said, if it bothers someone so much then the other alternative is to use your own transport. You can't dictate what others can or can't do on public transport.

betterangels · 07/06/2024 18:54

I don't like it, bur it's not illegal where I am, and so it's a 'me' problem.

The worst for me is drunk people.

Babysharkdodododododoo · 07/06/2024 18:50

When trains are packed out and people leave their bags on the few empty seats, I make sure to loudly comment on it as I walk through the carriage.

WitchyWay · 07/06/2024 18:49

I love eating on the train, it feels like a real treat for some reason!

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 07/06/2024 18:49

3 hour train last night didn't serve food because it was a small train... the whole journey could have been over 5 hours if I went from the ultimate A to Ultimate B. Would have had food if it been the train before. Same train could have had people on for 5 hours or 20 minutes. The trolley coming around could have been at any point. Travelling from Birmingham to London, the what was Virgin trains would have a food carriage most of the time. Didn't have to be on there for a specific length of time to buy food. How would it be judged if your journey warranted food?

And I wouldn't take Fish and Chips because fish is widely considered smelly but wouldn't consider a burger offensive however someone just said it was worse... see where problems arise?

RDMPrules · 07/06/2024 18:41

People always eat on the train, I wouldn't think anything of it.

I painted my nails once on the train and some woman a few seats down had a massive passive aggressive rant at her companion about it, saying 'it's giving me a headache, it stinks'. In the 5 minutes it took me to do it?? Lol.

bigageap · 07/06/2024 18:39

You’ve never been on the last train home from Liverpool Street! It’s mandatory to have a macdonalds!

Bringbackthebeaver · 07/06/2024 18:36

NeverEnoughPants · 07/06/2024 18:29

You are right. It's easy to say you can't do something.

Not so easy to get people to comply. If it were that easy, courts and prisons wouldn't need to exist.

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Of course. But we accept that things are not 100% enforced across society all the time. It's illegal to speed, we still have speed limit signs up everywhere. Signs are still helpful.

Byronada · 07/06/2024 18:31

Your 30 minute journey to work clearly isn't as a commuter in London. People eat all sorts on my trains. Late night trains are a positive fun of McDonald's and alcohol.