Not to offer a taste of my plate at a restaurant?

[chardonm]

Interested in hearing people's opinions. Am I a little rude in not offering people a taste of my plate?

I do it with DH, but when there is a group of say 5 people, I don't want 5 peoples' forks into my plate. Conversely I do not want to taste everyone's dish either.

Is this considered rude? Should one always offer?

We do within immediate family (dh, dc) although I only donate as gluten free so can't guarantee that anyone else's would be ok to eat. I only give a tiny taste though. Maybe that is the key if you feel obliged- offer a tiny taste, use your fork to put onto their plate then they have tasted it but it would be really rude even in food sharing circles to come back and ask for more, at least before you have finished.

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Nope nope nope

Quite apart from anything else, for some reason the phrase "a taste of my plate" gives me the icks.

Yanbu. I don’t share food. I hate People either suggesting a taste OR “let’s just get a few starters and share” no way

With you on that, Strawberrisc. Smithy’s rule stands in this house too.

1 on 1 - yes. More, no

Eating a plate would be weird, but not offering or wanting a taste of the food someone else has got in a restaurant would be weirder. Never ever been out with anyone who didn't do this.

I would let the DC taste something. I might even let DH taste something. It would also happen at the beginning of the meal before anyone has had their forks in their mouths. Anyone else is just weird and after people have already eaten, downright disgusting.

I find it really strange when PIL's let DH taste things, although don't have a problem with them letting the DC. But that's more because the adults will order something the DC won't order and it's a good way to broaden their knowledge of different types of food.

No why would anyone want people touching their dinner. Just eat what you ordered. Only people I'd share with are the children.

I will only share food with
DD - any circumstances, even the same fork etc.
DW - might take an untouched sausage etc.

Neither of those will be in public.

I don’t mind if I’ve finished and they want to eat what I haven’t, that’s up to them. I wouldn’t do it though.

I find it annoying when I’m the only one who’s ordered a side of fries and people think it’s ok to pinch a couple, and all those “couples” add up and you end up with half a portion. So now I immediately pour the fries onto my plate so people are more embarrassed about just taking them. Order your own!

It's odd! Just make a joke and say 'Joey doesn't share food' then go to stab them with your fork if they come near 😂

Argh. Why are you all saying plate when you mean food? When did that start? I agree it sounds icky.

Apart from that I feel like I disagree with everyone on this thread on both sides.

I'm happy to let someone have a taste of my food even if they've used their fork already but not as a habit of a group all tasting everyone else's. That sounds annoying. I ordered this because it's what I want to eat.

wow. ex and I still swap a taste of food. (which would be considered a bit odd now) but friends? nope YANBU

Not unreasonable at all!

Become a vegetarian, no one ever wants to try mine 

I share my food with DH... once I've finished Suits us both that way. He usually gets a quarter to a third of my meal.

DB used to steal food off my plate whilst I was still eating and I hated it.

This has definitely become a thing, in fact in a recent piece on manners the writer was of the opinion that it is bad manners NOT to share.
I think it's a horrible idea, although of course I would ask DH if he wanted to try some of my dish and vice versa - which would be done by transferring a small piece to his plate.
The idea of transferring food on one's fork into the mouths of non-family is just yuk.

I often share 'tastes' of food with my friends when we eat out and never given it a second thought. I seem to have managed to remain in good health, too.

Mind you, as someone else said, it's really annoying when one person doesn't order starters then sits asking everyone for some of their starters.

I’ve never seen that.

If anybody asked to taste mine I suppose I might cut off a bit and pass it to them? I definitely wouldn’t let them take it from my plate!

Do this almost all the time with dp. With wider group it depends where and what we are eating. Often ordering sharing stuff anyway. In fact very rarely eat where you get an individual ‘meal on a plate’ but if so would rarely do this other than with dp.

The only people I share with are the DC.

Unless we’re eating at somewhere like a tapas restaurant where all the food’s in the middle of the table and it’s a sharing set up from the start.

I share tastes of food, I cut it off and put it on their plate, so no manky forks involved. It’s never bothered me.

Among my 'foodie' friends and family we often try each other's food (depending on portion size) and especially drinks. It's the only way to keep up with the ever increasing number of new gins without becoming an alcoholic! Couldn't care less about already used cutlery, these people are my friends, not random strangers with questionable oral hygiene.