To ask why people that take half put the other half back

[AlwaysPrettyOnTheInside]

Inspired by a comment on the crumpet thread.

I understand why people might take half a biscuit/doughnut/cake/pie, whatever. They are teeny tiny and can only manage a few bites. We all get that.

BUT why do they think it's acceptable to touch said item and put it back like someone else will want it?

If you do this, why do you do it?

Why don't you take the other half for yourself another time?

Why do you think someone else will want to eat half a squashed iced doughnut with your fingerprints in it?

Even more disgusting are the people that don't even pretend at hygiene and don't even get a knife, they just tear it in half with their hands and put the other half back

Yabu - it's fine for people to touch up food items with their dirty fingers and leave them for others.
Yanbu - these people are disgusting.

And I'm talking more in office spaces etc than your home, but still, homes count if you have people other than your immediate family there.

We often have a box of Krispy Kreme in the office (all male team apart from me). After lunch I'll fancy a token bite of something sweet but not a whole doughnut - hence cut one in half with a knife. The other half always gets eaten by someone - sometimes me if I want it later in the day. One of the older and more weight conscious blokes does the same. If we're down to the last one then two people will probably split it.

You don't actually have to touch a KK to cut it, the texture is such that the knife goes through on its own, so there are no hygiene considerations whatsoever, but I wouldn't necessarily recoil from eating something that a colleague's finger had touched for one second anyway.

What happens when it's a big cake for cutting into slices, how is that different?

I understand why people might take half a biscuit/doughnut/cake/pie, whatever. They are teeny tiny and can only manage a few bites. We all get that.

Meeeow!

Sounds like you need those claws trimmed.

They might be full from their massive salad?

Where I work someone would definitely take the other half. A nice cake wouldn't be left unclaimed.

It’s part of the under eating performance for the two women I know that do it.

They announce they couldn’t possibly eat a whole one, tell everyone they’re only having half, offer the other half to everyone, then sometimes tell everyone they might not even finish their half. They eat it and announce how full they are.

Irritating, isn't it? If they were genuine, they'd just take a whole one and share it between the two of them, no need at all for drama. But the drama is what they thrive on, of course.

I've no issue whatsoever with people who eat what they want/can - but why do some of them think that anybody else actually cares? I can't imagine the Avengers welcoming a new member whose much-prized 'superpower' is only being able to eat half a portion of everything

Yes that's a good point. How do you feel about large cakes OP? Do you not partake because you don't trust your colleagues not to smear germs all over them while taking a slice?

Because taking the half is a performance of how virtuous and birdlike they are. Not keeping on about it and leaving the evidence of the remaining half would defeat the object of people knowing they are so much more restrained and delicate.

Yes, this is my MIL. She has to cut everything and anything in half, regardless of its size - mini mince pies, crumpets, hot cross buns. Even chocolates from boxes (the ones that are about a square inch in size) have to be accompanied with a whole performance about how she couldn’t possibly manage a whole one, then cut in half with a knife.

I don’t really care about the germs, but I find the whole performance boring and fucking irritating. And the mangled, unappetising halves left on the plate are really annoying - particularly when it’s something someone has worked hard to make look nice, like a mince pie or something.

She also cuts things in half in a really annoying inconsiderate way. For example hot cross buns. These are supposed to be cut in half lengthways. So she could just take one half. But no no, she cuts it from top to bottom. For the extra performance.

I don't have a massive appetite (I don't go on about it at work) and there was one woman who used to make little comments about it. Definitely more her problem than mine

They might be full from their massive salad?

Even though they could only manage half of it,

Not everyone is like you. I rarely eat a whole one because I don’t like them very much and they make me feel queasy after a few mouthfuls. I accept to be polite to the giver.

On the other hand, if they had brought salty nibbles I would have to be very restrained to avoid scoffing more than my fair share.

But that's such a waste of food when there are often people (like me) who will happily eat it!

Yes, this is my MIL. She has to cut everything and anything in half, regardless of its size - mini mince pies, crumpets, hot cross buns. Even chocolates from boxes (the ones that are about a square inch in size) have to be accompanied with a whole performance about how she couldn’t possibly manage a whole one, then cut in half with a knife.

Is she Marjory Dawes - on her 'half the calories' diet?

I wash my fruit and veg obviously

And I don't buy bread. Shop bread doesn't agree with me. On the rare occasions I eat bread now, we make it. The crumpet thread is killing me, I'm seriously tempted to have crumpets for dinner, but I'll pay for it later.

It’s also really rude to the person who brought them.

I Ithink a lot do.

If I ever take half, I will always only touch my half, and use a knife

What if they don't want to eat it later or take it home... some people just want a little of something... so might as well leave it for someone (like me) who would like to eat it if they fancy it. It can always be thrown away later in the day if there are no takers...

A lot of the time though there's often sorry looking halves left over that no one wants and it's all wasted.

Well presumably that's the fault of the half eaters cutting half off a fresh one instead of eating a spare half

Not eating food you don't want isn't wasting it

This thread reminded me of a young woman colleague from years ago. Someone offered round a box of chocolates.

She touched/tapped about six before finally selecting one. I was just standing there transfixed, but a gobby mate said “I cant believe you just touched all those chocolates, what’s wrong with you?!”

Not everyone is like you 🤣
I, in your opinion, would be rude as I decline all offers of cake/sweet stuff 😀

Oh my gosh, the finger-lickers! Should be on the job application form to screen them out!

They finger-lick after eating, don't wash hands and touch all the door handles and surfaces. UGGH!

Please, if you have to finger-lick, quietly excuse yourself immediately, proceed to nearest loos/handbasin (using elbows to open all doors). Wash hands with hot soapy water, dry. Return to gathering/meeting/desk and do not do it again! 😮🙂

Fucking mingers. Its just disgusting behaviour.

Well presumably that's the fault of the half eaters cutting half off a fresh one instead of eating a spare half

Not eating food you don't want isn't wasting it

Maybe they've all been on the 'single person taking the biggest room' thread and don't see why they should be left with half of a doughnut instead of a shiny new one all to themselves... of which they will then only eat half?!

No. Never seen this either. Who takes a biscuit, eats half, and then puts the other half back? Never seen this happen.