Eating Takeaway In A Hospital Waiting Room Do You See It As Unreasonable

[Warrior96]

So long story short I ended up with an infected ear piercing and had to see an out of hours doctor at the hospital. My life medical problems always seem to happen on a Saturday or Sunday! Due to it is known to be a nasty infection I was admitted onto the ears nose and throat ward, it was average time 5-6 hours to see a doctor it took me 5 hours. In the meantime in the waiting room a couple sat next to me bought a KFC into the waiting room. I can understand people can get hungry with the long wait but there were a number of nauseous people in that waiting room. I feel they were being a bit selfish and could have bought something more appropriate.

AIBU?

Honestly this wouldn’t bother me.

Gosh no that's horrible. I've sat in a cramped waiting A AND E too often. People are often on the floor and many feel sick and in pain. It's just not nice. Worse than public transport as its so crowded and people unwell.
Thankfully I've not seen that!

What an odd thing to be bothered by. Given that they were in A&E, I doubt they had much choice of where to eat from given that they should only have been in A&E if it was an accident or emergency.

Oh maybe it's you and me OP. I wonder if people have been in A and E recently.

It would be different on a ward.

I guess it depends on how long they had been waiting and what other foods were available.

YABU

Very rarely are people given food in hospitals anymore unless you are a 'proper' inpatient
Even then, the chances are it is inedible or not sufficient

It could have been a lot worse!

For the length of time you are waiting you need something to eat

People are there for multiple reasons. All are "trapped" in that small space.

Some have nausea.
Some are sensitive/allergic to certain ingredients.
Some get migraines due to certain smells.

I understand people get hungry but ordering a hot takeout is wrong.

What food WOULD be appropriate OP? Often A&E only has a vending machine with crisps/chocolate bars and IF they have a cafe open, its often miles away to get to.

I used to work with a colleague who would bring in a dish made with a type of fermented fish. She'd heat it in the microwave and the entire kitchen would stink for days. Now that was awful!

People eating hot takeaway food in any enclosed public space are selfish bastards IMHO. That food stinks 🤮 and there’s nowhere for the disgusting smell to go.

Wouldn't bother me.
Not entirely convinced an infected ear piercing classes as an emergency though, but hope you are okay.

What’s worse apart from the obvious than hot smelly greasy junk food in an enclosed public space?

Bleugh for the people in the waiting room and even more gross to eat in a germy A and E.

My elderly mother has been sitting in A&E through the night twice in the last 12 months, triaged but waiting for a bed to come available. While KFC wouldn't be her food of choice would you expect her not to eat in the 23 hour wait time (first time) or slightly shorter second one?

Given the average wait time in an nhs hospital they were probably just happy to get something to eat so yes YABU

Bag of mixed nuts.

Airborne allergies are uncommon, but are more likely to exist to nuts than KFC!

I can understand them maybe being hungry waiting in A and E...I'd have probably opted for a sandwich but I don't think I'd be annoyed, I'd just find it an odd choice lol

I was in children's A&E a few weeks ago. From about 5pm through til 10pm.

Lots of babies and toddlers crying and vomitting, older children with broken bones and in obvious pain.

In walked a Dad with a KFC for his partner but not their child who was one of the ones vomitting.

She was admitted to a ward, so completely valid for her to be there. This site is mad when it comes to health care, unless you have limbs missing and you have a love of Shrubberies you aren't allowed to step foot over the threshold of A&E

Just to add I was not in AnE. I phoned 111 and got an out of hours doctors appointment. And the doctor took one look at it and admitted me onto the ward. It was in the ward waiting room they were eating KFC

KFC does seem pretty anti-social but I have some sympathy given the A&E wait times. A sandwich would be less offensive but may not have been a realistic delivery option. If I’d been eating the KFC I would at least have tried to be discreet.

Not unreasonable to eat something. Very unreasonable to eat KFC as it stinks. Would be better if they’d got a sandwich, crisps, even a sausage roll would be better

I don’t think you should be eating smelly food in waiting rooms , trains or any small enclosed place where other people have to be present .

I was going to say YABU until you said it was KFC. I really struggle to be near anyone eating it, something about that particular smell is horrendous.

My local A&E has a sign asking people to respect others and refrain from eating hot food in waiting areas. I remember reading it and thinking ‘who the heck is bringing hot food in here’… well, the people in your OP I guess! Ours has vending machines with choices like chocolate, crisps and cereal bars and I guess if you’re able to get hold of a KFC you could also manage to get a sandwich from a petrol station. Unless they literally got
it delivered to the hospital?!