Would you say this was a red flag on a date?

[Margaretbaxter]

I'm so out of the loop so I have no idea.

We'd eaten in a café, I couldn't finish my food as I was full so I got the sandwich to take away.

A couple of hours later we were walking around and I got hungry again so took out my sandwich. He said let's find somewhere to sit down whilst you eat.

I said, thanks, but I'm ok honestly I don't mind walking around with it. He said, no I insist you sit down. I said again that I was honestly ok walking with it but he was absolutely adamant that we sat down.

There was just something that felt a bit off about him not taking no for an answer, am I reading into this?

If it were the other way round i would've not asked again after the first no.

It’s not very comfortable walking and eating at the same time. It’s also not very enjoyable. Your date was wrong to keep on at you but he should have respected your decision. What else is he going to badger you about?

If I insisted that my wife sat down to eat, or looked down on her for noshing a butty while walking, she'd tell me to fuck off. I don't think three dates in is the time to start "raising you up". How about never doing that, and just letting you be you?

So if the other person isn't hungry but you are you've got to wait until they're hungry too? Wtf

I can get some people don't like eating whilst talking, but this site is so predictable, people are making out that anyone who eats walking is an absolute ogre who must have a ton of food dripping down them and dropping it all over the floor 😂 ridiculous some of these comments

I can’t believe the amount of people that won’t eat while walking along. It’s like I’ve gone back in time! I’ve never heard anyone under 80 say this.
I'm with you OP. Eat your sarny wherever you like, it’s not like it’s a full roast dinner!
Convenience birthed the sandwich.

Well only you know what his overall vibe was. You’ll have to decide if it was a red flag or just a bit irritating (but not necessarily a deal breaker).

Sorry, I was brought up to think it was bad manners to walk and eat.
My children with snacks in the push chair was fine when they were small but I would cringe if they ate a sandwich walking along now and I certainly have never done it.

Would you have preferred it would if he’d only suggested it once and then ended the date when you said you didn’t want to sit down to it?

OP I get what you’re saying. But you’ve asked peoples opinions and they have disagreed. That’s how aibu works? Did you just want everyone to say he’s an abusive dickhead or something? 😂

Ffs some ridiculous responses on here, I regularly eat whilst walking between appointments as I don't always have time to sit

If you are on a date with them, yes!

I do eat walking sometimes but only because I’m starving and either there’s nowhere to sit or I’m walking to the train station to go home. I don’t personally choose to walk and eat if there’s a seat close by.

said i can understand that not everyone agrees with eating whilst walking.
However I think the exaggerations on here are ridiculous.

Some people are raised never to eat while walking. I was never told this (nor was I ever given food to eat on the move so I suppose we didn't need to be told as it never happened) I was quite surprised the first time I heard it was considered rude. But it really is, by some people. He's just as likely to think it a red flag about your manners.

Personally, I'd be put off by any man who insisted I do anything unless it was for safety reasons. He'd have every right to say he found it rude or tasteless, but not to dictate how you behave.

OP: AIBU walking and eating when partner said can we sit while you eat

MN: Yes

OP: You're wrong, it's fine to walk along stuffing my face and dropping bits and crumbs.

MN: You're the red flag.

Guzzling, chomping, chowing down? Fuck off with this shit, you make it sound like she was ramming it down her throat.

To answer your question OP he was the rude one for not taking no for an answer

He might be asking the same question, he obviously doesn't like it

I don’t really get why you went on a date with food if he wasn’t eating and you could only manage half a sandwich

It quite clearly states in the OP that they both had food but OP couldn't finish hers

Good lord @Margaretbaxter you are getting a hard time on here.
You did not ask about your manners you asked if it was ok for your date to try to insist that you sit down and the answer to that is obviously no.

For all the pp using language like guzzle, scoff, gob , pushing hot food into their face ( wtf! ) talking with their mouth full, food stuck in teeth ( no proof ) looking around for something to wipe their mouth ( how do you know op didnt have something ) would have said that if @Margaretbaxter was sat down eating .

Yes three or four decades ago it may of seemed uncouth but then there wasn't the abundance of fast food takeaways .
It would also be seen as rude to eat out dinner on our knees but lots of people do that now without a second thought.

I wouldn’t want to walk around with someone eating a sandwich. It’s naff. That said, I wouldn’t want to be with someone who tried to control me.

I think he was rude and bossy, I do consider it a red flag that he didn't take "no I'm fine" for an answer.

Flabbergasted at the amount of pearl clutching about eating a sandwich in a park! My mum thought anyone eating while walking was common but a) I grew out of her opinions when I became an adult and b) she also thought anyone wearing red shoes was a "tart"

At least it would be clear then what a lunatic he was

He was probably embarrassed. It’s bad manners to walk around eating and looks chavy. I’d be embarrassed too if I was out with someone who did that.

I don’t think it’s bad manners at all.