Why don't people listen when you say no thank you?

Question

I am a very picky eater. When I go to certain people's homes for dinner, there is always someone who insists of dishing out the food. I prefer to take my own servings of what I like and how much I want to take. Some people just start shovelling something from each dish onto my plate and I politely say "no thank you" and then they say "why not?" I say "I don't like this or that" and then they say "try some anyway." After they have piled up stuff on my plate that I don't eat, I just leave the food there (what a waste). Then someone always asks "why didn't you eat such-and-such" and I say "because I don't like it." I started to tell one person I'm allergic to certain foods and they totally ignored me and put some of it on my plate anyway. Why can't people listen?

Answer 1

take something they dont like to them. if they hate cask wine, turn up with it. if they hate cheese, trn up with a cheese platter made just for them. theyll get the point.

Answer 2

I can think of two reasons:
1. They think you're being polite or too shy so they dish it up for you.
2. The people think their food is da bomb and you must try it.

I think your "allergy" reason is a good way to handle it.

Saying you don't like it will encourage them to give you some since in their mind their food is the best and you'll like it when you try it.

Finally, leaving the stuff on your plate and throwing it out is fine... especially if you told them you were allergic to it. They'll get over it.

Answer 3

In a lot of cultures around the world giving someone piles of food is a way of welcoming people into their homes and showing that they accept you into their home as a friend or new member of family.
cultures who practice this get VERY upset when the food is turned down because they think you are shunning their hospitality...

Answer 4

that happens a lot to me. I am not a picky eater but there are just some things I don't like. People are just pushy when it comes to some things and food happens to be one of them.

Answer 5

Are you an adult? Then they are very rude for treating you like a child.I just hate when they use servers at functions.An adult knows exactly what they want to eat, you being an adult should never have to defend why you refuse any food.

Answer 6

seriously,i don't know why this happens,so embarrsing for the guest & later for the host to see the waste of food ,time & effort.I thought we indians were guilty,trying to be overpolite & lacking sensitivity in the bargain,but now i have come to know it is a common malady,don't know if i feel better about it.

Answer 7

i made lumpia once and my husbands friends girlfriend looked at it and said it loudly, that looks disgusting. and i'm thinking what a *****. if she didn't want it, all she had to say was no thank you. don't put down the food because you don't know what it is.

Answer 8

It's an Ego thing. People take their cooking personally.