when is eating by hand considered socially acceptable? and why?

Answer 1

Ribs & chicken wings are meant to be eaten by hand! Hard to get the meat off using utensils...

Also most of the time if you're given some bread you're expected to tear pieces off rather than take bites off the whole thing. I think this is because it looks greedy chomping down on a whole bun, not sure...

Fastfood of course is eaten by hand too, just common sense.

And 'finger foods' are meant to eat by hand as well, if properly prepared they should be bite-sized. It's easier this way 'cause you often get them at parties when standing around, can't use utensils well when standing around, especially if you're also holding a drink!

Answer 2

As everyone said before me it depends on where you're eating and what you're eating.
If you're in a European-style restaurant, besides hors d'oeuvre and bread, you should use your utensils (even if its pizza).
If you're in a fast-food or at a friends/close colleagues barbecue you can eat using your hands.
If you're in an ethnic restaurant where everyone is eating with hands, it'd probably be weird to ask for utensils.

Basically pay attention to your environment and see what others around you are doing so you won't stand out, especially when you don't know how a certain dish is eaten.

Answer 3

A good rule of thumb is to watch what everyone else is doing. If everyone is eating with their hands (ie. pizza by hand), then go for it. But if everyone is slicing their food and using utensils (ie. pizza cut into pieces and eaten with a fork), then follow that.

Being Asian, I often invite friends to Asian restaurants and encourage them to at least try using chopsticks. If they try and can't, we can give them the modified ones, forks, or they can use their hands. I always try to be conscious of people's comfort level if I am the host and encourage people that it is okay to use their hands if that is what they're comfortable with.

Answer 4

Dudes, eating by hand is not just for fast food or barbecues. Consider sushi, hors d'oeuvres, etc. Most cocktail parties involve eating by hand. If it's food-appropriate, it's socially acceptable. Just don't eat YOUR hand. You'll be OK.

Answer 5

At any fast-food joint. Because it's the norm-everyone does, just eating burgers/fries...

Also, I think pizza & breadsticks are ok to eat by hand.

Answer 6

Well it depends on what you're eating. If you're eating ribs at a barbeque, then sure, eat with your hands. If you're eating pasta at a fancy restaurant it's probably better if you use a knife and fork. It all depends on the place and the food. We all ate with our hands until utensils were invented anyway.

Answer 7

When there are finger foods.
When you are in a different culture.

Answer 8

When you are eating burgers and slurping milkshake in McDonalds with the rest of the slobs that eat in there!!