The Five Second Dropped Food Rule -- Do you follow it when you're alone?

Question

We all know the "rule." Drop food, and you better pick it up within 5 seconds if you want to eat it.

Is this just a taboo? When nobody's looking, do you follow the rule?

Answer 1

I don't follow any rule. If my food didn't get dirt or hair on it then I'll pick it up and eat it. I don't care who's around and I don't care for how many seconds it was on the floor.

Answer 2

The 5-second rule isn't an etiquette rule. It's a safety rule. The etiquette rule is don't eat anything you've dropped. But like all etiquette rules, it doesn't apply when you're alone.

Answer 3

Sometimes after 1 second its no longer edible if it falls on a dusty surface.
Personally, I do not adhere to this rule, even when people arent around, unless it's candy or something which doesn't catch on to dirt as much as other porous foods do.

Answer 4

Yea i follow the rule! even when other people are around. Also it depends where i drop it. and it also depends on how bad i want it.

[[If it was i a cookie i'd scream "NOOOOOOOOO COOKIE!" then run pick it up then eat it]]

Answer 5

I will pick it up and eat, unless I dropped it like outside in the dirt....my floors are pretty clean.

Answer 6

As long as the food isn't sticky or gooey so that it will pick up all kinds of stuff, I abide by the 5 second rule.
Shoot, man, just blow that shitt off. "God made dirt... Dirt don't hurt."
Right?
Peace

Answer 7

Well, you can count me as a person who didn't know 'the rule'.
I think it'd fall somewhere between taboo and urban myth-in-the-making.
I'm assuming that it has arisen because of a 'fear of germs'.

Answer 8

Depends on what food it is and how clean I know my floor is. I do pick up sometimes.

Answer 9

Depends on the floor...

NEVER applies in a public place, restroom, or areas outside your own home!

Answer 10

Depends on who's floor..