# Do you want the rest of this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392 "2011-05-10T14:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/1 "2011-05-10T14:16:14Z")
Would you accept an offer of food if it’s half eaten? Why or why not? I’m not germaphobic but I’ve always thought that eating after someone is kinda gross. I usually play it off as I’m not hungry so as not to offend. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/2 "2011-05-10T14:17:47Z")
If it’s a friend or family, sure. If it’s a stranger on the bus, no probably not. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/3 "2011-05-10T14:24:00Z")
My gf and I often exchange plates for tastes at some point in restaurants. Our tongues have been in each others mouths frequently enough that I have no qualms. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/4 "2011-05-10T14:32:19Z")
No, I just have a “thing” about food that’s been eaten by someone else, and it doesn’t matter who it is. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/5 "2011-05-10T14:33:59Z")
No. Sharing food with a GF is the exception to the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/6 "2011-05-10T14:41:10Z")
Spouse? Sure. Anyone else? No. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/7 "2011-05-10T14:44:54Z")
If you do want it and are grossed out, why not just cut off the ‘eaten’ part and carry on? I’m thinking sandwiches, steak, etc. Probably wouldn’t work for things like spaghetti. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/8 "2011-05-10T14:53:33Z")
If it’s been untouched, apart from by a clean knife and serving implements – why not? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/9 "2011-05-10T14:55:27Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Spouse? Sure. Anyone else? No. _Sometimes_ I eat after my kids. When they were little, especially. I will sometimes eat after my husband, depending on what the food is. I wouldn’t eat after anyone else unless it was under some kind of crisis situation. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/10 "2011-05-10T14:59:13Z")
I’m not squeamish about this in the least. I don’t care if it’s a relative or acquaintance. The only issue is, I’m much more likely to be the one not able to finish. I have a small appetite. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/11 "2011-05-10T15:16:19Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > If it’s been untouched, apart from by a clean knife and serving implements – why not? If by “clean serving implements” you mean “a fork/spoon that has been squeegeed by the lips of the person currently eating the food,” then I think we have different ideas of what constitutes “clean.” ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/12 "2011-05-10T15:18:13Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > If it’s been untouched, apart from by a clean knife and serving implements – why not? I was thinking more like a sandwich or a candy bar. > [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](#): > > If you do want it and are grossed out, why not just cut off the ‘eaten’ part and carry on? I’m thinking sandwiches, steak, etc. Probably wouldn’t work for things like spaghetti. You don’t think that would be rude. As in “I appreciate your generosity but first let me get rid of any stray bacteria you might have.” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/13 "2011-05-10T17:07:47Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > You don’t think that would be rude. As in “I appreciate your generosity but first let me get rid of any stray bacteria you might have.” No, I think it’s common practice as far as food sharing goes. Like is someone shares a sandwich, you eat from the opposite side of the sandwich. I wouldn’t want to eat a sandwich someone had been gnawing on from the gnawed-on end. But if it’s steak or something, I don’t care, and I don’t care about eating off the utensils of other people, as long as they aren’t obviously sick. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/14 "2011-05-10T17:09:32Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > If by “clean serving implements” you mean “a fork/spoon that has been squeegeed by the lips of the person currently eating the food,” then I think we have different ideas of what constitutes “clean.” No, I really did not mean that. Why would I? ---
**Author:** ![phantom\_lamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@phantom\_lamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantom_lamb)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/15 "2011-05-10T17:15:39Z")
Well I’d prefer to have my own plate and food but in your scenario I’d go for it under certain circumstances. Am I hungry? Is the food delicious? Is it something on a plate that wasn’t directly in the person’s mouth? Is the other person my boyfriend/mom/sister? If yes, then absolutely. But if it’s a sandwich or ice cream cone, then no. I don’t like eating a large amount of other people’s saliva with my food. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/16 "2011-05-10T17:16:38Z")
Wife? Yes. Kids? Yes. Anyone else? Depends. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/17 "2011-05-10T17:26:23Z")
If it’s someone I wouldn’t hesitate to french kiss, or it’s my kids, who I’m sure I share a germ pool with by other means, then sure. If not, nope. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/18 "2011-05-10T17:49:57Z")
I mean, if the guy on the bus isn’t going to finish his yogurt, who am I to waste food and decline it? I can’t fully answer the OP though, since it depends whether or not the guy lets me use his spoon. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/19 "2011-05-10T18:02:47Z")
It’s depends not only on the person but also what kind of food it is. Something sloppy you need to really dig into to eat? Kinda gross. But something relatively self-contained, like sushi? (assuming untouched rolls on a plate rather than a roll that has been half-eaten) Sure, why not? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392/20 "2011-05-10T18:05:06Z")
Once I was in New Orleans and had eaten my fill of beignets, so I offered my last one to a guy in the restuarant. He ate it happily. Me personally, it depends on how close I am to the offerer. I probably wouldn’t have eaten a beignet from a stranger, but I know not everyone has those qualms. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-want-the-rest-of-this/581392.md?page=2)