# You're a meat eater and you're dining with a vegetarian... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246 "2018-04-27T23:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/81 "2018-05-02T16:11:35Z")
I’d eat whatever looks/sounds most delicious, regardless of meat content. If I’m having people over, I’d definitely ask if there were any restrictions I needed to be aware of because I really don’t mind cooking vegetarian, vegan or accommodating allergies or even just preferences. I frequently cook such meals not because I feel like I have to or have some ethical obligation to do so or even think, “I’m cooking vegan tonight,” but because food is freaking awesome and sometimes you just want some buffalo cauliflower bites and other nights you want a chunk of salmon. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/82 "2018-05-02T19:10:47Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > The way I look at it is if the person was bothered by others eating meat, they should suggest a vegetarian restaurant. That’s the simplest answer IMO. Better to have that dispute out, if it exists, in picking the restaurant. Same would go for some religious dietary requirement strict enough to concern itself with what people with you are eating, which is also not common but doesn’t seem inconceivable, nor would it make the very selective person a jerk. But agreeing to go to a restaurant which serves things you don’t eat, then having a problem that someone else orders them, kind of would. And the one sided assumption vegetarian/vegans have any more right to concern themselves with what other people eat than non-v’s is kind of puzzling also, but anyway suggest at the stage of picking the place. Therefore by the same token I don’t feel obliged to consider other people’s dietary preferences in what I pick off the menu of a place they agreed to go to. I often have meatless meals at lunch, salad bar or a grilled cheese (OP question said ‘vegetarian’ not ‘vegan’), or breakfast. But it would be a once in a very great while thing for me to agree to go to a vegetarian restaurant for dinner. Fortunately, nobody I commonly go to restaurants with asks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/83 "2018-05-02T19:30:52Z")
My only issue with vegetarians comes when I am having a cookout and I’m doing burgers and brats or something, and they are vegetarian and dont tell me. I can do vegetarian. I make a good mushroom burger or I can get some veggieburgers or veggie hot dogs. I just need to know ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/84 "2018-05-02T19:39:18Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Are these seriously real life experiences you’ve had? Because I’ve known many many many vegetarians, hell each of my kids went through a phase of being one (“they got better”), and I’ve experienced very very very little of that (and then from one fresh to having made the choice and brimming with new conversion enthusiasm which faded fast). Obviously, you have never met my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/85 "2018-05-02T19:46:30Z")
I would probably look at the veggie options. If none interested me, I would have the meat. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/86 "2018-05-02T21:10:55Z")
Quote: Originally Posted by smithsb View Post If I’m eating with a vegetarian I’ll order the biggest steak the restaurant has - cooked blue. Then I’ll grab it with my bare hands and wring all the juices out on my plate. Holding plate to my mouth, I’ll noisily slurp up the juices along with a few burps. I’ll soak any remaining film up with the bread and devour it making dinosaur chomping sounds. > [@DesertDog](#): > > So… you don’t actually _eat_ the steak,then, just the vital bodily essences. No point then, my vegetarian dining partner is passed out under the table.😃 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/87 "2018-05-02T22:23:29Z")
It’s absolutely not going to be a problem. I’ve never met a vegetarian who is as obsessed with what other people are eating as some of the meat eaters in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/88 "2018-05-02T22:40:22Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Obviously, you have never met my wife. Well it wasn’t for _dinner_ … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/89 "2018-05-02T23:20:19Z")
I haven’t had to deal with any vegetarians, but I have a friend who is on a bizarre self-invented anti-flour/anti-sugar diet, and who also can’t stand the sight/smell of fish. I will totally eat bread in front of the dude and he doesn’t care, but I refrain from getting fishsticks because I don’t want to test his promise that it’d make him hurl. So with vegetarians it would come down to how the vegetarian reacted to the idea of me eating steak. If they had a real problem with it I would go without the steak - or go without the vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/90 "2018-05-03T02:26:40Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > It’s absolutely not going to be a problem. I’ve never met a vegetarian who is as obsessed with what other people are eating as some of the meat eaters in this thread. Yeah, I suspect there’s a reason why some people seem to encounter more angry vegetarians than others. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/91 "2018-05-03T02:40:54Z")
It’s like this thread is a zombie from the 80s. Who still gives a shit if someone is a vegetarian? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/92 "2018-05-03T06:52:51Z")
For starters, people who want to be able to accomodate their vegetarian tablemate 😛 ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/93 "2018-05-03T07:58:13Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > It’s absolutely not going to be a problem. I’ve never met a vegetarian who is as obsessed with what other people are eating as some of the meat eaters in this thread. Oh but there are some vegetarians who are evangelical in their behavior; not as bad as the militant vegans but still a bit away from live-and-let-live. > [@madmonk28](#): > > It’s like this thread is a zombie from the 80s. Who still gives a shit if someone is a vegetarian? Whoa there MM. This is \ In My Humble Opinion. The OP asked/posed a reasonable question and was interested in our well considered opinions. Some folks are more sensitive to others and their viewpoints regarding food choices. Some of us have a humorous bent.🙂 You seem angry (my opinion) and I respect your right to be angry. Also, IMHO, you should lighten up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/94 "2018-05-03T11:10:44Z")
Ok, but what if they won’t take off their Sony Walkman during the meal? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/95 "2018-05-03T19:57:30Z")
Sony Walkman? - Dueling spitballs at twenty paces, sir or madam. Actually, while opening the champagne bottle with my sabre, I might _accidently_ overswing and remove the Walkman along withsinging, “Off with their heads.” :eek: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CtCQHCOls2E/maxresdefault.jpg "Queen of hearts off with their heads compilation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtCQHCOls2E) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/96 "2018-05-03T20:01:51Z")
I’m going to order what I want. If I know they’re squeamish, though, I would probably refrain from beef because I like it bloody. I’d go with chicken or seafood or pasta marinara. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/97 "2018-05-04T19:42:25Z")
My daughter went through a vegetarian stage in her late teens/early 20’s, at least partially due to having heard a pig being slaughtered for our supper while in a 3rd world country. She never tried to “convert” us nor her husband but she did initially raise my grandson without meat. He was well fed, happy and growing, but no meat. She said she didn’t intend to force him to always be vegetarian, but would let him make his own choice. The look on her face was priceless when, at a restaurant when he was at about 1 year old, my grandson out of the blue snatched a piece of bacon from his dad’s plate, ate the whole thing and asked for more! Seriously, though, the result is a 3 year old who eats meat but also loves all manner of fruits and veggies. Not a bad outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Blisters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Blisters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blisters)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/98 "2018-05-06T01:03:45Z")
I’d order what I would anyway, but I probably would be more aware of what I said about what I was eating…like I wouldn’t go on about how crispy the bacon was if I thought the person I was dining with would be disgusted by the thought. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/99 "2018-05-06T05:02:47Z")
the only time ive had anything like this discussion is I invited a new kid from school over and they stayed late enough for dinner …well my mom decided to get fancy (for her ) and cooked rather large pork chops in mushroom sauce amoung other things as a surprise … my new friend was recently arrived middle eastern …hed never eaten pork or even seen it cooked … he did eat one and said " your mom makes a nice steak " so it was more like don’t ask or tell what it really was … ---
**Author:** ![skyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@skyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skyr)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246/100 "2018-05-06T16:41:57Z")
I’m a vegetarian. I wouldn’t care if someone eats meat in front of me (and in fact this happens a lot since I am married to a meat eater). Most of us vegetarians are used to being around meat eaters and don’t think anything of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-a-meat-eater-and-youre-dining-with-a-vegetarian/813246.md?page=4)