A dinner table can be the most peaceful place in the house until someone reaches for the ketchup, orders a well-done steak, or puts pineapple on pizza. Suddenly, an ordinary meal turns into a lively debate about the right way to eat.
Americans have surprisingly different opinions about familiar foods. In a 2023 YouGov survey, 59% of respondents said they liked or loved pineapple on pizza, while 37% disliked or hated it. Another YouGov survey found that 24% of Americans preferred their steak well-done, slightly ahead of the 23% who favored medium-rare.
But having different tastes doesn’t mean someone is eating incorrectly. Some habits involve personal preferences, while others concern courtesy toward people sharing the table.
Here are nine dining habits that can stir up conversation, disagreement, and occasionally a little unnecessary judgment.
Putting Pineapple on Pizza
Few toppings have inspired as much debate as pineapple. For some pizza lovers, its sweetness provides a welcome contrast to melted cheese and savory toppings.
Others cannot understand why fruit belongs on pizza at all.Yet pineapple has more supporters than its controversial reputation might suggest. According to YouGov’s 2023 survey, 22% of Americans loved pineapple on pizza, while another 37% liked it. Meanwhile, 18% disliked it and 19% hated it.
Those numbers reveal a divided audience, not a universally rejected topping. If pineapple makes someone’s favorite pizza better, perhaps that’s reason enough to leave their slice alone.
Ordering Steak Well-Done
Mention well-done steak around enthusiastic food lovers, and someone may immediately recommend medium-rare instead.
The disagreement usually comes down to texture, appearance, and personal preference. Some diners enjoy a pink center, while others prefer their steak cooked all the way through.
Interestingly, well-done steak has plenty of supporters. A 2019 YouGov survey involving 1,295 American adults found that 24% preferred well-done steak. Medium-rare followed closely at 23%.
The findings suggest that the supposedly unpopular choice was actually one of the country’s leading preferences at the time. Your steak order doesn’t need anyone else’s approval.
Putting Ketchup on a Hot Dog
A hot dog can carry mustard, relish, onions, chili, cheese, or any combination that makes someone happy. But ketchup has somehow become a subject of its own etiquette debate.
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council publishes a playful guide advising people over 18 not to put ketchup on their hot dogs. Instead, the council recommends traditional toppings such as mustard, relish, onions, and chili.
Of course, this isn’t a law or a rule that restaurants must enforce. It’s an industry organization’s lighthearted opinion. If ketchup is your favorite topping, there’s no reason a humorous etiquette guide should spoil your lunch.
Eating Pizza With a Knife and Fork
Pizza is often treated as the ultimate hands-on food. You pick up a slice, fold it if necessary, and enjoy every bite. But some diners prefer a knife and fork, especially when the toppings are generous or the crust is difficult to handle.
According to YouGov’s 2023 pizza survey, 73% of Americans usually ate pizza with their hands. Another 11% typically used utensils. That makes the fork-and-knife crowd a minority, but certainly not an imaginary one.
The choice can also depend on the pizza itself. A thin, manageable slice is different from a heavily topped portion served on a restaurant plate. Sometimes, choosing utensils is simply practical.
Related: 6 Dining Etiquette Rules That Barely Anyone Follows Anymore explores how traditional table manners have changed.
Chewing With Your Mouth Open
Unlike pineapple pizza or steak preferences, chewing habits inspire considerably more agreement. There’s something about a shared meal that makes people appreciate a little consideration from the person sitting across from them.
In a 2024 YouGov dining-etiquette survey, 89% of respondents said they always or usually chewed with their mouths closed when dining with others. Another 81% reported avoiding talking while food was in their mouths.
These figures describe people’s reported behavior rather than how frequently they criticize others. Still, closed-mouth chewing appears to be one of the more widely observed dining customs.
Seasoning Food Before Taking the First Bite
The food arrives, still warm from the kitchen. Before tasting anything, someone reaches for the salt shaker. To some hosts, that gesture might suggest their cooking hasn’t been given a fair chance. To others, adding seasoning is simply a personal habit.
YouGov’s 2024 etiquette survey found that 67% of women and 54% of men said they always or usually tasted their food before adding seasoning. The difference shows that this familiar custom isn’t followed equally by everyone.
If someone has prepared a meal for you, tasting it first can be a considerate gesture. But automatically reaching for the pepper doesn’t establish anything about someone’s character.
Starting to Eat Before Everyone Is Served
A beautiful dinner arrives at your place, but the person beside you is still waiting. Do you begin eating or wait until everyone has a plate?
Traditional table manners often favor waiting, especially at a formal gathering. Yet real meals don’t always unfold perfectly, and restaurant orders sometimes arrive at different times.
In YouGov’s 2024 survey, 69% of Americans said they usually waited until everyone had been served before beginning their meal. That means the practice is common but not universal.
When the situation feels awkward, a little communication helps. A host may encourage everyone to begin rather than let their food get cold.
Photographing Food Before Eating
The plate arrives looking beautiful, and someone immediately reaches for their phone. For some diners, taking a quick photograph is part of remembering a special meal. For others, waiting while everyone photographs dinner can become frustrating. But food photography isn’t as unpopular as occasional complaints might suggest.
In a separate April 2024 YouGov survey, more than half of respondents considered photographing food acceptable. The survey doesn’t establish that people approve of every form of photography, particularly when it interrupts others.
A quick photograph and a lengthy filming session are very different experiences. Consideration matters more than the camera itself.
Asking Hosts for Special Food Requests
Hosting a dinner can involve balancing different preferences, traditions, and expectations. Sometimes, a guest asks whether a particular ingredient can be omitted or whether another dish is available.
Those requests can create extra planning, but the assumption that most hosts resent them isn’t supported by the available evidence.
A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 31% of Americans were bothered at least somewhat when guests requested special food options. However, 37% said they weren’t bothered much, while another 30% weren’t bothered at all.
The findings suggest that many hosts are willing to accommodate different needs. Giving advance notice is often a considerate way to make dinner planning easier.
The Best Dining Habit Is Respecting Other People’s Choices
Food disagreements can be entertaining, but they don’t need to become personal. The surveys reveal an interesting distinction. Some table manners, such as chewing with your mouth closed, have widespread support. Others, including steak doneness and pizza toppings, are simply matters of taste.
And some supposedly controversial behaviors, such as photographing a meal, are more widely accepted than their critics might expect. A person ordering well-done steak isn’t ruining anyone else’s dinner. Someone putting ketchup on a hot dog isn’t breaking a real rule.
There’s room at the table for different tastes, familiar traditions, and a little friendly debate. Because when the plates are cleared, the best thing about a meal should be the company, not who won the argument about pineapple.
