Smoke and a pancake
 

How do you react to other people smoking around you while you're eating? Do you intentionally sit in non-smoking areas in restaurants, or refuse to let your friends light up over a meal?

Or are you guilty of this habit yourself?

I used to get really uptight about this. Last night I went to a noodle bar with three friends, which escalated into maybe eight of us (friends-of-friends-of-friends), and while we were going through a huge collective plate of chow mein everyone else leeched off the girl with cigarettes. I was conspicuously the only non-smoker there (cigs are something I've sworn off forever), and I'm not going to lie, I was pretty pissed off. That kind of thing can ruin a meal; I honestly wouldn't have given a shit if they'd waited until after we'd finished, but hey. It doesn't annoy me to the point that I'll actually ask people to stub out.

I HATE it when people smoke while I'm eating. That's disgusting and rude. It's just annoying to have to smell smoke while you're eating since your tastes buds are linked to your nose.

This is coming from a former smoker, as well.

Thank god in New Jersey they banned smoking in public places and restaurants, so it doesn't bother me much anymore. Even before smoking was banned in such places, It didn't really bother me since I usually sat a decent distance away from where the smokers were.

Yeah, it's kind of like California. They've banned smoking just about anywhere you can think of.

I think they even passed a law that says you can't sit on your own front porch and smoke a cigarette.

There's nothing more annoying in restaurants than people smoking. I usually try to sit a good distance away from the smoking sections, but sometimes it can't be helped if a place is crowded. I won't ask someone to put them out since they technically have the right to smoke wherever they want (no laws here, unfortunately), but it's incredibly rude and can ruin a meal.

I'm a smoker. And I don't smoke where people are eating.

It's been outlawed here in Massachusetts pretty much EVERYWHERE including bars and private establishments.

But smoking at a table where people are eating is kind of gross. I personally REALLY enjoy savoring my food (lol fattie), and I can understand when people don't want me smoking around them while they eat.

However. Coffee and cigarettes is a must. In the summer, I am notorious for finding a restaurant with a patio, eating a meal, and ordering bottomless coffee with a nice big ash tray.

I prefer eating away from smokers since the smell bothers me easily. I'm usually able to get a seat far way from the smoking section anyway so it's never been too much of a problem for me in public areas.

I honestly don't care. I myself am a former smoker and can't tolerate the smell or taste of tobacco anymore, but i grew up in a society were smoking is found in nearly every facet of life and i've learned to not let it bother me.

Although i do find it kinda ridiculous that states are passing laws forcing establishments to ban smoking without the owners being allowed to make a choice on wether their resturant/bar/establishment will be entirely non-smoking or entirely smoking.

When i was living in the states, my favorite bar fell victim to such a law. 85% of the average customers were avid smokers and the owner was forced to ban smoking in his establishment and because of this, his bar crashed and dived because the majority of the clientale opted to just party at home instead of going out because what fun is drinking if you can't smoke?

If I had the choice of where to sit, I'd sit away from the smokers (who, I think, shouldn't be smoking near people who are eating...unless the food outlet is smoker-friendly). It's only happened to me a couple of times before where I sit down for a meal and the noxious odour of smoke floats around me and my food. It doesn't affect the taste of the food per se, but I'd just prefer to only be smelling what I'm eating, not an overpowering, offensive scent.

I live in California so thankfully I don't fall victim to smokers at the table or anywhere in vicinity of food in the same room. Thankfully.

In other places, not so much. I learned that it just depends on what's more acceptable for certain situations.

I agree with Iwata in some cases though. Like after partying and a group of our co-workers want to go out and karaoke, it was much more fun to be in places where drinking and smoking in the same premesis were allowed. Although I'm not a smoker myself, I found that as long as people were enjoying the event the smell and smoke eventually stopped bothering me too much. Once in a while I'll step out to get some fresh air, and usually that's enough for me.

Restaurants and places to have meals, however, I take a stand on not having any cigarettes around. Especially while eating. ESPECIALLY at the family dinner table. This is the only non-smoking rule I stick to while I'm with smokers (usually dad).

Most of the restaurants around here are smoke-free, so it's not an issue. I don't hang out regularly with anyone who smokes, so it's not a problem, although it doesn't bother me that much as long as they're not right next to me.

When I go out for a drink or meal I try to sit as far away as possible from the smokers. The smell can really choke me up sometimes, so I have to make sure that I'm not too close to the smokers otherwise I would end up coughing all over them.

Luckily, England has passed a law that means later this year, no-one will be able to smoke in pubs/ restaurants (amongst other places) so I will be able to enjoy my meals more once they have put this law into place.

Guilty ;__;

I tend to light up in pubs and coffee bars. When I'm drinking either coffee or alcohol I smoke a lot more than usual. I can't remember the last time I saw someone in a pub without a pack of cigs, and the coffee place has an upstairs that is really well ventilated for smokers. Soon it will all be gone though :(

I don't smoke in resturants though. If I really want to have a cigarette I'll go stand outside at least. Half smoking/non-smoking resturants are stupid anyway. One thing that really put me off smoking in public places was last week. I was in Megabowl with a couple of friends, and for some bizzare reason you can smoke anywhere in there. I was standing by a bin and I noticed this 4 year old kid wandering around the arcades, who chooses to come and play the game right next to me, and then when I docked out my cig and walked off he started playing with the fag ends >.> I don't feel at all comfortable smoking around people who have small children, or who don't smoke. I don't want to tick anyone off by making them inhale my second-hand smoke.

Here in California this isn't a huge issue since the non-smoking sections in all local restaurants are usually outside or in a patio, so I'm usually pretty lucky when it comes to this. I'm a former smoker though, so I don't really get too bothered by people smoking as long as they're not blowing the smoke in my direction when I'm eating.

If I'm at Brewbakers and I'm drinking a beer and socializing, well that's another matter entirely.

There are very few things that can ruin a meal for me like the smell of cigarette smoke. Smoke gives me headaches and makes me cough; those are things that I'd rather not experience while trying to enjoy a meal. There aren't very many smoke-free restaurants around here, so when I do go out to eat I just try to sit as far away from the smokers as possible. None of my friends are smokers, so I haven't had any problems with that. As for my reaction to people who smoke near me in a restaurant, I just move away from them if I can. If I can't I leave. I mean, I don't try to be rude about it or anything it's just that no meal is worth having a throbbing headache for the rest of the day.

When I go to restaurants that are really busy I will call for whatever is open first, but I try to get non-smoking when I can help it.

It's not that I have anything against smokers, and from what I hear a smoke after a good meal is heavenly. It just doesn't help the eating experience when people are blowing fumes down your neck while trying to enjoy a tasty steak.

I can't see why people can't put the habit down for an hour while they eat. Thats probably my only real complaint about it.

I don't smoke. I'd usually try to avoid the smoking, so I sit in non-smoking areas. But I'm often with friends who do smoke, so I'm not gonna insist that they don't or anything like that.

i don't mind. i'm so used to it now from my dad, boyfriend, and other friends that smoke. i don't smoke myself, but no, it doesn't bother me.

I hate it when people are smoking when I am eating as well. I find it destroys the experience and taste of the the food... The smell of smoke while eating is a pretty nauseating feeling....:(

haha, pegger talkin' here.

There's an indoor smoking ban in Winnipeg, meaning that no one can smoke in indoor public places. This means that i'm never in this situation, as that could only concievable happen in a restaraunt. I have no friends who smoke (well i do, but i don't often eat with them, or they don't smoke unless they're drinking).

Basicly all the restaurants around here that I go to have become Smoke Free. I hate having smokers anywhere around me when eating. I went to Texas Roadhouse once and there were smokers in the no smoking section dumping their ashes in the peanut buckets that were at the tables. Seems to me that alot of people who are actually the type to smoke in a restaurant also tend to be very rude people. (Not saying they all are)

That sucks that that bar went out out of business, but in most cases having a statewide law like this is actually better for owners. Many restaurant owners may want to ban smoking but they simply don't because they don't want their customers to go elsewhere. If it's a statewide law, their customers can't go elsewhere unless they don't go out at all.

I hate smoking altogether, but someone smoking while I eat would make me get up and leave.

Smoking in public places is banned in Newfoundland, so beathing while eating is quite easy now.

You know, I'm a smoker, and I don't like smoking while I'm eating, either.

The one thing I don't understand is not being able to smoke in bars. It's a fucking BAR for god's sake. If you're that worried about cancer and your health and shit, stop drinking alcohol.

Am I wrong, here? Don't like drinking around people who smoke? Stop going to bars, or go to ones that cater to non-smokers. For fuck's sake, that's like selling cars and outlawing gasoline.

Now, I've never smoked, so don't think I'm just defending my own position here, but it really seems like the government is demonising smokers, here. It's kind of disheartening, but I guess it's only to be expected in a nation where we don't really have the choice of what we put into our own bodies. :(

Back when Qube still lived with me, He smoked like a chimney, as well as my buddy who was there all the time. I swear I got this heart murmur from too much second hand smoke. Made eating a chore. Cause the place always reeked of it. Even when I made food, it would turn out disgusting. Finally getting my place to smell smoke free. Which is good.