I understand why this is supposed to be wholesome, but when I was an autistic child, a stranger sitting next to me while I was eating was easily in my top 5 nightmare scenarios.
this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2026
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Maybe if the right stranger sits next to you, it would be different, no?
I am not autistic, but the attitude of a stranger makes a big difference if I get the ick or not. I would guess that it is applicable to everyone, but that the pool of acceptable stranger varies from person to person.
That's very true. There are people, even strangers who feel nice, warm and comfortable to sit next to, while others absolutely don't, even if they're nice and all.
Not to me, but that's probably due to the undiagnosed anxiety disorder I had as well
Same. I even preferred eating alone and sitting alone in the hallways, but I always got in trouble for doing that and had to pretend to be "normal" and sit with other people
I used to spend my lunch always moving through the hallways because if I settled into a quiet space almost always people would come to disturb me
When my high school allowed me to work in their mail room instead of having to be in the lunch room was the best.
Even if I'm not autistic, some coworker wanted to join me at the table just because I eat alone was a nightmare scenario for me too. Even worse if they wanted to talk. I just wanted to enjoy my lunch in peace.
Even his mom wasn't sitting with him!
Why is a college football player eating lunch with high school (?) students?
I prefer people not sit in front of me when I am eating.
Their accidental spit tends to get into my food and I have a feeling that anyone with autism won't like to eat food that has been spat into.
Sorry, what?
Autism aside, no one wants 'accidental spit' in their food.
Do you tend to have packs of fucking wild hogs sit in front of you or something?
I feel like if this is an issue for you, the spit isn't accidental.
Autism aside, no one wants ‘accidental spit’ in their food.
Thanks for the vindication.
It very possible to have some drops projectile forwards when talking in between eating or otherwise even if you have a habit of chewing with an open mouth.
I am aware of this and tend to keep my head in a direction that doesn't cause the spit to go in the other's food and if not, I cover my face while talking.
There are people who will force a chat while eating and of course their spit will drop into my food, after which they will confidently state that they haven't.
This was mostly in the school time. Nowadays, I don't bother pointing out such people and just stop interacting with them instead.
But either way, it is good to have some space while eating. Specially in the front.
So when going out to eat with someone, I try and get a 4-table and sit diagonally.
He’s a good person, that’s why he decided to share a table with your son.
I think that kid can vote now.