When the phone rings...
By meiteoh
@meiteoh (416)
Switzerland
May 17, 2008 2:32pm CST
...while you're having dinner.
I just have to share this. My mother- and father-in-law (FIL) love to do this! Out of 10 times, at least 5 to 6 times, they would call while hubby and I are having dinner. My hubby never tells them that they are interrupting us so I usually end up eating alone while he chats away on the phone with them. My mother-in-law (MIL) does this more often than my FIL.
I find this extremely rude and annoying. Back at home, people never call from 6pm to 8pm because that's just the time that people have their dinner together as a family.
The last time my hubby take any call around dinner, I just gave him "the look". If I didn't, he would just go on and on. To prove just that, I said nothing earlier this evening when my MIL called. He ended up chatting with her for close to half an hour, by which time, I had finished dinner.
Do people actually do this where you're from? If so, would you tell them off or just keep quiet and bear with it like my hubby does? Does it annoy you?
3 people like this
9 responses
@biobio55 (281)
• Indonesia
17 May 08
Yes, it is very annoying to answer a phone while having a meal. When we are having a meal, not just dinner, we ignore the phone. We never like to answer the phone while eating. If it is very important, they will call us again later on. We also never put a cellphone near us when we are having a meal.
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
19 May 08
Meiteoh, I think Biobio55 has hit on a good solution. Maybe not answering or taking the phone off the hook during mealtime is a good idea for you.
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 May 08
Your husband should tell anyone who calls while you're having dinner that he's eating and will call them back when he's done. I'm not the greatest cook in the world but I do put time and effort into preparing meals and I would feel insulted if my husband left the table in the middle of dinner to take a call.
@meiteoh (416)
• Switzerland
19 May 08
The trouble with that is it's his mother, and even though my hubby tells her that we're eating, she just goes on and on.
Sometimes I feel downright horrible for asking him to tell her off but I really don't like people picking up calls during meals. =.=
2 people like this
@ejaji123 (96)
• India
20 May 08
Yes, it is indeed to have to answer a phone call while eating a meal. I also agree that taking the phone off the hook is the best solution during that half to one hour time period while you're eating. The other option of not answering the phone (letting it keep ringing) doesn't appeal to me so much, because it's often disturbing just hearing the phone keep on ringing endlessly. That is, it might feel irritating and you won't be able to enjoy your meal together with the peace and quiet you deserve. So just keep the phone off the hook and put it back on as soon as you're done with your meal.
3 people like this
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
30 May 08
It does get annoying when that happens, especially if your really hungry and ready to eat. Another thing is I don't like the food getting cold while your waiting to get off the phone. We have friends that will do that to us, it never fails, we just sit down to dinner and the phone will ring, usually we'll let it ring, let the answering machine pick it up, if its important they'll leave a message. Once in awhile my hubby will answer because alot of times its his cell phone that rings, and he has a good friend that will call him back later, if he tells him he's eating dinner. Most of them tho, will keep talking. Do you have an answering machine? Next time let it ring, like I said if its real important they can leave a message, and you can call them back when you get done eating. Thats what I would do anyway.....
2 people like this
@eagle_f15 (1827)
• Malaysia
20 May 08
My husband would pick up the phone and if it is an important call he will settle it. If it's not then he will tell the other person he will call back later. Same goes for me. But every since day one I got my handphone, it is on one beep only. No ringtone so that when it beeps once, I would see who is it. If don't want to pick up then I won't pick up. After all my phone is only one beep!!!
and at night or whenever I sleep it is on silent mode.
and at night or whenever I sleep it is on silent mode.3 people like this
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
28 May 08
My house phone's ringer is turned off... I close to never answer my home phone anyway... As far as my cell. phone goes, when I'm eating dinner with my girl-friend, I put it on vibrate... When I see someone's calling, I look at who it is first then ignore the call... If it rings for the 2nd or the 3rd time in short time span, I answer it & say, "I'm busy right now, unless it's an emergency, leave a message & I'll call you back!" & just hang up on them, whoever is calling... If it rings again, I ignore it & see if they'll leave a message... Ringing stops & starts again, I'll answer it & see what kind of emergency situation they're in...
3 people like this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
31 May 08
If the phone is ringing when I am haing dinner, I simply ignore it. You are right, Most of the time it will be a telemarketer. I don't have time for telemarketers.
My husband is working in the USA right now, and we have pre-determined times every day that we talk to eachother. This means that we can talk freely without worrying about interrupting eachother/
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
30 May 08
Well, I don't think I would consciously avoid to call someone just because it is 6-8pm. Maybe it is common in your culture but not really in mine.
But if it is around dinner time, after I call, I will ask my friend if it is convenient to talk. If not, then I will call again.
I think your husband is too polite. Those are his parents... just tell them nicely he is eating and will call them back in e.g. 10 min or so.
How are your in-laws supposed to know when you eat? But once you tell them enough times, they will know and hopefully remember.
But if it is just a quick call, I don't think one should mind too much. 
@Elixiress (3878)
•
31 May 08
As people round here do not really have family dinners I just ring whenever I want someone and if they are having dinner then they can just say they are having dinner and ring me back later.
