A TikTok video featuring an Indian-origin woman eating curry and rice with her right hand while talking on the phone has ignited a heated online debate, cultural differences and public etiquette. The clip, which has gone viral on other social media platforms, shows the woman casually enjoying her meal--a common practice in many South Asian cultures, where eating with one's hands is a cherished tradition. However, some passengers and online users criticised her, labelling the act "unhygienic" or "inappropriate" for a public space like the Tube, where eating is often discouraged due to confined spaces and potential mess. Many also slammed her for talking loudly on the phone, disturbing other passengers, while some advised her to use cutlery while eating.
Watch the video here:
The video has garnered mixed reactions online. A few defended her, saying that eating with one's hands is a cultural practice that shouldn't be judged, as long as it's not causing harm to others. Many also questioned the ethics of filming her without consent on the London Underground. The incident has also sparked a broader discussion about cultural norms, personal space, and respect for individual choices.
One user wrote, "As an Indian, quite a few of us lack civic sense (same goes for the other South Asians). You did the right thing by calling this woman out. To those who are taking umbrage at this post, too bad."
Another commented, "She's not bothering you. She's enjoying her food, leave her alone and mind your own business. She could have been very hungry and needed food. Don't mock others. I've seen white people eat burgers on the train with their HANDS."
A third said, "Plenty of Brits eat chips or sandwiches on trains, no one bats an eye. But an Indian woman eating rice with her hand? Suddenly, it's a crisis. Meanwhile London Tube at night looks like a drug den. Funny how harmless traditions bother people more than actual public safety issues."
A fourth added, "It's stupid to eat in trains like this, it's just not done. High time we see things like that change; it may not be illegal or immoral, but it does not make for good manners. It's a means of public transport, one has to be mindful of our behaviour, basic human decency."
Is eating and drinking allowed on the London Tube?
According to London.gov.uk, food and drink are currently permitted on the London Underground.
"There are currently no plans to ban customers from eating or drinking on the transport network. There are circumstances, such as during hot summer weather, when customers are encouraged to carry drinks with them. However, LU, for example, does take active steps to encourage customers to eat and drink responsibly; for example, recent campaigns have asked customers not to eat foods with strong odour and not to leave litter," a statement on the website reads.
