In folklore, the five-second rule states that food dropped on the ground will not be significantly contaminated with bacteria if it is picked up within five seconds of being dropped.*
Today’s scenario on What Would You Do came to mind when I was having lunch with Tim one day. We were exchanging some of the food we ordered when he dropped a really delicious piece of steak that was meant for me. I don’t think the two of us exclaim “Five second rule! Five second rule!” quickly enough. 😛
It made me think … how are you with the five second rule?
The Scenario:
You’re at a fancy (read: pretty bloody expensive) restaurant where starters alone cost about $30 a plate. You order an entree of delicious seared scallops and typical of fancypants food establishments, you only get 3 scallops. As you pick one up to eat, you accidentally dropped it and it rolled off your plate and onto the table. That single scallop would cost you almost $10 each!
What would you do?
A. Pick it up from the table, put it back on your plate and eat it. You only have 3 scallops and at almost $10 each, you’re not wasting a single drop and bite. Plus it fell on the table cloth; it should be all right. Right?
B. Leave that piece of scallop on the table. Once it’s off your plate, it’s off your plate. Who knows how clean the table cloth is, eh?
C. Make a fuss to the wait staff that the scallops are not fresh. This should get you a new plate of THREE scallops!
D. None of the above. Your choice. What would YOU do?
First of all, I couldn’t get a good picture of dropped food on the table so I chose a box of chips on the ground instead. Please don’t eat chips off the ground. Unless you really, really, REALLY have to.
Growing up, my family and I wouldn’t even consider leaving food behind. Dropped food is always to be picked up and eaten. We observed the 5-second rule very well; nothing is to be wasted. Dropped a sliver of chive? Pick it up and eat it. Of course, that was mostly on our dinner table. The only time we leave dropped food on the table is when we’re at hawker centres or food courts. Tables are usually visibly dirty and dropped food (even if it’s something good that was saved for last) would remain on the table. It’s the you-snooze-you-lose deal. Or in this case, it’s you-drop-you-lose.
When I started working, I noticed that a lot of my colleagues would leave dropped food on the table. It doesn’t matter if the restaurant is clean and fancy. To be honest, it was something I struggled with because even though it such a quick drop that could be saved in less than 3 seconds, they’d rather leave a part of good food on the clean table. I didn’t want to be the odd one out nor let people think I’m so dirty that I can eat off the table so I adopted that behaviour too. I won’t deny that all I could think of most of those times was “what a bloody waste of a good prawn!**”.
I understand leaving dropped food on surfaces that are suspicious of dirt and detergent. I do that too especially at food courts, hawker centres and places that have suspiciously bad hygiene (but don’t they say that’s where the good food is? ;)); I’d leave dropped food there and mourn my loss. But when it’s a fancy restaurant? Sorry mate, I’m calling the 5-second rule and claiming my scallop off the table. 😛
What about you? Do you practise the 5-second rule? What would you do?
**Don’t mess with me and my prawns. Can’t even tell you how much love I have for them. In my belly.
Wait a min, it’s a 5 second rule? I thought it was 10 seconds! :O I guess that’s my answer right there haha! 😀 No waste, that’s my policy.
Paris B recently posted..Your Say: Do you contour and highlight regularly or daily?
Hahaha hey whatever works for ya as long as there’s no waste man! 😛
Very fun post. I couldn’t imagine leaving a scallop on the table. Wise move!
Allison recently posted..My Lucky New Red “Melissa” Sandals from Midnight Velvet
I know right?? That’s an expensive piece right there! I would lick it off the table if I could. 😛
depending on what the item is…if it’s a scallop i will omg pick it up and put it in my mouth!!! if it’s something like coriander leaves, i hope they jump out of my bowl 😛
xin recently posted..My Brush Frenzy – of Hakuhodo and Lam Sam Yick Brushes
Damn, I’d do it with coriander leaves too. But that’s just ‘cos I love ’em. If it was liver, I’ll be putting them on the table rather than waiting for them to “accidentally” drop. Kakaka! 😛
Well, if I drop it in my home .. where I know my cleaning habits … then yes, the 5 sec rule applies, but anywhere else .. hmm, no.
I’d (sadly) leave that scallop on the floor (table it’s fair game though), but the FLOOR .. noooo.
Monica,
MonicaP recently posted..White jeans for the pear shaped gal
Haha I’d leave it on the floor too. Even if it’s super delicious, super expensive, I draw the line at the floor. 😛
Pick it up and eat it of course! 😀 And hope nobody catches me doing that. HAHA
Its a big waste to leave it just laying there. The table’s ok, but I’ll definitely leave it if it rolled off the table and onto the floor.
Haha you know what, I couldn’t care less now if anyone catches me doing that. Especially if it’s a prawn. Don’t get between me and my prawn. Oh yeah, that’s how much I love prawns that I said it 3 times in this comment. 😛
Having said that, I do draw the line of the prawn dropping on the floor. Then it’s bye bye. 😛
Apparently scientists have proven the 5 second rule is factually fine – go ahead and quickly pick it up and you’re good 🙂
When you think that a lot of people constantly touch their faces anyway without washing their hands, which are all sorts of germy, its not really all that bad imho.
Hilary recently posted..Bacon!
Hahahaha you’ve hit the nail on the head! The number of times I’ve seen people (even ladies) come out of the toilet without washing their hands … man, they better not judge me for picking up dropped food and eating it. I usually give these people looks of horror when they don’t wash their hands. 😛
OMG I know! I always have to gel sanitize my hands after washing and leaving a public toilet as the thought of all those icky things on the door handle just makes me cringe!
This is such an interesting post and I never even knew about the 5-second rule. LOL. I would generally pick up the food that I dropped on the table because I do not like wasting food. But I will make exceptions for hawker centres and food court because I cannot trust the cleanliness of the establishment 🙂
Yeah, I wouldn’t touch dropped food on hawker centre tables. I’ll just look at my accidentally dropped prawns on the table forlornly. 😛
Ooh, that scallop can’t get away that easily. I would pick it up but my husband would be the lucky one to eat it ^_^… I would swirl the scallop in some water to wash of the ‘dirt’ before feeding it to him, of course. Kakaka
HAHAHAHA good one Bugs! Wash it first! 😀
I’m a Penangkia. Therefore, I have a tummy of steel. So yeah, the general rule is that the 5 seconds rule (or even 10 seconds as suggested by Paris!) apply unless it’s clearly unhygienic conditions like at a hawker food stall / food court or something along those lines. 😀
High five fellow Penangkia! I used to have a tummy of steel and can eat all sorts of hawker food without even a hint of food poisoning. Australia has certainly spoiled me (and the tummy!) because my immunity towards such food has gone way down. 🙁
I am definitely not going to waste that $10, pick that baby up and eat it!…..LOL! Of course in my case it would have to be a piece of shrimp since I do not like scallops.
Beth and Beauty recently posted..Beth and Beauty’s Makeup Eraser Review: Does this really work??
Right? RIGHT?? If I see someone leave that on the table, I’ll give them the loudest gasp they’ve ever heard. OMG me too! I’m more of a shrimpy gal than scallops but I used scallops as an example because they’re expensive. If it’s a shrimp, I’m like hell no, I’m eating that!