Is it rude to go to a restaurant and not eat?

Yes. What you did was Super rude. Sorry!!

Rude and it looked cheap. Could you and your wife not have split a salad and poked at it?

it's not comfortable, could of at least ordered soup.

In those situations, I usually say "I'm not really hungry. I'll just have a soda."

Yes, it is, it makes you look like a weirdo.

Look, I like to keep my intake in some kind of range that I see as 'optimal' but I see that the occasional dietary diversion isn't going to do me harm.

Don't Be The Weirdo.

I think that she was being rude!
WTH why does it matter, do people not go to establishments and just order coffee and such?
Wow, what a thing to get all mad abt!

I have gone to a restaurant and not eaten before, and have had other people do it to me as well. I am at that restaurant for the pleasure of enjoying the other person's company. If I'm hungry, I'll eat. If I'm not, I won't. It's not all about "me"....although judging by some of these responses, NOT eating WOULD make it about "me".

I would tell the person ahead of time that I didn't plan on eating, though. I think honest communication is important. I'm strange that way.

Having been a waitress before, I was never creeped out or uncomfortable if someone wasn't eating at one of my tables. After all, the experience is supposed to be about THEM.

To each their own, I suppose.

Your wife really had no leg to stand on...wasn't she being just as rude by not ordering, either?

I think your wife has issues. She probably felt like if she ate and you didn't, that would make her look like a pig.

I've been a server and you don't need to worry about making them uncomfortable by what you eat or don't eat. They don't care.

Your wife didn't order, either, and she was angry with you for not ordering? Huh?

Anyway, I've done it and no one cared. Under certain circumstances, it happens. It isn't unusual.

It's rude to bring food from another restaurant and eat it, though.

Was your wife ticked because you made her look bad, given that she also had a late lunch etc?

I'd be pretty impressed at your self control. People at your table did order. Be nice to the waitstaff and tip as if everyone had ordered - they likely had as much work - and move on.

Unless you look like you might be sick at any minute, it is incredibly rude to go to a restaurant and not eat.
Looks really cheap too.
In some restaurants you will be sent away if you don't order anything, even if your friends do have something.

Just order something small next time, like a small salad or soup.

You occupied space that your server was counting on for making money. Those chairs are real estate that needs to produce tips and sales for the server. If you and your wife just sat there, then tipped on the bill without leaving anything extra for the server, I think that is rude. If you "paid rent" and tipped the server for the money making space you were in, I think that's fine.

I think for one person at the table to not order (due to the very factors that you mentioned) isn't rude at all. I've certainly been in large groups where people have said, "I'll just have a cup of tea" or something and my husband often is on a different schedule than me and will want to go out to eat after I've already eaten. I very often join him and simply say, "I'll just be having a beverage" or "I'm holding out for dessert" or some such thing. As long as it's not 12 people ordering nothing but water, I don't see the issue with one person not eating.

But, I agree with a previous poster that you and your wife texting through dinner certainly IS rude. Also, your wife certainly could have order food even though you didn't. I think your wife is wrong here.

Well, I believe in do what I want to in restaurants. Its you who has to draw the line.

Over the last one year, I have been trying to eat less (especially in restaurants) and it annoys me when waiters prompt me for starters/ desserts/drinks. (I sometimes have just the mains and tap water). I feel like come on, I know what I have to.

In your situation in particular, I would have ordered something very "light", just to give company to the people eating. :drinker:

Well sounds like your wife needs to relax!! Why WASTE food or money on something your not going to eat?! .. That is even more rude than not eating!! I'm sure people were not starring at you because you were not eating, people could care less if you eat or not!

Nope, not rude at all. God forbid you want to enjoy someone's company... honestly, that isn't a big deal. I've known people who were on strict diets who BRING their own food to a restaurant just so they can enjoy the social aspect while still staying true to their needs. I see this situation as basically the same in principle. If other people are offended by it, that's their problem — take care of YOU, 'cause really that's all you can do in this situation. Personally, I might've ordered an unsweetened tea just to appease the voice in my head telling me I should order SOMETHING. But, honestly, it's not like none of you ordered something.

Kudos (mmmmmm Kudos) to you for not caving and ordering when you didn't want to. Most likely it would've led to you eating when you weren't hungry, or being resentful for being forced to order because you wanted proper manners. Your wife is making it sound like your behavior was on par with treating the waitress badly or being loud and drunk. I think the only person it really upset was her. =\


EDIT: All of the people talking about "taking up space" are you kidding me? There were still two people at their table eating. Also, if his wife had ordered (like she probably wanted to, but didn't out of resentment or something) then he would've been the only person not eating. Yeah, the percentage of the tip might go down slightly, but it's not so much that it would be considered rude! In fact, think of all the people that don't tip at all... if he at least tipped for his daughter and friend's meals, then that's more than if someone didn't tip at all.