As the festive party season kicks into high gear, a new survey has pinpointed the buffet table behaviours that make Brits see red. Research commissioned by supermarket giant Asda reveals that more than eight in ten Britons believe there is a strict, unwritten code of conduct for navigating the Christmas spread.
The Most Despised Festive Faux Pas
The study, which polled 2,000 people across the UK, uncovered a clear list of social sins that can ruin the party spirit. Topping the chart of rudeness is coughing or sneezing over the festive food, a habit deemed 'really disgusting' by 55% of respondents. A close second, disliked by 54%, is the act of leaning across fellow guests to grab items, showing a blatant disregard for personal space.
Other major etiquette errors include leaning across others to dip food (49%), putting olive pits back in the shared bowl (48%), and dripping melted cheese from a fondue all over the table (48%). Letting pets jump up at the table and pushing in front of someone in the queue also ranked highly as party peeves.
The Enduring Love for the Festive Spread
Despite these concerns over guest behaviour, the research confirms that the traditional Christmas buffet remains a cornerstone of British celebrations. In fact, 36% of those surveyed admitted they love the 'picky bits' more than the traditional Christmas lunch itself.
Essential items for the perfect spread include baked camembert, crusty bread, and pigs in blankets. This love for platters is reflected in sales data; at Asda alone, sales of platters and olives soared by 55% in 2024 compared to 2023, while cheese bakes saw a nearly 10% increase.
A Supermarket's Solution to a Cheesy Problem
In response to these findings and the growing popularity of shared dishes like fondue, Asda has launched a novel product: a two-metre-long fondue fork. The retailer, founded in Leeds in 1949, developed the extra-long utensil to specifically address the issue of guests leaning over others to reach the cheesy dip.
An Asda spokesperson commented: "The festive spread is where Christmas memories are made - and where etiquette sometimes melts away. With eight in ten Brits saying there’s a right and wrong way to behave at the buffet, we thought it was time to give the nation a helping hand - or in this case, a longer fork."
The full list of Christmas buffet etiquette concerns, as voted by Brits, is:
- Coughing or sneezing over the food – 55%
- Leaning across others to grab food items – 54%
- Leaning across others to dip – 49%
- Putting olive pits back in the bowl – 48%
- Dripping melted cheese from the fondue all over the table – 48%
- Letting pets jump up at the table – 44%
- Pushing in front of someone – 39%
- Putting food back because you changed your mind – 38%
- Knocking something over when reaching over – 37%
- Double dipping – 36%
- Using the same spoon for different chutneys – 35%
- Piling your plate high – 34%
- Dipping meat into a veggie dip – 27%
- Standing at the table and eating, rather than going to sit down – 27%
- Taking the last item without offering it around first – 24%
- Cutting pate or cheese with a used knife – 23%
- Hovering too late at the table – 19%
- Grabbing a handful of crisps and nuts – 17%
- Tearing up bread with your hands – 16%
- Going back for a third helping – 12%
