The document is a student paper analyzing social norms around eating with utensils. It discusses how eating with hands is generally unacceptable in restaurants but was necessary at the Dixie Stampede restaurant. The author and friends then ate with their hands at KFC to observe reactions, which included disapproval from other customers and offers of extra utensils from staff. While eating with hands violates social norms, some restaurants like Dick's Last Resort encourage violating norms for entertainment value, showing people can be drawn to rebelling against what they've been taught.

1. Kaylee Poehlein
Sociology 200
Violating Social Norms
November 2, 2015
Word Count: 1019
Eating with Your Hands
What is a social norm? According to Michael Hectner’s book Social Norms, “Norms are
cultural phenomena that prescribe and proscribe behavior in specific circumstances. As such,
they have long been considered to be at least partly responsible for regulating social behavior.
Without norms, it is hard to imagine how interaction and exchange between strangers could take
place at all.” (Hectner 1).
Social norms dictate everyday living for almost everyone. We were raised on the simple
facts that you should always say “please” and “thank you”, push your chair in, hold the door
open for other people, respect your elders, and use your table manners. These are all common
social norms that people follow everday. “As you perform these and other roles, they embed you
within social institutions and social structures. The statuses you occupy and the roles you play
are your concrete connections to society.” (Croteau 90).
One social norm that I will be discussing is not eating with your fingers. Without even
thinking about it or planning, it is just normal to grab utensils before starting your meal. So you
would expect nothing less when you sit down to eat a meal in a very well-known restaurant.
Even though eating with your fingers is socially unacceptable, it is proven to have a
double standard if everyone surrounding you is doing the same exact thing. For example, the first
time I went to the Dixie Stampede in Myrtle Beach, we were served a four course meal. To my
surprise, we were given no silverware. I had never even imagined eating soup, chicken, a pork
chop, baked potato, and a dessert with my own bare hands. I felt very insecure until I noticed that
everyone else around me was struggling in the same fashion.

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My first opinion was that we were violating a social norm; however, as the evening
progressed and I observed everyone around me, instead of breaking the norm I realized that I
was then part of the norm. Because of this particular restaurant’s way of business, the social
norm in the confined area had changed. Everyone was uncomfortable, but they all did it because
they physically had to. They had no other option. In this small area in Myrtle Beach, the social
norms conformed to the restaurant. But once you step outside those doors – you go right back to
following society’s normal rules.
My attitude then changed due to the cognitive dissonance theory. It was persuaded by
efforts to decrease the stress, because eating with your fingers is not a consistent behavior
observed in restaurants every day.
The same girls and I decided to replicate this behavior in a local restaurant to see the
reaction of other customers. We went to Kentucky Fried Chicken and got similar items from the
buffet. My expectations were negative reaction from anyone in the restaurant. I expected
someone to make a scene or even ask us to leave. We then started enjoying our meal without
utensils. There was a family with two small children sitting in a booth beside us. One of the
small children started pointing at us saying "Look mommy, they're playing in their food with
their hands.” The female adult responded with, "You don't behave like them, they are just a
bunch of teenagers with no manners." She continuously scolded the kids for looking at us. The
lady working behind the counter came out and made an effort to give us extra silverware, but
didn't directly address the fact that we were eating with our hands. When we made a second trip
to the buffet, one of the workers immediately offered us extra napkins prior to touching the
serving utensils.

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The public's response to our behavior was somewhat what I had expected. I felt like the
family took offense to our behavior, but yet remained private with their conversation and did not
make a scene. The staff, likewise, showed disapproval of our behavior but they were very willing
to assist instead of reprimanding us.
I didn’t feel much reserve because I am the type of person to do my own thing without
much social pressure. Even if the public’s reaction would have been more aggressive and
condescending, my self-esteem would not have been belittled. Eating with the proper utensils is
something that I do on a regular basis. Not because of fear of judgement of others, but because
this is the “social norm” thing to do. Everyone eats with utensils, for if you don’t, you will be
scolded, judged, or punished.
If I went into a restaurant and observed two adults eating with their fingers I would not
think of their behaviors as dysfunctional. Even though I recognize this behavior as socially
unacceptable, I do not judge others just because their way of living is different from mine. But
when the social norm is being purposely disrespected in a public institution, how is one supposed
to react? In another instance, one could examine another restaurant – Dick’s Last Resort. Instead
of the social norm that polite customer service is key, the servers are instructed to be extremely
rude to the customers. They throw your menus, straws, and silverware at you and write vulgar,
crude sayings on paper hats and force you to wear them while you dine. In a way, this could be
related to my personal dining experience at the Dixie Stampede. When you leave, you are
expected to return to the basic social norm as if nothing had happened at all.
While these two restaurants in particular violate the norms purposely, it instigates one to
think – is the general public drawn to institutions like these because it goes against everything

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they’d been taught? Is the public infatuated with the idea against rebelling against social norms?
My answer – yes.

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Works Cited
Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. "Statuses and Roles: Connecting Everyday Life and Social
Structure." Experience Sociology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. 90. Print.
Hectner, Michael, and Karl-Deiter Opp. "Introduction." Social Norms. N.p.: Russell Sage
Foundation, 2001. Xi-Xx. Web.
<http://ezproxy.marshall.edu:2074/stable/10.7758/9781610442800>.