'I Have Left Dinner Party Without Having Dinner': US Woman Calls Indian Dinner Party Tradition 'Hardest Cultural Adjustment'

American influencer Kristen Fischer opened up about her struggle to adapt to Indian dinner customs, which sparked a variety of reactions due to her honest take on cultural differences.

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Cultural nuances can be both captivating and challenging, as Kristen Fischer has found since relocating to India in 2021. In a viral Instagram video, she openly shared her biggest cultural challenge—adjusting to India’s distinct approach to dinner parties.

Having been raised in the American tradition of serving meals quickly at social gatherings, Kristen admitted that she was initially confused by the Indian custom of prioritising socialising over immediate dining. “I am always sitting there hungry and wondering when food will be served every time,” she said, describing how the delay in meals surprised her.

“In America, the conversation happens after the meal, but in India, it’s before. Imagine my surprise when guests don’t show up on time and don’t want to eat right away,” Kristen elaborated. She recounted an instance where she left a friend’s dinner party at 11 pm, only to find out that the meal hadn’t been served yet. “They were asking why I was leaving so early, and I was thinking it’s late, and I need to go to bed. I’ve even come home from such gatherings and made a sandwich before sleeping,” she captioned.

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Living in Delhi with her family, Kristen has embraced many Indian customs but confessed this one still perplexes her. “I honestly still don’t get it. Wouldn’t the food get cold? Or I’d have to be in the kitchen making it the whole time instead of enjoying my guests,” she questioned, reflecting the culture clash.

Netizen Reacts

Kristen’s honest take resonated with many on social media, sparking a wave of reactions. One user wrote, "In India, it’s considered rude to serve food immediately after someone arrives. Once, my mother served food to my aunt within half an hour of her coming over. My aunt felt offended and stopped visiting us. Later, we found out from others that she thought we served the food so quickly to make her leave early. My mom had to apologize!"

Another reacted jokingly saying, "I Think Host is Not Intrested To Serve The Dinner.. Or Something Might Went Wrong With the Food.. And They Are Unable To Make it Up Again..."