An etiquette problem that bugs me from time to time. My
friends and
relatives have had to eliminate a number of restaurants from the places they can go because
I don't eat meat, and I've been in more than one
awkward situation because my hosts have prepared a nice meat dish for the main course when I come over to eat...and when I'm the only
vegetarian in a party of 8, I'm creating significant trouble for the host. So it does seem true that it is rude for a vegetarian not to eat meat, at least some of the time.
The saving grace is that, by being rude, one gives ones hosts an opportunity to be courteous. I hope that by being properly grateful when people are willing to overlook my rudeness, that I'm able to in some way repay them for putting up with my idiosyncracies.