Who says Grace before meals (including at restaurants)?

Yes...both.

Stef

Yes to both...restaurants and at home. Our dd likes to say the blessing right now (she is 5). She says the same blessing that they say at school before snacktime *God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed, thank you Lord for daily bread*. Dh usually will say one as well....or whoever the family patriarch is (if we are with inlaws, dh's dad says blessing, if it's just dh, me, and dd, dh says it).

Quite a few years back, all of us (however, was before dd....so it was dh, me, and dh's family) were at Cedar Point. We were sitting down in the picnic area and got all the food ready and sat down to say the blessing. There was a motorcycle gathering at the park that day...one of the gentleman who was wth the bikers walked up to us and said *God bless you guys.....I don't ever see anyone praying before a meal....you guys have a great day!*. It was so sweet :-)

And, I must say, the servers at restaurants (we don't go often, but when we do....) are always extremely respectful. We have had them come up in the middle of prayer and they will stand there until we are finished. We have never had anyone try to refill coffee or set things on the table when we are in the middle of grace.

:-)
Shawna

no to both

Every meal... every day, regardless of where we are!

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Ken In Maine
www.goatschool.com

We pray at every meal too. It doesn't matter if we are at home or out.

The Tators pray over our meat & taters. We have no script and usually mention several things we are grateful for. We rotate on who says grace, and if someone takes a bite of their meal before saying thanks, they are elected to say the grace!

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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

We pray, thought not when we are out at a restaurant (which is not very often at all, out at a restaurant I mean). Chris

I pray all day whether it's mealtime or not. Out loud is another story. I try to respect the feelings of others by not praying within hearing distance of others at a restaurant. My witness is the kindness I show to others. I will offer to pray with and for someone who is in need.

yes at home, and yes out. Out we do so in a quiet manner but there is no doubt about what we are doing. We, also, have had nothing but respectful servers.

No,but you should sit in reverence before the idol to the goddess Amanna, keeper of the radiance of the celelstial body Microwave for a few minutes before the meal.

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"I didn't have time to slay the dragon. It's on my To Do list!"

We do. Every meal regardless of where we are or who we are with.

yes, we do. DH gets very upset if he finds out the kids aren't blessing their food. He prays when he's with us & when he's not, it's usually our son (5). It's the same blessing. If I pray, I mix it up a little depending on who I'm with & the occasion. When DH's family gathers, Dad gives a spontaneous prayer followed by the Lutheran Common Table Prayer (Come Lord Jesus be our guest....).

I remember as a kid when my Mom's family gathered, my aunt was Catholic & we all had to say the table prayer. Could never figure it out since we weren't Catholic & my grandparents never allowed us to say our Protestant blessing.

We've also found restaurant staff to be very considerate. Had a waitress interrupt us once & was very, very apologetic.

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Fletcher
"I thinks his tractor's sexy . . . ."

Happy Palace Homestead

"Playdoh makes me happy" - Kurt, age 4 1/2

I do not Pray before or after meals. I don't know if you would consider what I do as Praying. I guess, I just sorta have a conversation every now and then.

Yes and Yes. Most of the time the children say the simple prayer and we all hold hands

We always do at home and we attempt to rotate it but we don't actually keep track of who said it when or who is next we just go by who volunteers. I say it most often but everyone gets a turn. When I do it I just say what is on my heart, the twins are a bit more shy as they say the poem type. My daughter is far too shy and my wife says it on occasion.

At restaurants we usually say grace as well but if we are in gatherings with others who we aren't familiar with their beliefs we often say a silent prayer of our own.

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Barack Obama - Spending beyond belief, dismantling our military, groveling to enemies, and wiping his butt on our constitution daily.

I have laughed so hard after reading this that my sides hurt!!!!

I was always taught that anytime prayer is going on and you are in the area you are to bow your head and be respectful with eyes closed and say amen etc

To those that do theirs in public have you ever considered how uncomfortable you may make those around you that were raised the same way?

If I am enjoying a meal with friends and or family and someone at the table not five feet away grasps hands with others at their table and goes through a lengthy grace it makes those around them feel as though they are obligated to do what I mentioned above. Its an uncomfortable feeling for lots of people I have asked about it.

We always pray before meals. At restraunts, it is hard at times, as they would try to serve the food and someone was saying prayer, so we usually have silent prayer over meals when out in public.

I agree with most posts... We pray before every meal at home, and sometimes we'll pray before we leave to go to a restaurant.

My family and I pray before meals both at home and in restaurants..

as far as making any other patrons uncomfortable??? Sorry..but IMHO, I would never consider neglecting my thanks to the Lord because other humans may take offense. I've never been out in public and heard "Grace" said in the manner of a public spectacle..some folks may think that merely folding one's hands and bowing one's head would be a spectacle..LOL..so be it..AKA "Amen".