A recent video of a woman casually Eats Biryani with Bare Hands on London Train while talking on the phone has ignited an intense debate across social media platforms. What started as a simple moment of someone enjoying their meal turned into a storm of cultural assumptions, stereotypes, and polarized opinions. While many questioned her etiquette, others rose to her defense, pointing out the underlying prejudice and the double standards applied to public behavior.
Cultural Norms and Everyday Behavior: Why the Reaction?
Eating with one’s hands is a deeply rooted practice in many cultures, especially across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In Indian tradition, for instance, eating with your hands is not only normal but also tied to beliefs about connecting with food and mindfulness. The woman in the viral video was simply eating in the manner familiar to her, and the food she was having—biryani—is a dish commonly enjoyed this way.
So why did her actions cause such an uproar? Part of the reason lies in the environment she was in—the London metro, often associated with rigid social etiquette and public decorum. For many, the sight of someone eating rice with their hands, particularly in such a setting, seemed odd or even inappropriate. However, the reaction didn’t stop at discomfort. Comments online quickly spiraled into cultural judgments, with several assuming her nationality based purely on her appearance and the way she ate.
So this is london tube the new trend of eating biryani with bare hands is next sensation 🤣🤣pic.twitter.com/WaxbdvW8Pz
— •J• (@cjy) May 28, 2025
An X user mockingly wrote, “So this is London tube, the new trend of eating biryani with bare hands is the next sensation,” highlighting the sarcasm and subtle disdain. The quick jump to label the woman “Indian” without any confirmation reflects a tendency to stereotype behavior based on ethnicity. More disturbingly, some responses didn’t stop at etiquette critiques but veered into xenophobia, as seen in comments about “cultural enrichment” and insinuations about hygiene.
The Double Standards: Fast Food vs. Cultural Food
One of the most pointed criticisms of the backlash was the evident double standard in how public eating is judged. Many users defending the woman pointed out the widespread habit of eating burgers, fries, kebabs, and chicken with hands on public transport or in other shared spaces. “How do people eat burgers and chips on a train… thought they also used their hands,” one user commented, questioning why this particular woman was being singled out.
This discrepancy reveals a deeper issue—it’s not the act of eating with hands that offends people, but rather who is doing it and what they’re eating. A slice of pizza or a box of fish and chips is rarely questioned, but the moment the food is biryani, and the person eating it appears to be of South Asian descent, it becomes a topic of ridicule. These types of judgments have less to do with hygiene or public decorum and more with how society views “foreign” cultures and customs.
Critics argued that eating in such a way on public transport is messy and unhygienic, but this logic seems selective. A greasy cheeseburger or a dripping kebab can be just as untidy, yet these foods don’t typically receive the same scrutiny. This disparity shows how ingrained biases can manifest in seemingly trivial matters like eating habits.
Furthermore, some users pointed out the woman’s multitasking ability—managing her commute, having a meal, and holding a conversation all at once—as a testament to everyday resilience rather than a public nuisance. “I hope she enjoyed it. It looks good. Multi-tasking on the commute, eating and chatting with a friend. Winning,” said one post, framing the moment with appreciation rather than judgment.
Cultural Identity, Representation, and the Public Gaze
At the heart of this online uproar lies a bigger issue—how cultural expressions are interpreted when placed outside their native context. For immigrants and diaspora communities, maintaining everyday practices like language, food, or religious customs is a way to stay connected with their heritage. Yet these expressions are often policed or mocked when they don’t align with dominant cultural norms.
In this case, the woman eating biryani with her hands became more than just a commuter grabbing dinner—it turned into a symbol, consciously or not, of “the other.” The rapid assumption of her being “Indian,” even without confirmation, speaks volumes. Her ethnicity, eating style, and food choice all became tools for public scrutiny.
Such scrutiny reflects the often invisible pressure immigrants and people of color face in trying to “fit in” while preserving their cultural identity. Actions that are routine in one context—like eating with your hands—are suddenly reinterpreted as inappropriate or uncivilized in another. This forced double consciousness can create a constant tension between authenticity and assimilation.
It’s also important to consider the gendered nature of the reaction. The woman in the video wasn’t just eating—she was talking on the phone, relaxed and unapologetic. In public spaces, women are often subjected to harsher criticism for asserting space or behaving in ways that defy passive expectations. A man doing the same might not have triggered the same level of hostility or attention.
In the end, this incident offers more than just a window into public transit etiquette. It exposes the prejudices that still linger beneath the surface, where cultural unfamiliarity is too often met with mockery instead of curiosity or respect. And while it’s just one woman, one meal, and one commute, the ripple effect it created online is a stark reminder of the social gaze under which many live their everyday lives.
While the woman herself may be unaware of the storm she stirred, her actions have opened up a larger conversation about multicultural coexistence, identity, and the everyday expressions of culture in global cities like London. It’s a call to reflect not just on what we see in public, but how we choose to interpret it.