Slow eaters might feel offended when the faster eaters around the table start getting irritated and want to leave the table after a meal. Fast eaters, in turn, are usually irritated by having to sit around waiting for the slow ones to finish their food.
Table etiquette requires that everybody remain seated until the last person has finished eating, however long it might take.
Dutch designer Marleen Jansen created a fun piece of furniture that could help to make this mealtime issues a bit more bearable. “De Tafelwip” is table that resembles a playground see-saw. The idea is simple: Both diners need to remain seated until they are both ready to leave the table, else one might end up on the floor.
The table came about as a result of a dissertation Jansen did about table manners. De Tafelwip makes table etiquette a more considered, and fun, activity.