"- People have different tastes and given the choice will rarely choose the same food as those eating with them" There are social dynamics at play here, that y

"- People have different tastes and given the choice will rarely choose the same food as those eating with them" There are social dynamics at play here, that you've probably felt yourself: People will feel the need to choose a different thing even it it's not their first choice, because choosing the same thing feels awkward (In the US at least, I've heard other cultures have the opposite dynamic, choosing the same thing to conform, even if it's not their first choice).