What do you call people who go to funerals for food?

Answer 1

There can occasionally be more than one thing that motivates an individual to attend a funeral wake. Part of Western society's traditions have included providing nourishment for those attending the service. In the United Kingdom, people are often invited to gather at a venue where they may celebrate the memory of the deceased. Light snacks, tea, coffee, and in keeping with British traditions - pints of beer are on offer.

In North America, the tradition is slightly reversed, where people are invited to attend a wake, where the deceased is put on 'display' for viewing and a concurrent light repast.

There's never a base-line any longer on social etiquette when it comes to mourners. In fact, there is a known 'element' of people who follow the obituaries for the specific purpose of partaking of the food on offer. One might suppose that these individuals are being drawn out of a desperate need to eat. In those situations, despite how bizarre it may seem, it might be more gracious to be gracious unto them, and even possibly consider inviting them to wait outside until the visiting hours are over and you'd be honoured to share whatever is left.

But when removing the rose coloured glasses of civility, it may be that you're the unlucky beneficiary of an individual who clearly knows nothing about the deceased, your family, nor has any connectivity to the event whatsoever. And to compound matters they are demonstrating that they have no interest in the family or the deceased and are merely interested in 'grazing' at the free food trough.

In that case, you might consider a bit of 'social-psyching' the individual by going up to them and stating that you are quite embarrassed, but you have not received their RSVP card. When they tell you they either forgot it, or don't have it, then you politely, but firmly apologise, but point out that you've only ordered enough food for those who sent their RSVP's and with great sadness, you must ask them to leave.

Hopefully, they will leave. However, if they are balking in any way, inform the funeral director immediately that they have nothing to do with the funeral and they are there stealing food. The funeral director, if they have any chutzpah at all, should graciously take over the situation on your behalf, to permit you to focus on the purpose at hand. If you find the Funeral Director not to have chutzpah, then tell them you're disappointed, but you will not be paying for the food at all as you have no way of knowing how many of his friends he invited to come dine at your expense. That should be a sufficient motivator for the FD to take some action. And if that's not enough, immediately excuse yourself and phone the police! Let them know how distressing this is becoming and you're becoming frightened. No funeral company wants bad press and you can point out to the funeral director that they had their chance and now you'll just let the public form their own opinion when they see it on the evening news and read about it in the papers. Just stick to your guns, get it sorted, and do not upset yourself, but instead, keep it as a funny experience that your loved one would have laughed about as well.

There's an old adage which goes: It is much easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission! And it may be just precisely that is what your interloper is doing! And with that in mind, the word 'interloper' is just about as good as any to describe such a tasteless and crass individual.