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10 Mall Food Court Rules Everyone Should Follow By Jay Wilson Dec. 3, 2025 1:19 pm EST

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Ah, the mall food court. The sight of so many lunches between mammoth shopping trips, of awkward first dates between gawky teenagers, of once-beloved chains , and of people from all walks of life coming together in a shared space. The mall food court is one of those places that feels weirdly lawless: Unlike a restaurant, there's no sense of a dress code or any tableside service, and the seats themselves aren't owned or managed by the kiosks serving you food. This can cause confusion around what you can and can't do in a food court — and in a lot of cases, this can lead to a serious lack of etiquette towards fellow diners. Uneaten food left on tab

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