Picky vs Specific

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I am constantly told that I am a picky eater. I don't think it fits. I am very specific. If someone is taking my order I know exactly what I want and will describe it in detail (a habit my coworkers are constantly mocking).

I don't think that is being picky, they asked what I wanted and I told them! I define picky eater as one who is specific in what they want and will only eat what they describe or desire. I have never been this way. I was raised to eat whatever was in front of me, not to do so would be unacceptably rude.

I am just getting tired of being described this way. Anyone else see the distinction or is it just me (as usual )

It's not just you. I can see the distinction, and I can also see how difficult said distinction would be to explain to someone who's insisting that you're picky.

My impression was always that people used "picky" to describe someone else's tastes, and "specific" to describe their own

Seriously though, yeah, you aren't picky unless you simply refuse to eat anything other than what you desire. When you're paying someone to take your order and make your food how you like it, giving specific instructions wouldn't make you picky (unless your instructions are waaaaay over the top and involve something weird and contradictory like a BLT without the bacon or tomato, in which case I think it's fair to call you at least kind of fussy).

I can understand you. I usually have the same problem with my wife/ my mum / my grandma and every people cooking.

I eat everything (when I say everything I mean really everything). And I think it's not good to refuse food. But.. sometimes family-girl start asking if it's good or if it's ok. Then I start saying: "well, you must add 2mg of salt, probably that spicy, cook it for another 3 minutes..." etc... they go berserk

This is why I like Wawa hoagies! You put in your order on the touch screen, so you put in exactly what you want without having to sound all picky by telling them you want this, this, that, little bit of this, none of that...

I'm more comfortable when I know what I'm getting.. Like, if I go to TGI Fridays, I know I want a Cobb salad, no blue cheese, light ranch on the side.. Not that I go there anymore, but I used to.

I eat everything but I MUST know the ingredients.

I think I am more "picky" than "specif" - There is a wide range of foods that I refuse to eat (even to try!), including very usual food, like cakes, most seafood, salads, cheese, etc.

However, the range of food that I like is not particular narrow - I eat pratically all type of meat and almost all type of fish.

I have been accused of being a picky eater because as a vegan, there are many foods I don't eat. So at a non-vegan restaurant, I may have to give the waiter very specific instructions. But I don't see myself as picky - if I were at an all vegan restaurant I would happily eat whatever they decided to put in front of me.