I am French, but the answer to your question might well have been given, years ago, by a very close American friend. Here we were, four of us, in Paris, sharing a great lunch in a (good, of course !) restaurant. By the end of it, he said : “You know what ? The French have a weird habit. During a meal, they have only three subjects to talk about : their last meal; this very meal; the next one they’ll have.

And, years after… I confirm !