Organizing a scene around food

Inspired by a Visa post, I recalled a lot of scenes where characters are eating:

  1. Cowboy Bebop. The pilot, I think?
  2. Neon Genesis Evangelion. A scene from one of the early episodes.
  3. Aggretsuko. Many such scenes.
  4. InuYasha — a lot.
  5. Avatar: The Last Airbender did this a few times?
  6. Teen Titans?
  7. Death Note. Potato chip. Restaurant scene.

These are all (?) anime or anime-inspired.

This doesn't seem like it should work on its own. Where's the conflict? I think you have to bring one. The food just gives the characters something to do while they bounce off each other that is a bit more interesting than "people in chairs talking." Unlike some other activities, eating doesn't create an immediate conflict, so you need extra complication to make enough trouble for the scene to work.