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Q: Why do people greet each other by asking 'have you eaten'?
I'm new to China, so maybe everyone knows this... but why do they greet each other not with a 'how are you?' but 'have you eaten yet?'
Chinese persons (or at least many of them) seem to be eating all the time. It is not breakfast, lunch and dinner for many of them, but there are all kinds of snack time in between the main meals.
I do know a couple who eats from 5 to 7 times each day, and that is not counting the many pears, apples, oranges, bananas, mandarines, etc they will consume each day.
It is just a form a greeting. They really don't care if you have or not. Just being friendly.
I was told that culturally, it goes back to the early days of China when there wasn't that much food going around and if you saw someone, you asked if they had eaten as a way of forming solidarity amongst hardship.
Because eating is the best time to know each other and talking about all kind of things. they have lunch/dinner breaks for minimum 2/3 hours. 
It's true China is a country likes eating. This greeting has history background (not wanna explain too much here)...
It's NOT a popular greeting nowadays....most ppl say "ni hao" just now....
Through history China has often suffered from drough or other natural disasters, and eating well was therefore a kind of luxury (without the emperors collecting the grain taxes)
If you eat is also means that your health is good.
So by asking you if "you have eaten", it is somewhat a way to ask you if you're ok.
The first time I heard about it was in a trip to Taiwan. A friend's aunt asked me this question and I just answered "No, let's go to eat".
I hear this greeting all the time
But it is a little disturbing when they ask you this question as you are leaveing the public Bathroom
I think it is because they are hungry and are hoping you will buy them some food.
OK all joking aside I have often wondered this myself. I usually get 3-4 SMS messages a day from the gf asking what I am doing and if I have eaten. I also have friends ask me this everytime we meet. I thought it just might be a translation quark, but obviously not.
I think Sangoku's answer above makes alot sense.
Eating together is social. I am Ukrainian decent, not really an eskimo( just fricken cold). I know three phrases in Ukraine, are you hungry, are you sleepy and how are you. Are you hungry is a universal greeting. I forget what it is in Vulcan tho.
Are't you supposed to be hungry half an hour after you eat Chinese food?
