Ah but a meal isn't supposed to be a race
In Europe meals go on for multiple hours, with conversation, wine, relaxation and healthy eating. It's often quoted as a main reason they end up slimmer than we do. In the US we shovel food in quickly and eat more than we should!
So consider it a sign of respect that they are taking the time to talk with you, to enjoy the conversation. When I go out with friends the meals can take 3 hours sometimes, because we're having so much fun talking. We consider this to be a good thing