What's the origin of the saying on parting "Enjoy!" ? It's not common in Britain. Is it American? It is usually someone Jewish who is saying it. I wondered whether it is a translation of a Yiddish or Hebrew blessing or farewell.I've heard it used like the French 'Bon appetit' on leaving someone before a mealtime so does it, or did it originally, have that connotation of 'enjoy your forthcoming meal' ?

Two Jewish friends can find no link, though neither claims to be totally fluent in Hebrew. Perhaps others can help.
I've always thought of the word as merely being a contraction of "Enjoy your meal"; and now that usage has been expanded to other areas (rather than just the dining table, that is) it's probably done so as a backwards derivation from the phrase "Enjoy youself". It's certainly practial, which is why some UK people have adopted it, no doubt after watching all those American movies!

It seems to be an expression found mainly on the east coast.

The M/W definition of Enjoy has it listed as Experience which leads to Share ...
Best I can find out for the moment
oldest definition

quote:

enjoy
c.1380, from O.Fr. enjoir "to give joy, rejoice," from en- "make" + joir "enjoy," from L. gaudere "rejoice." Sense of "have the use or benefit of" first recorded c.1430. Replaced O.E. brucan.

www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=enjoy
Seems to be a natural development of the meaning.
Many more on this link www.onelook.com/?w=enjoy&ls=a