The Mishna discusses the obligation to say a blessing after eating food. The original source is subject to a complex debate. Sometimes verses from the Tanakh are brought. Others times it is brought as a rabbinic enactment. Grace after meals has around 650 words. The mishna calls it “Three Benedictions” (שָלׂש בְּרָכוׂת) and it is typically refered to as Birchas HaMazon (ברכת המזון), which is the blessing said after eating bread. Figs, grapes, and pomegranates are mentioned in the Chumash shortly before the verse, “You will eat, be satisfied, and bless Hashem your G-d”,(Deuteronomy 8:10). Therefore Rabban Gamliel says it should also be recited on these foods as well, but he is overruled by the sages. Instead they rule that one should say an abbreviation of the three (מֵעֵין שָלׂש). This is much shorter with about 180 words. On water one would say Borei Nefashos (בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת) literally “creator of souls”. This blessing only has eighteen words. Rabbi Akiva takes the position that if a person makes a meal out of vegetables that the proper bracha achrona (after blessing - בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה) would be the lengthy grace after meals. The halacha though is that a person says Borei Nefashot after eating vegetables regardless of the quantity.
Halacha is based on a combination of scriptural analysis and Talmudic logic. Rabbi Akiba emphasizes the idea of eating until satisfaction. Therefore he concludes that if satisfied from a meal of vegetables, one should give a lengthy thank you. The law as it is codified clings closer to the actual text of the Chumash. The general halacha is that on bread one would recite the lengthy grace after meals. Scriptural proofs are brought in the Talmud that bread is uniquely satisfying. Therefore even a relatively small quantity of it is considered significant. However, in religious literature bread is often an idiom for a proper dinner. Therefore one would not make a deviation even if the quantity being consumed is small.
One would say M'ain Shalosh, the abbreviation, not only on figs, grapes, and pomegranates; but also on non-bread products made from wheat and barley; and olives and dates as well. This is because they are all mentioned together in the same paragraph which mandates a blessing after food. Borei nefashos would be said on everything else, for example meat, cheese, eggs, processed foods, and other fruits and vegetables. The general idea in any case is that the greater the benefit the more effusive the expression of appreciation should be.
The mishnah also looks favorably on camaraderie during a meal. For example at a simple meal each person would make the blessings individually, but for a formal meal one person makes a blessing for the group with each participant responding “amen”. Similarly if wine is served during the meal each person makes his blessing individually. But if it is served to the group as a dessert, then one person makes a blessing and everybody else answers “amen”.
In line with this, when eating a meal with bread, the mishna encourages people to eat together and gets more effusive as the number increases. If three people eat together one is chosen to make an introduction and he will say, “let us bless”. If ten ate together the leader will say, “Let us bless our G-d”. With a hundred he will say, “Let us bless Hashem, our G-d”. If the banquet has a thousand people, the leader will open, “Let us bless Hashem, our G-d, G-d of Israel”. If the number of participants reaches 10,000, the introduction is, “Let us bless Hashem, our G-d, G-d of Israel, G-d of hosts, who dwells with the Angels”.
The point is that the greater the bounty a person has enjoyed, the greater is the thank you he should give. If it’s a simple fruit or vegetable or a glass of water to satisfy his thirst, then a thank you not longer than a sentence is right. A fancy fruit rates a paragraph. For a nice meal a page is fitting. If a person get’s invited to an elaborate banquet he should praise G-d to the skies. So too it is for other things. From time to time we should count our blessings like good health and freedom, and when we are given a big gift from heaven we should celebrate with elaborate thanksgiving to G-d.
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