Handle This: He Eats With His Mouth Open

August 18, 2008

You just started dating a great new guy and you're completely smitten by him. You've been spending a lot of time together and you're starting to learn about each other's quirks and insecurities. While your parents put a lot of emphasis on table manners growing up, his clearly did not. At first you thought he was just being funny, but you quickly learned that he chews with his mouth open, every time he eats!

You want to say something to him without sounding condescending or motherly, but you know from recent events how easily his feelings get hurt. You have dinner plans this coming weekend with your girlfriends so they can finally meet your new man, but you'd be mortified if he ate like that in front of them, so how would you handle this?

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25 Comments

ali321 3 years

One of my worst pet peeves. My mom hated it and she passed that down to me. I don't know if I would start a conversation about pet peeves and add that in. He might feel really stupid. He might figure out you're directing it at him and are calling him gross. I think I'd feel better if someone just said something straight forward but with a joking tone to it. I dunno. It's a tough one. I think I would just be super turned off. Honestly I'm so used to snapping at kids to close their mouths that it might just shoot out of my mouth. lol. Probably wouldn't be the kindest way to let a guy know. But it drives me crazy.

3 years

Oh, I am so struggling with this right now. And he's just going to get more chips. Jesus. The weird part is that he never used to do it. I would cut off my right arm before I'd hurt his feelings but it's one of my top pet peeves. I like the idea about asking "what do I do that annoys you. I'll try to change if you will." Ack!

3 years

There is no way I would even still be eating with a man who eats with his mouth open, it is disgusting and unnecessary and rude and also the MOST IRRITATING THING IN THE WORLD!

Autumns_Elegy 4 years

My boy only does it to be gross. Like pulling faces in front of cameras or farting. It's part of his "charm" thats comes out rarely and can be quite funny if executed properly.

lilCROAT03 4 years

omg. i said something to my guy about this when we first started dating (i'm a huge table manners freak bc of my uptight childhood) and to THIS DAY he calls me a jerk and says he can't believe how mean his gf is for saying it. he's a boxer so he can't really breathe through his nose well when he eats but sometimes it's just TOO MUCH like... WOW. and when he tries to get salad out of the bowl..it's not just going to STICK TO THE FORK IF YOU STAB AT BLINDLY IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT! USE SOME TACTIC DAMNIT!

lilCROAT03 4 years

BRANDYNICOLE730 4 years

Make sure he sees you giving him a very disgusted look as he's eating.

popgoestheworld 4 years

This guy clearly never had a good girl friend set him straight! Ladies, all your guy friends with bad habits like this... tell them it's disgusting and that it's stopping them from getting laid! In any case, I've found the less of a big deal you make out of something like this the better.

popgoestheworld 4 years

This guy clearly never had a good girl friend set him straight! Ladies, all your guy friends with bad habits like this... tell them it's disgusting and that it's stopping them from getting laid!In any case, I've found the less of a big deal you make out of something like this the better.

RustyAngel73 4 years

i eat with my mouth open sometimes, but never out in public or with company other than my BFF's....but i'd just tell him that i normally didn't care, but he needed to shut his mouth on this occasion...and that i'd be following suit!

RustyAngel73 4 years

bransugar79 4 years

Urban Chic eating while on the phone is also one of the most annoying and disgusting habits on the planet. I do a lot of work on the phone and I just wonder how it is someone can sit there chewing right in my ear without knowing how rude it is.

urban chic 101 4 years

Eeew... that and eating while talking on the phone. Makes me want to something.

Sun_Sun 4 years

im with flyingchangeit would gross me out the first time and he would have lost me :)

Sun_Sun 4 years

im with flyingchange it would gross me out the first time and he would have lost me :)

flyingchange 4 years

Heh, it would never happen. I wouldn't even go on a second date with a guy who chews with his mouth open. Gross.

emily60608 4 years

I have the sweetest guy friend that has this problem!! I try to point it out to him but it hasnt made a difference yet... I swear its gotta be the #1 reason he has trouble getting a girlfriend! I wish girls he dates would tell him, maybe it would help him stop!

bransugar79 4 years

OMG my husband was soooo this guy at first. It's one of my pet peeves. I had to finally just tell him that either he could chew with his mouth closed or I wouldn't eat in public with him anymore. He also has this annoying habit of using his finger to swab up the sauce off his plate. It's like he can't bear the thought that any portion of a meal that he's paid for would go to waste. It just really annoys me and when I told him it was emberassing he got all mad but he got over it. Now we have a deal that when we are out he eats like a human being and he can be a pig at home. I don't know if there's a better solution but this way we're both somewhat at ease.

missyd 4 years

lol gemsara! That 'mmm' thing sounds gross and annoying! Yeah when it comes to chewing with mouth open or making disgusting noises when eating, the gloves come off. I think it is one of the rudest, nastiest things a person can do. My husband NEVER used to do it and now I am always catching him having conversation with food in his mouth. Its revolting. I also have a friend who is raising her daughter with absolutely NO table manners AT ALL. And it's so weird because they are a higher class family!!!! They'll all sit around this big beautiful dinner table with candles and an exquisite meal, and here is this 6 year old child, smacking her lips and showing everyone her food, to the point that she is trying to talk and spitting food at the same time. And they don't say a word! I almost threw up. and haven't gone there for dinner since. I think it shows nothing but vulgarness, uncivilization and disrespect.

gemsera 4 years

My ex used to make a "mmm" noise when he chewed. it was horrid. we couldnt eat out in public :S Thankfully my beau now got taught his manners. his worst is not showering straight after working on the car... but he doesnt really have any faults :)

lms 4 years

I probably would stop dating him if that happened. I can't deal with that as well as people who don't have a clue as to how to hold a knife and fork correctly. It annoys me to no end. I keep trying with my 8 yr old daughter to get her to eat properly. She tries to tell me that she is a kid and i should leave her alone. I tell her that kids who have bad eating habits and never get them corrected end up as adults with bad eating habits who pass it on to their kids.

sonya ina 4 years

Good call Fallen85... I would probably do the same thing! Ugh, eating with your mouth open has to be one of my top 5 biggest pet peeves too!

Fallen85 4 years

Start a conversation about your biggest pet peeves "My biggest pet peeve are people who dont use their turning signals and people who chew with their mouths wide open. It's soooo disgusting!" Hopefully this will make him more aware.