Chewing food with mouth open.

[Brandane]

A good mate of mine, who I have known for about 30 years, has one REALLY annoying habit: he chews his food with his mouth open. I find it very off putting whenever we are in the same company and eating is involved, but I don't consider it to be my place to tell him. I presume that his wife, daughters, parents etc. have never raised the subject, or he would have stopped doing it by now. Or am I alone in finding this habit so annoying? My parents would have knocked that particular failing out of me at an early age, but in mates case that obviously didn't happen.

I find myself making excuses not to meet up if he suggests a night out which might involve the usual visit to the Chinese/Indian, which is not good! Is it me then? Or should I try the dangerous route of trying to be subtle or humorous and tell him what he is doing wrong?

 

[ianrauk]

If he's a mate then just tell him to shut his pie hole.

 

[vernon]

An anonymous letter?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Tell him he looks like a gormless cretin.

 

[Fnaar]

Say to him (in a posh and patronising tone):
My good man, the only time one's alimentary canal should be open is to allow the ingress of food at one end, and its egress at the other. In the intervening times, access at either end should remain closed whilst the food is being processed.

 

[swee'pea99]

Make that snorting piggy noise like kids do. He'll get the hint.

 

[Archie_tect]

Be prepared to be told something about yourself when you do put him right!

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

Sit down facing him, order 'snails and mushrooms in white sauce' and start eating with your mouth open.. Make sure you are talking at the same so that some bits reach his end in order to emphisize your point.

 

[gaz]

I know all too well what you mean and I regularly tell a person to stop yet they continue.

 

[Rob500]

A very delicate situation. You don't want to put a friendship of 30 years in jeopardy by saying the wrong thing. Next time you're out for a meal bring one of these.

 

[RWright]

Get a mouth full of something and ask him to guess what's for dinner, open your mouth and stick out your tongue and say See Food ! If he doesn't get that hint then just start doing when he does it and exaggerate it.

I made my ex wife nauseous when I did the See Food gag to her at a Chinese restaurant one time, so I know it is an attention getter.

 

[Keith Oates]

If you've been eating with him at various times for the last 30 years and have not said anything, then telling him now is not so easy. The only thing that can change now is that you'll have to learn to ignore it when he's eating and accept the situation. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Gah! My daughter eats with her mouth shut and has done since birth. Admittedly the first few months her mouth was shut to maintain a decent milk supply.

 

[02GF74]

look at it is as a positive- buy a box of tic tacs and improve you eye to hand coordination by lobbing one in at a time - he should get the message.

 

[Doseone]

Unfriend him on Facebook. That'll teach him.