Poll: Is chewing food with your mouth open polite/sanitary?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
#1

As the title says. Is chewing food with your mouth open considered polite and/or sanitary in your opinion?

More important during covid. In some certain areas, especially taipei last year, I saw lots of dividers telling people to not talk while eating. They didnt spell it out, but its about spraying mouth solids and liquids everywhere.

So.

Is chewing food with your mouth (lips/teeth/ open polite and/or sanitary?

  • Yes, chewing with mouth open is both polite and sanitary.
  • Yes, chewing with mouth open is polite but not sanitary.
  • Yes, chewing with mouth open is sanitary but impolite.
  • No, it is neither polite or sanitary.
  • I am literally a hermit and never eat around one single other person ever, so i can eat in peace as i wish.

0 voters

#2

Misophonia keeps me from eagerly attending social dinners.

#3

It’s right up there with noodle slurping and nose picking on the list of annoying habits.

#4

My grandma would say “Were you raised in a barn?”. We had to have table manners and I’m grateful now that I was taught that way. If your family has no concept of this, then your whole crowd will sound like a cow.

1 Like
#5

I always chew my cud with my mouth closed. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

1 Like
#6

I think it is as sanitary as chewing with your mouth closed. Polite? Depends on the culture. Would be impolite where I grew up, but in Taiwan I don’t think it’s considered impolite, especially in a place like a night market. It’s highly irritating to me personally, as is burping with your mouth open, slurping soup, etc. Table manners were important in our childhood. But already early on I felt that those dinner rules were randomly imposed on us by the man in the house, who ignored them himself at his convenience.

#7

I had a few girlfriends when I was single that said the same thing.

#8

The Man in our house when I was a kid (My dad) used to get mom to give him a plateful of Tripe every few weeks. The smell of that was worse than any other bad table manners.

1 Like
#9

Interesting. I only ever heard that from my parents for leaving the door open.

#10

At least this one has a practical outcome—cooling down those piping hot noodles, especially when eating ramen. :upside_down_face:

Guy

#11

I never had you pegged as a noodle slurping apologist… :unamused:

#12

Ramen is not the same without it!

This does not, however, mean chewing it with one’s mouth open. That’s disgusting.

Guy

#13

That was a shock for me in japan. Families we lived with were always so stressed out about formalities and being polite. Like health risk levels of stressed. Come noodle time, the song who let the dogs out came to mind more than once. Kinda gross really, having everyones food and saliva splater all over your food…nevermind washing oil out of intricate place mats.

1 Like
#14

Also, oxygenation improves flavor

1 Like
#15

For those of us that think its incredibly rude. Like we were raised in barns or raised by a pack of wolves as my family put it. How many of you have strong UK influence in your family background? Canadian counts as uk in this situation lol.

#16

And heres my answer about politeness, this is cultural, and not a poll option

#17

The nose can be used to breath when eating rather than showing everyone else the contents of your mouth when they’re eating. Basic manners. Do you think picking your nose while others are eating is ok too?

#18

Polite is an option :slight_smile: its actually 2 options.

#19

At a ramen shop!?!?

Guy

#20

It’s manners in Taiwan too. Educated families tend to eat with their traps shut or cover their mouths with their hands when eating.
Only peasants eat with their traps wide open.