Does it bother you when others eat while on the phone?

Some of my clients are calling me while they're eating chips and all. I'm quite used to it. So no probs with me. And sometimes, I also do the same thing to get back at them. LOL

I agree! I used to know a nice lady whose only flaw was her habit of eating hard candy while she spoke on the phone. I just hated that slurpy, rattling sound, plus it makes it difficult to understand her! I had the same urge as you, & once I did hint that "I don't speak candy, D__!" She laughed & spit it out, acknowledging that she had a bad habit...but the very next time we spoke on the phone, well...I let it go. Clearly I hadn't made that much of an impression on her. I finally just weighed the bad habit against her very wonderful personality, & let it go at that. I just try not to get trapped on the phone with her! Maggiepie "Life is hard. It's even harder if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne

Personally for me, it depends on what type of food they are eating, and how loud they are when doing so. From someone who works as a Dispatcher for a Cab company which means I am on the phone all of the time taking calls for people who want cabs, this means I am faced with people doing this quite often. And since I am Diabetic and supposed to be answering phones and helping cabs get sent unless on Break or lunch this means from time to time I am eating something to keep my Blood Sugars up while on the phone as well. I know it is not good and I do try and keep away from the noisier foods if I can for sure.

it's better not eating while talking...

That bugs me so much! There is at least one person who eats while on the phone. I say are you eating something? They say yes. Then I will go so you can finish eating. Call me later. That drives me absolutely stark raving mad at times and it is just soo rude!

I think it's got to do a little bit with manners, I would not be caught talking and eating at the same time even when I'm not on the phone, at least that was what my parents taught me. Well if I had been caught eating while the phone rings then I excuse myself, finish the food and go back, it's a little bit different if I'm the one who called up and the other party is eating then I become a little bit tolerant, although it irks me , I am more tolerant, also depends on how close you are to the person on the other line and who needs what.

Yeah, it's rude. What is it about the stupid phone that people are so rude anyway? From taking calls during meals, to talking loudly on it when people are watching TV, etc. There's an other invention (like the alarm clock) that's both a blessing and a curse1

Hi. macdingolinger. Yes, it does bother me. It is very annoying and irritating too. It makes me so aggravated when I hear crunching going on while I am on the telephone with someone. They should dismiss themselves from eating hard foods that are crunchy while they are on the telephone with me too.

It doesnt really bother or annoy or offend me if a caller is eating while on the phone with me. I have been guilty in the past of doing the same things. Sometimes we just have to multitask to get things done during the day. Eating on the phone is just one way to do it.

Yes it does bother me and its so unprofessional. Sometimes you can't even understand what they're saying when talking and crunching at the same time. They could always call back when done eating.

I think that it is very rude to eat while talking to someone on the phone. It's a distraction and it makes you feel like the person isn't really focused on you but with the thing he/she eats. But I would be honest to say that I have done this thing before, but with my significant other or a person that I am very close to. Most bfs/gfs talks a lot on the phone that sometimes you get caught during snack time and all. But when I do I would tell him that I am eating and he's cool with it so, not a problem for us.

I think it all depends on the education those people have;if they have some common sense they realize how ridiculous it is when they eat and speak on the phone at the same time,and if they are so hungry they should announce that they want to eat and then be willing to talk on the phone,and I would understand them,but otherwise they would be very annoying and I don't think I would ever call them again.

it bothers me because it might mean that they are not paying attention to what you say. It is not proper too and the phone got dirt on it and one just eating while talking over the phone. The transmission of the infection to the mouth is another thing to note.

I find it quite rude if someone's eating while you're on the phone. You can't hear them properly, and they're usually more interested in what they're eating than what you're trying to say. I always insist they call back if I'm eating, or I'll stop eating until the end of the phone call.

This is a real nuisance as you can hardly understand what the person is saying as they munch and munch between words! The conversation takes a lot longer as well and you are just waiting for them to say their piece and there are times when you just want to put the phone down and forget about them! Some people just don't have any manners in that regard. I know when I need to make a few phonecalls I make sure that I have my breakfast first and at least I won't then be feeling hungry when I have to make that important call! It's not the best of sounds either, hearing someone chomping away with their gnashers! It's a funny old life! Andrew

No it does not bother me when people are eating on the other end of the phone. I have not actually had it happen to me very often. I am actually one of those annoying people who does eat while talking on the phone. I am the secretary of a sporting club and the club president has an annoying habit of ringing me at my dinner time, so I just eat and talk to him sometimes! Most times though, I just let the phone ring and he leaves a message, or the kids answer it and tell him that I will ring back.

Oh gosh I think it is gross! I especially hate when they sip and slurp in my ear. It makes me feel like I am speaking to babe (the pig). It really disgusts me and if the person is not courteous enough to stop for a moment to talk to me I will make an excuse to end the call. I wonder if they even notice that it is gross or not? Maybe not because they do it. lol

Fortunately ,I have never encountered this kind of thing .If It happened to me,Perhaps I couldn't say "Hey go eat and when you have time to talk without crunching in my ear ,call me back!",but I was certainly disgusted with it.My unspoken word was that you were so busy that you had no time to eat!I consider It to be a breach of etiquette.this kind of person has no respect for other people's feelings say the least of it.

Yes,it does bother me.I really cannot stand it.Sometimes I cannot hear what the other side says .Every time I would repeat it "what?can you speak it clearly" again and again.It as if I had problems with my ears.Oh,god.my ears are good.

Yes, people eating whilst on the phone irritates me no end. I can't stand the crunching, or worse, the talking with their mouths crammed full of food. I actually have asked people to call me back, and frankly told them that when they smack, slirp, crunch, birp or talk with their mouths full on the phone, that it makes me feel physically ill, which it does. The way I look at it, especially if they called me, then I'm giving them my time, the least they can do is give me a bit of courtesey.