Colleague constantly eating all the time

[shewhoisnotme]

We share a desk.

She comes in at 9. Usually a McDonald's breakfast bun of some kind

Snacks on cake, sausage rolls, meats 🍰

Lunch is chicken and chips, McDonald's, KFC. Loads of crisps for a snack after at her desk

AIBU to be annoyed? She is constantly eating! The drums drive me up the wall. They edge onto my side

This has got to be a joke…on reception?? Is this a reverse and you’re the one miffed because your colleague has asked you to stop eating?

I had a colleague that ate constantly. Wasn’t very productive either, because they always concentrated on their food. We found it very irritating , but sadly management wouldn’t stop them.

I haven’t name changed

gasp

two posters think you’re fat shaming comment is daft

In mumsnet world, yes.

in RL, with fully formed adults, certainly my family, friends, colleagues, even acquaintances- no

What is worrying?

what fat shaming comment have you got yourself in a twist about?

it is quite common to eat at the desk, not everyone has somewhere else to go, however op seems to have somewhere else to go - or busy

@Endlesslypatient82

I wasn't accusing you of name changing. I was accusing another poster of failing to name change (two very similar posts from one poster) Please reread.

That is gross! I would complain to my manager and say I cannot share a desk & phone with her any longer!!

Urgh! I love a good McDs but those kinds of foods are not for eating on trains buses and certainly not in the office!

Surely this is really unprofessional. Do members of the general public enter your premises while you're both on the front desk? Also how can you answer a phone with a mouthful of food??! Is that why there's two of you? Maybe tell your boss it's a one person job if your colleague only stopped eating you'd be twiddling your thumbs instead of answering the phone hence she'll get rid of compulsive eater. Win win 😀

YANBU. Could you request a second phone on the same phone line but for your own desk so that you at least don't have to deal with the greasy handset?

The drums drive me up the wall. They edge onto my side

I think the constant eating is bad enough, but the drums would be a step too far for me. That is just inconsiderate, and not acceptable in a reception area.

As a one time supervisor of a town hall reception desk, eating in full view of the public was a complete no no. Having a drink at one’s desk is ok, but a Macdonald’s? No way.

Love it!😂

She is eating constantly on reception?

Our reception staff are only allowed drinks in a glass or mug, no cans etc and no food. You might get away with a bit of fruit, but no way boxes of fast food

Justine is either a prolific junk-food at desk eater, fat, or indeed this particular grim desk-eater.

That’s my view. Not evidenced of course, but when did that ever stop anybody on here making ridiculous, unfounded statements targeted at others.

Stop eating the chicken Justine, best thing for it.

@fannyfan
"This is clearly bollocks."
No it isn't
"What person can eat at the front Desk?"
Someone where I worked once.
"Just another fat bashing thread where teeny tiny people can come and feel better about themselves"
Now that's bollocks.

The problems with the person I knew was not the continual snacking but being totally bone-idle.
They wouldn't get out of their seat to deal with clients.
They kept leaving the building to buy food/go shopping.
They kept 'delegating' typing to others.

OP, you need to speak to your manager again. Point out that this person isn't creating a professional image to (prospective) clients.

I agree that comment was unnecessary.

I am fat as well and of course it means I’ve
eaten and drunk too much but I’ve still managed to conduct myself professionally in workplaces and not chomp fast food constantly

I have sat by a colleague who ate constantly. Not quite as gross as your colleague, but it was really unpleasant to sit beside on a number of levels.

Actually, I thought that it was quite unprofessional. The mess, the noise and the fact that her attention was on the food rather than the work.

The coworker sitting closest to me used to drink loudly from a flask with water throughout the day. I never mentioned how disgusting I found the sound as I figured it was my problem. (Also, there are many normal things that she finds difficult despite allegedly being of normal intelligence, so I figured it would be a total waste of time to mention it. I am suspecting weaponized incompetence). I was, however, very enthusiastic when our manager suggested we got a radio in the office and listened to music during work hours and it did to a certain extent drown out the sound of my coworker drinking.

After the lockdowns were over and we were back in the office I noticed, that while my coworker still drinks just as much water she no longer makes those exaggerated sounds while doing so. I am suspecting that her children had enough of it after being with her all day every day in lockdown.

Hot food in shared desk space is U

She can eat what she wants but she needs to go to a designated area.

It is not that smelly though, she is eating fairly generic food.

I am vegetarian but could cope with the chicken etc.

I think the phone/grease/crumbs issue is more of an issue. You can speak to her politely about that.

Ok THAT wins the Gross At Work Award!

It’s off putting, you’re not being unreasonable. Clearly there’s something compulsive about her eating so it’s going to be very difficult to discuss. I wouldn’t confront TBH, but try and get a desk move.

Poor you @shewhoisnotme I have misophonia and can’t bear the sound of chewing, I would have lost my cool months ago. Can’t bear people eating in the office food that smells, or eating messily and getting grease/crumbs on shared office equipment or personal belongings, completely revolting.

For those saying OP is fat shaming she isn’t, it’s just the food groups the colleague is consuming are smelly and messy. I had a colleague who was a fitness model, but heated up broccoli at lunch and the smell was putrid.