# Possibly sensitive Chinese food issue **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 8, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832 "2006-05-08T01:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/1 "2006-05-08T01:35:24Z")
There’s a Chinese takeout place near me that is run by a Chinese family. Lately I’ve become irritated at something that’s happening, but I’m not sure how or if to say something. Sometimes when I’m eating there one of the staff will come out to eat their own meals during their breaks. Invariably, the person begins loudly slurping their food. I find it disgusting, and it puts me off my meal. But I hesitate to complain because I suspect this may be acceptable in their native China. Would I be out of line saying something to the lady at the counter who seems to be the boss? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/2 "2006-05-08T01:40:10Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/3 "2006-05-08T01:47:11Z")
I’ve attended banquets in “cosmopolitan” Shanghai, Tianjin and Dalian, as well as in HK, and even the sophisticates there - businessmen (and -women), government officials and academics - slurp like the proverbial motherf\*cker. It’s just part of the culture, especially when drinking soup. You can say something, but if the lady-boss is typical of the lady-bosses that emigrated in the 60s-70s, chances are she’ll know little English, and, what is more important, be unable to comprehend your complaint. You could mention it to her kids - but, again, chances are they only return to the family business from their jobc as doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc. on high day and holidays. Even then, they’d porobably shrug their shoulders and say it’s no big deal, just a generational thing. So, live and let live, says I. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/4 "2006-05-08T02:01:49Z")
It’s considered a compliment to the host. Shows that the meal was enjoyed. It’s not uncommon for slurping, burping, and finger licking to be present. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/5 "2006-05-08T02:28:03Z")
You’re a paying customer, if it bothers you, I don’t see any reason you can’t complain. On the other hand, I suppose you should be prepared to leave and never come back if they tell you to, so you’d better have an alternative chinese resturant in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/6 "2006-05-08T03:17:08Z")
I’d honestly just say leave it as it be…enjoy a cultural difference. Question why we don’t do it even. Why so uptight? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/7 "2006-05-08T04:09:55Z")
hell, i woud mention it. be nice and say i know it’s common in china but here a lot of people find it rude. it bothers me and i really like your restaurant. fyi, belching, farting, finger licking, slurping might be common in china but not necessarily cosidered polite. to clear up a misconception, belching can be an expression of appreciation for the meal, a common body function not worthy of note, or rude. the absence of a belch at a banquet or meal is NOT considered rude or a faux pas. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/8 "2006-05-08T04:29:57Z")
Go rent _Tampopo_. There’s a hilarious bit where a woman is trying to teach a bunch of young women how to politely eat spaghetti which is undermined when a guy comes in and slurps like crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/9 "2006-05-08T05:54:06Z")
To add to the _Tampopo_ bit, the standard way to eat most types of Japanese noodles is by slurping. The ettiquette teacher is trying to show the students the proper way to eat western noodles, but since the slurper at the next table is a foreigner, the students all figure he’s right and the teacher’s wrong, so they imitate him. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/10 "2006-05-08T10:06:22Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > I’ve attended banquets in “cosmopolitan” Shanghai, Tianjin and Dalian, as well as in HK, and even the sophisticates there - businessmen (and -women), government officials and academics - slurp like the proverbial motherf\*cker. This is something I noticed here in the UK too and asked Chinese friends about. Ever since, when people ask me “But how do you use eat politely with chopsticks” I answer “you don’t”. Just get the stuff down your neck, and don’t worry about the noise. Especially noodle soup. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/11 "2006-05-08T11:29:31Z")
> [@slaphead](#): > > This is something I noticed here in the UK too and asked Chinese friends about. Ever since, when people ask me “But how do you use eat politely with chopsticks” I answer “you don’t”. Just get the stuff down your neck, and don’t worry about the noise. Especially noodle soup. Or use a fork. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/12 "2006-05-08T11:39:59Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > Or use a fork. Blasphemer! ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/13 "2006-05-08T12:03:34Z")
Funny, I’ve never had much of a problem not slurping when eating with chopsticks. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/14 "2006-05-08T15:42:59Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’d honestly just say leave it as it be…enjoy a cultural difference. Question why we don’t do it even. Why so uptight? I agree that nothing should be said, if only because the complaint will likely fall on deaf ears. Personally, I don’t see what there is to “enjoy” about this behavior. “We” don’t do it because “we” consider it rude. I don’t know how we came to consider it rude, but I’m glad the majority of people don’t eat in the manner described in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/15 "2006-05-08T15:46:48Z")
There was a really intresting thread here on the subject a year or so back. I’ll see if I can find it… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/16 "2006-05-08T15:58:08Z")
Here you go… by **Loopydude** on [Chinese table “manners”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=272955&highlight=chinese) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/17 "2006-05-08T16:58:42Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’d honestly just say leave it as it be…enjoy a cultural difference. Question why we don’t do it even. Why so uptight? Why is it uptight to think that someone not following the cultural norm of the country they’ve chosen to live in and making eating noises which people in that country generally find unappealing is gross? There’s probably no point in saying anything since it’s unlikely that it will cause anything to change. If it really bothers you that much (which I understand, I have a friend who’s a slurper and it’s just nasty) and it’s primarily a takeout place, maybe you should go takeout instead of dining in, and take your food back to your office to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/18 "2006-05-08T18:09:51Z")
There’s no reason to complain or to “enjoy” the cultural difference. If it grosses you out (as it would me), but you still want food from there, just get it to go. I don’t think eating politely is “uptight.” It doesn’t take any extra effort to eat soundlessly. I do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/19 "2006-05-08T19:44:42Z")
I can’t imagine complaining about it in a Chinese restaurant. You could try mentioning it politely, suggesting the staff either change their eating style or eat in a different section, with the idea this might be good for business. I always think it’s a good sign when there are actual Chinese people eating in a Chinese restaurant. It conveys authenticity, rather than having, say, all Mexicans in the kitchen. In this area we actually have a restaurant called El Chino Latino … ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832/20 "2006-05-09T00:53:39Z")
> [@Harriet the Spry](#): > > I always think it’s a good sign when there are actual Chinese people eating in a Chinese restaurant…rather than having, say, all Mexicans in the kitchen. But they could be hiding, not cooking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-sensitive-chinese-food-issue/355832.md?page=2)