The 5 Rudest Office Food Habits
Working in an office usually requires nuances of etiquette. In most workplaces, it's best to be conservative in dress, watch your language, and try to stay away from workplace gossip. A lot of what being a good, respectful employee comes down to one thing: courtesy.
Despite that fact – which should be common knowledge – many employees totally throw courtesy out the window when it comes to eating at work. Your habit of leaving your leftovers out on the counter or microwaving whatever you please may be fine at home (that's not our business) but it's a genuine problem in the workplace.
What are the absolute rudest things to do at work when it comes to food? Here they are — and, trust us, we've seen them all.
Eating During a Meeting
We get it: meetings are incredibly boring. But don't entertain yourself by munching on a midday snack. As long as you're not slurping, a glass of water or cup of coffee is perfectly fine to sip on during appropriate moments during a business gathering. However, we've seen people noshing on crispy, greasy potato chips and opening up McDonald's Big Macs during corporate conclaves, and that just isn't right.
Leaving Food Scraps on Your Desk
Grapefruit skins, the shells of hardboiled eggs, and those tomatoes you picked off your turkey sandwich are garbage, not office décor. When you've finished your lunch, discard your trash in the nearest receptacle and take a minute away from your desk to rinse off your plate or bowl. It's good to get up from your desk anyway.
Microwaving Fish
Do we need to say anything else? Don't be that guy. Nobody likes that guy. Oh, and if something spills over in the microwave, please wipe it up right away.
Not Bringing Enough Treats for Everyone
In elementary school when it was your birthday and you brought treats, you had to bring enough for the entire class. The same rule still applies when you're an adult in an office. If you're marking your birthday with cupcakes, celebrating the end of a work week with bagels, or just decided to whip up a batch of cookies, remember what Barney taught you: sharing is caring.
Pouring Leftovers Into the Sink
Your home sink probably has a disposal, but if your office sink doesn't: be considerate. Dumping bits of soggy lettuce, a few ramen noodles, or a few black beans into the sink and allowing them to fester is unappetizing to say the least. Remember to clean up after yourself and dump tiny bits of food into the trash can or toilet (and flush) instead of leaving them in the sink for the cleaning lady.