Employee considers confronting coworker who burps every 15 minutes: 'She does always say excuse me after but it’s just a bit nasty.'

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 2, 2026 8:00 PM EST

That's pretty annoying, but it's not like she should confront her about it. 

One of my good friends burps a lot. She is not coy about her burping, unlike most people. She burps loudly, with her mouth wide open, and she does not apologize or excuse herself for the act. She consumes more Monster Energy drinks than the average 32-year-old woman, and for the longest time, I thought that was the reason for her verbal flatulence. But a couple of years into our friendship, I learned that she wasn't always able to burp. She was one of those people who literally couldn't do it, so she had to go get a procedure done where she got Botox in her throat, and voila! Now she burps for the whole world to hear, and I love that for her. 

Not everyone sees burping as a liberating act, and I don't blame them for that at all. I drink a lot of soda, so I try not to burp too loudly in the office. One of my friends has a coworker who drinks liters of Mountain Dew at his desk and loudly burps for the whole office to hear, and that is a little disheartening. It's much easier to accept a loud burper when she's your friend who has overcome not being able to burp, instead of an annoying coworker who you don't particularly care for, whether he burps or not. 

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  • A close up of a person with a nose ring's mouth opened
    via Pablo Merchán Montes (Unsplash+)

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  • The employee in this story is valid for her feelings about her coworker's constant burping. She has every right to be annoyed and grossed out by it, especially since that's not the only thing she does that annoys and grosses her out. She also talks really loudly in the office on the phone with friends, which I find even more egregious.

  • Would I be the bad guy for talking to a coworker about her gross habit?

    I'm 24f and I work with someone who is 28f. She is fairly new here but she fit right in bc of her bubbly personality.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • I think she's super nice and she keeps the room positive. The only issue I have with her, which only came up fairly recently, is that she burps like every 15 minutes.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Genuinely. I do hear her eating at her desk constantly which I don't care about but she burps like semi loud in a big quiet room.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Blonde woman eating at her desk in her office
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  • She's always making some kinda noise whether it's talking to herself or somewhat quietly to a friend on the phone.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Smiling businesswoman talking on cell phone while using photocopier in the office
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I can't tell if she just thinks we don't care and/or can't hear her. Which would be close to impossible bc like I said it's quiet as h I in here unless we are talking to a customer.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • To be fair she does always say excuse me after but it's just a bit nasty.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Maybe I'm just weird. Someone please tell me if I should say something or just ignore it.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • chalkybone WBTA, she's saying excuse me when she burps. A burp is involuntary so it's not as if she does it on purpose. Maybe she has digestive health problems.
    via u/chalkybone
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply Valid point
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Ok_Actuary9229 Offices need white noise machines, waterfalls, something. It S ks having to listen to other. people's annoying and/or gross noises.
    via u/Ok_Actuary9229
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply I wish, I'm sure I have my own weird habits but d in sometimes it's just hard to listen to
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • imperfectbean Very much could be a medical thing. I won't bring it up. I feel like that's risky and you might have to see HR if you do.
    via u/imperfectbean
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply Yeah definitely don't wanna have to talk to hr especially over something as small as that
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • ConsciousApartment48 Generally speaking burps are involuntary so would you also be talking to her if she sneezed too much about her "habit"?
    via u/ConsciousApartment48
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply That's a good point
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  • Queerability Ehhhh..... yeah I think you kind of would. Look, when you're spending so much time with the same people every single day, y'all are gonna get on each other's nerves. You probably do stuff that annoys your coworkers too without even realizing it. You'll probably get used to it before too long. I'd only bring it up if it happens in a way that affects business. Also: burping that often is likely a medical condition. At least, it's not very typical, and this is coming from someone with
    via u/Queerability
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply That's true I'm sure I get in my coworkers nerves with my own habits. I am not exaggerating but as other people as well as you mentioned it could be medical and that's none of my business of course. I suppose ignore it is my best route.
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • Csimpattana Not your place. Maybe talk to a manager if you want, not about the burps but rather about the noises in general. Or deal with it.
    via u/Csimpattana
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply Alright fair enough
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  • Cold-Living2869 Use headphones
    via u/Cold-Living2869
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply I wear headphones as part of my job
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436
  • petitguelah I think the person with the idea of a sound machine or maybe some soft background music would be the best solution. Maybe speak with a manager/hr person about getting one, or some speakers with access to some approved pandora stations. Because I would be super annoyed by the fr king burping and all the other noises too. Without ambient noise, that is so distracting and disgusting. And it's such an easy fix.
    via u/petitguelah
  • Interesting Lime_436 Original Poster's Reply Yeah sometimes when I'm talking to a customer I'll accidentally tune into her talking to herself lol, I did also like the sound machine idea I'll bring that up to mgmt for sure
    via u/Interesting_Lime_436

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