Itisimportanttoknowhowtoconductoneselfproperlyatthetable.Therulesofdiningetiquettearefairlystraightforwardandmostlyrequirecommonsense.
TableSetting.Itcanbeveryconfusingtobepresentedwithavarietyofeatingutensils.(Seebelow)Remembertheguideline“tostartattheoutsideandworkyourwayin.”Ifyouhavebeengiventwoforks,whicharethesamesize,beginwiththeforkontheoutside.Manyrestaurantsusethesamesizeofforkforboththesaladandmaincourse.
Napkin.Whendiningwithothersplaceyournapkinonyourlapaftereveryoneatyourtablehasbeenseated.Donotopenyournapkininmid-air.Asyouremoveyournapkinfromthetablebegintoopenbelowthetablelevelandplaceonyourlap.Ifyoumustleaveameal,dosobetweencourses,andplaceyournapkinonyourchairortotheleftofyourplate.Whenamealiscompleted,placeyournapkintotherightofyourplateCneverontheplate.
Served.Waitforeveryoneatyourtabletobeservedbeforebeginningtoeat.However,ifanindividualwhohasnotbeenservedencouragesyoutobegineating,youmaydoso.Eatslowlywhilewaitingfortheirfoodtobeserved.
Soup.Wheneatingsoup,thinkofmakingacircle:spoonawayfromyou,bringaroundtoyourmouthandbacktothebowl.SoupistakenfromthesideofthesoupspoonCitisnotinsertedintoyourmouth.Donotslurpormakenoiseswheneatingsoup.
Sorbet.Thisitemisoftenservedbetweencoursestocleansethepalate.Itisalight,sherbettextureanddependingonwhenservedmaybeeatenwithaforkoraspoon.
Utensils.Becarefulhowyouholdyourutensils.ManypeopletendtomakeafistaroundthehandleoftheutensilCthisisthewayayoungchildwouldgraspautensil(notanadult).Therearetwoacceptablewaystousetheknifeandfork:continentalfashionandAmericanstandard.Continentalfashion―thedinercutsthefoodusuallyonebiteatatimeandusestheforkinthelefthand,tinespointingdown,tospearthefoodandbringittothemouth.Americanstandard―afewbitesarecut,theknifeislaidacrossthetopoftheplate,sharpedgetowardyou,andtheforkisswitchedtotherighthand,ifright-handed,tinesuptobringthefoodtothemouth.(Donotcutmorethantwoorthreebitesatatime.)
DessertUtensils.Dessertutensilsmaybefoundplacedacrossthetopoftheplacesetting.Placetheseutensilsdownforuseafterthemaincourseisremoved(forktotheleftandspoontotheright).
Passing.Pass“communityfood”suchasthebreadbasket,saltandpepper,andsaladdressingtotheright.Alwayspassthesaltandpeppertogether.Whenpassingitemssuchasacreamer,syruppitcherorgravyboat,passitwiththehandlepointingtowardtherecipient.
Seasoning.Alwaystasteyourfoodfirstbeforeusinganyseasonings.Donotassumeitneedstobeseasoned.
Sweeteners.Donotbeexcessivewithsugarorsweetenerpackets.Theruleofthumbisnomorethantwopacketspermeal.Donotcrumblethepacketsbutpartiallytearoffacorner,emptythecontentsandplacetotheside.
Bread.Bread/rollsshouldneverbeeatenwhole.Breakintosmaller,moremanageablepieces,butteringonlyafewbitesatatime.Toastandgarlicbreadhowevermaybeeatenaswholepiecessincetheyareusuallyalreadybuttered.Ifyouareservedapipinghotmuffinorbiscuit,youmaybreakinhalfcrosswise,butterandputbacktogether.Howeverwhenreadytoactuallyeat,breakitintosmallpieces.
Glasses.Avarietyoftypesandsizesofglassescanbeusedthroughoutthemeal.Rememberyouritemstodrinkwillbelocatedintheareaaboveyourknifeandspoon.Coffeecupsmaybelocatedtotherightoftheknifeandspoon.
Alcohol.Alcohol,ifconsumed,shouldbeinmoderation.Inmostcasesyoumayhaveadrinkduringthesocialhourandwine(s)withthedinner.Youdonothavetofinishyourdrink.Infactslowlysippingisrecommended.Ifyoudonotwantanalcoholicdrinkpolitelydecline.
Buffets.Buffetsprovideanopportunitytoselectitemsyouenjoy.Donotoverloadyourplate.Selectabalancedvarietyoffooditems.
Pre-SetMeals.Withapre-setmealthehost/hostesshasalreadymadetheselectionsandtheindividualsareserved.Ifallergic,religiousorvegetarianissuesarise,quietlydealwiththeseastheserverisatyourside.Forvegetarianaskifyoumayhaveavegetableplate;withallergiesorreligionprovidetheserverwithsomeoptions(ex.Allergictoshellfish―askiftheyhavecodorflounderandbereadywithyourpreference).Thisletstheserverknowwhatyoucaneat.Alwayseatalittleofallitemsservedtoyou.
OrderingfromMenu.Astheguestselectanitemthatisinthemid-pricerange,easytoeatandyouwillenjoy.Consideraskingyourhost/hostessforarecommendationbeforemakingyourdecision.Asthehostitishelpfultotaketheleadinorderingappetizersandwine,ifthesearetobeserved.
Finished.Whenfinishedwithacourse,leaveyourplatesinthesamepositionthattheywerepresentedtoyou.Inotherwords,donotpushyourplatesawayorstackthem.
Guest.Ifyouaresomeone’sguestatameal,askthepersonwhathe/sherecommends.Bydoingthis,youwilllearnpricerangeguidelinesandhaveanideaofwhattoorder.Usuallyorderaniteminthemidpricerange.Alsokeepinmind,thepersonwhotypicallyinitiatesthemealwillpay.Remembertothankthemforthemeal.
RestaurantStaff.Waitstaff,servers,Maitred’,etc.areyourallies.Theycanassistyouwithwhateverproblemmayarise.Quietlygettheirattentionandspeaktothemabouttheissue.
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