Dining Etiquette 101
There is always that one person in our friend groups who, no matter where they go, always finds the best food in the area. They never settle for mediocre experiences, and you’ll never catch them at a fast-food place. Their motto is “Fine Dining and Dining Etiquette,” and if they can’t afford to eat at a fancy restaurant, they’ll make sure to cook a good meal and present it elegantly at home.
While most of us are familiar with the phrase “Fine Dining,” many of us are unfamiliar with what “Dining Etiquette” really entails. For those curious about proper eating etiquette, Sirwiss sought the assistance of some of the top chefs in the field who work with Sirwiss to define precisely what “Dining Etiquette” involves.
Table Manners and Dining Etiquette
Etiquette at the table is something that is ought to be consistently honored, no matter where you are dining. Even when it’s just the three of you sitting down to a dinner together as a family, you should still strive to be a good role model for your children.
Top 10 Table Manners Tips
Table etiquette have developed through the years to make dining with the other individuals a more enjoyable and social activity. Although there are so many etiquette rules to remember, it is crucial to keep these fundamental, yet very important rules in mind while you eat:
1. Chew with your mouth closed.
2. Keep your smartphone off the table and set to silent or vibrate. Wait to check calls and texts until you are finished with the meal and away from the table.
3. Hold utensils correctly. Don’t use your fork or spoon like a shovel or stab your food.
4. Wash up and come to the table clean. Don’t groom or attend to hygiene at the table.
5. Remember to use your napkin.
6. Wait until you’re done chewing to sip or swallow a drink.
7. Pace yourself with fellow diners. Cut only one piece of food at a time.
8. Avoid slouching and don’t place your elbows on the table while eating (though it is okay to prop your elbows on the table while conversing between courses).
9. Instead of reaching across the table for something, ask for it to be passed to you.
10. Bring your best self to the meal. Take part in the dinner conversation.
Fine-Dining Etiquette Rules You’ve Probably Broken Your Whole Life
1. Never remove your menu off the table. At formal dining, the menu should always be placed in the same position. Even though you’re tempted to raise the menu closer to your face, make sure the bottom, or at least a portion of it, is still touching the table as you read it.
2. After you’ve sipped from a glass, you must continue to drink from the same spot for the remainder of the evening. To prevent a lip ring caused by natural oils, chapsticks, or lipstick, you should always drink from the same spot on the glass. The glass is then returned to the exact location from where it was originally retrieved.
3. Don’t clink. The act of clinking glasses for a toast may cause harm to the glassware, particularly if you are using really delicate glassware. In fact, the less noise we produce during a formal dinner, the better.
4. Never ask for an oyster fork. Don’t bother asking for an oyster fork if there isn’t one on the table; this indicates that the oyster has been loosened up and is ready to be eaten. (You may pry it free with a knife if there is any portion of the oyster that is still stuck to the shell for whatever reason.) After you have finished eating the oyster, you should indicate that you are finished by turning the shell over on the plate.
5. Maintain your plate’s rim as clean as possible. This is done out of consideration for the waiters and waitresses who will be clutching the plates’ edges to clear the table.
6. Leave “discards” in the top left corner of your plate. Discards go in the top left corner of your plate. For example, if you didn’t want to eat the zest off a lemon, you’d put it on the top left corner of your plate. Maybe even something like a fish bone. Sauces and butter go in the bottom right section.
7. Keep your bread on the plate at all times, until you are about to consume it. That’s why it’s important to spread the butter on the bread while it’s still on the plate and not cover the whole slice at once. If you want to consume a slice, you should break it off, butter it, and then raise it to your lips. Included in this category are bread-like items such as bagels, muffins and biscuits.
8. Before placing the napkin on your lap, fold it with the crease facing you. Napkins should be folded in half, with the crease facing you. You never wipe stains, merely dab them and then fold the napkin, ensuring that all stains remain closed on the inside of the napkin and that you never have a dirty presentation for your guests.
9. Never excuse yourself by saying you have to use the restroom. Excuse yourself if you have to leave the room in order to use the restroom. But you must not clarify why.
10. Don’t eat everything on your plate. That you didn’t eat everything on your plate indicates that the dinner was tasty but not filling enough, suggesting that you may still be hungry.
Coffee Shop Etiquette
You may get some work done or have a productive meeting in a cafe. In order to shake up the daily grind, get some fresh air, and focus on work, many people find that working from a coffee shop is the best option. Yet, appropriate politeness includes looking the cashier in the eye and reading the menu thoroughly before approaching the counter. Choose a cozy booth or table for one if dining alone. Don’t overstay your welcome if you intend to stay for a while. Empty seats at tables are essential to a coffee shop’s sales model.
Restaurant Table Etiquette
If you’re carrying a bag, the ideal method to hold it is between your lower back and the chair rest. Wait until everyone has their meal and is comfortably seated before starting to eat. If you’re organizing a restaurant gathering and want to pay for everyone’s dinner ahead of time, notify the waiter when you arrive that you should get the check or give the waiter your credit card ahead of time. Furthermore, remember to meet your group in the lobby before sitting down. Several restaurants have a policy of making you wait to be seated because it is courteous to wait for your entire group to arrive before being seated.
Formal Dinner Party Etiquette
The scheduling of the courses at a formal dinner is planned to last for many hours. Guests are welcome to assist themselves to the compote dishes during the meal, often in between meals. In the middle of more substantial dinners, a sorbet “intermezzo” may be offered. Do not just plop down anywhere you like. Find your place card. Do not take a seat unless the host tells you to. Dine with courtesy and conversation. Dancing and card games were common forms of entertainment at formal meals in the past. If this happens during your formal meal, a midnight snack will be served to freshen you up. To keep you hydrated for the rest of the night, they will have water and tumblers ready for you.
After the Meal
Once you have finished dinner, place your partially folded napkin to the left of your plate. Wait for the host or hostess to mark the conclusion of the dinner before standing. Do not run after finishing your meal. If nothing is scheduled after dinner, linger for a while before saying goodbye and thank the host for the meal before you leave. If the occasion is casual, you may offer to assist with tidying.