Etiquette for Dining Out: Tips for Every Occasion Jennifer Reynolds, May 4, 2024April 18, 2024 Keeping your phone on silent or vibrate mode is essential when dining out. It is rude and distracting for your fellow diners to have the phone ringing in their ears. Part of dining etiquette involves engaging in pleasant conversation. However, you should avoid sensitive or controversial topics. Lastly, be sure to pace yourself with the pace of the other diners at your table. It is impolite to eat too quickly. A guide to finding the perfect etiquette class for you. Discover essential tips and considerations for refining your social grace and manners. Table Manners Whether you are eating in a restaurant or a private home, your table manners can make or break the environment. It can be upsetting to the people around you if you chew with your mouth open, make noise with your cutlery or talk on the phone at the table. If you do have to use your phone at the table, put it on silent or vibrate mode and keep it away from the food. It is rude to interrupt other diners with phone calls or texts, and it can cause a lot of distraction for the whole table. Aside from this, always taste the food before adding salt or pepper and avoid making unnecessary noises at the table. It is also a good idea to keep conversation interesting and ask other guests about their lives, careers, hobbies or sports. It never ceases to amaze how often dull, ill-mannered diners bring wait staff down a peg by blaming them for their own problems or talking about themselves endlessly. Seating Whether you’re at a restaurant or dinner party, it’s important to be seated properly. It can affect the environment for everyone in the room. Sit up straight, don’t lean too far back or forward and keep your arms at your sides or in front of you. It’s also a good idea to avoid putting your elbows on the table while eating, which gives off a very casual and unrefined vibe. (It is okay to lightly rest your elbows while conversing between courses, however.) Never reach across the table to grab food or condiments. Instead, ask a guest seated next to you for it. It’s also a good idea when passing salt and pepper to pass both together even if a guest asks for just one. This will help prevent other diners from having to search for orphaned shakers. It’s also polite to taste food before adding any additional salt, pepper or other seasoning unless you have a medical condition. Drinks If you are offered alcohol at the table, be sure to say no thank you if you do not feel comfortable partaking. Getting tipsy at dinner will ruin the experience for everyone, and may make the night uncomfortable or inappropriate. One of the most important dining etiquette tips is to always chew with your mouth closed. Chewing with your mouth open gives off an unrefined and casual vibe to those around you. When it comes to passing utensils, Gottsman says that guests should never stretch across the table or cross another diner’s line of vision in order to reach something. Instead, he suggests asking the guest seated closest to the item for assistance. When passing condiments like salt and pepper, be sure to pass them both together (even if someone asks for just one) so that dinner guests are not left searching for orphaned shakers. Finally, always keep your cell phone turned off or set to vibrate when at the dinner table. Talking or texting during meals is rude to other people and sends the message that the party on your phone is more important than the one with whom you are dining. Food You may be well-versed in how to properly set your silverware or how to fold your napkin in half with the crease at your waist, but the details of dining etiquette are what make or break the experience. It’s the little things that show respect for your dining companions, the server, and the restaurant staff. For example, it’s impolite to talk with your mouth full and to groan, burp, or slurp while eating. And it’s always best to taste your food before adding salt or pepper. Also, remember to never stretch across the table to reach for utensils or condiments. Instead, pass items in a counter-clockwise direction to avoid cross-contamination. And if you have a cough, excuse yourself to use the restroom and wash your hands before returning to the table. Finally, do not use your cellphone at the table (unless you’re on an important call). It’s rude to other diners and shows lack of respect for the staff. blogs