Basic Table Manners

1. Electronic devices.

Turn off or silence all electronic devices before entering the restaurant. If you forgot to turn off your cell phone, and it rings, immediately turn it off. Do not answer the call. Do not text, and if you have a Blackberry or iphone, do not browse the Internet at the table.2. Napkin.
Place the napkin on your lap after being seated. As needed, use it to gently wipe or dab your mouth. Before drinking from a glass, dab your mouth. During a restroom break, place the napkin to the left of the plate. At the end of the meal, the napkin is placed neatly to the right of the plate (not refolded, but not crumpled either).3. Wait until everyone is served before eating.
If you are a guest, wait for the host to begin.4. Utensils.
If unsure which utensil to use, remember "outside in." The outer most utensil is used first. Once used, the utensil does not go back on the table, but is placed on the plate. When finished, the knife and fork are place side by side (parallel) on the plate with handles at the 4 o'clock position. Soup spoons are placed on bowl's service plate when finished; teaspoons placed on the saucer.5. Bread or rolls:
Place your bread and some butter on the bread plate. Break off a bite-size piece of bread before buttering.6. Sit up straight, do not hunch over your plate.7. Hands.
You can place your wrists or forearms on the table, or hands on your lap.8. Legs.
Keep legs next to your chair. Do not stretch legs out or cross your legs as they may bump others under the table.9. Chew with your mouth closed.
Do not overfill your mouth with food. Wait several seconds before taking the next bite.10. Removing items from your mouth.
If you need to remove gristle, bone, or an olive pit from your mouth, then remove it the way it had entered (i.e. fork or fingers), and place it discreetly on your plate.11. Avoid improper conduct such as talking with mouth full, burping, nose blowing, picking at teeth, grooming or putting on makeup at the table. Instead, excuse yourself from the table and go to the restroom.12. Courtesy.
Always say thank you when served something.13. Relax, dine slowly, and enjoy the meal and your company.

14. Do not season your food before eating it.

15. Never spit any bad food into your napkin.

16. Never wave utensils in the air.


Top 12 Rude Dining Behaviors1. Talking on Cell PhonesCell phones should be turned off or on vibrate or silence during a meal. Never answer the call unless it is an emergency. If expecting an emergency call, then let your table party know so that when you receive it, you can excuse yourself from the table and talk outside.2. Chewing With Your Mouth OpenThe mouth should be closed when chewing. ABC (already been chewed) is not an appetizing sight.3. Talking With Mouth FullWhen the mouth is full of food, wait to speak until you have swallowed the food. Again, it is not appetizing to see food and when talking with food in the mouth, some could accidentally get spit onto your guests.4. Blowing Nose at the Dinner TableIt is very offensive and unsanitary to blow one's nose at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom.5. Being Rude to Wait StaffBeing rude or impolite to the wait staff is unacceptable. If you do not like your food or wine, let the wait staff know politely and they will get you a replacement. However, if you have finished your meal or wine, then you should not expect a replacement meal or drink.6. Picking Your TeethIt is inconsiderate to use a toothpick, fingers, or utensils to pick at your teeth at the dinner table. If food is stuck in your teeth, then excuse yourself and go to the restroom.7. BurpingSometimes burping may be unavoidable, but try to suppress it using your napkin.8. FlatulenceSometimes passing gas may be unavoidable, but try to suppress it. 9. Licking FingersIf your fingers happen to get food on them, use your napkin to wipe them clean. Or, excuse yourself, and use the restroom to wash hands.10. Grooming or Touching Up Make UpAlthough commonly seen in restaurants, the place to primp is in the restroom.11. Over Indulging the AlcoholIt is uncouth to drink too much. It is also unhealthy to have too much alcohol and unsafe to drive. Even if you have a designated driver, alcohol tends to unleash obnoxious behavior.12. Not Leaving a TipUnless the service was unbearable, a 15% to 20% tip should be left. If the service was terrible, speak discretely with the restaurant manager.

FINGER FOODS1. Artichoke: to eat it, pull a leaf off, dip it, scrape the flesh from the base of the leaf with your top teeth, and discard the leaf on the plate provided for that purpose. Continue eating the leaves until the prickly "choke" is revealed. Switch to fork and knife, first to remove the choke, then to eat the heart and base.2. Asparagus: may be eaten with the fingers as long as it is not covered with sauce or otherwise prepared so it is too mushy to pick up easily.3. Bacon4. Bread5. Cookies6. Corn on the Cob: butter one or two rows at a time and to eat across the cob cleanly.7. Chips, French Fries, Fried Chicken, and Hamburgers: may be eaten with fingers at a barbecue, picnic, or fast food restaurant. A particularly messy hamburger could be approached with fork and knife, and steak fries (the thick-cut, less crispy variety) may be best eaten with a fork. In a nicer restaurant, fried chicken is best eaten with a fork and knife. Just leave the remainder on the bone, do not eat with fingers.8. Deviled Eggs9. Hors d'Oeuvres, Canapes: almost everything that is served at a cocktail party or during a pre-meal cocktail hour is intended to be eaten with the fingers.10. Nuts11. Olives12. Pickles13. Sandwiches: any sandwich that is not open-faced, not too tall to fit in the mouth, not saturated with dripping sauces or loaded with mushy fillings -- is intended to be picked up and eaten. Otherwise use fork and knife.14. Small Fruits and Berries on the Stem: strawberries with the hulls on, cherries with stems, or grapes in bunches. Otherwise, as with all berries, the utensil of choice is a spoon.What is the proper way to eat pasta?

You don't have to use the spoon. But, it might be easier to roll the spaghetti onto your fork using the spoon. Pick up a few strands of spaghetti with your fork, then twirl the fork into the spoon while gradually turning the spoon so that it is facing sideways (not flat) and the fork is at a 90-degree angle to the spoon.






Formal Table Setting




Utensil Placement After Eating