DINING ETIQUETTE

Attention should be focused on

people,
not on food.
 How to make restaurant
reservations?
• Restaurant reservations are like any other
appointment.
• If you make a reservation, stick to it.
• Call ahead if you’re going to be more than
15 minutes late.
• Cancel as far in advance as possible.
 Getting seated….
• Never take your seat before being invited
to do so by your host.
• The gentleman should always help the
lady be seated.
• Do not ever run around trying to help the
ladies not sitting directly next to you .
• Always take your seat from the left side of
the chair.
 How to use napkins?
• The meal begins when the host or hostess
unfolds his or her napkin.
• This is your signal to do the same.
• Pick up your napkin by a corner and let it
fall open.
• Do not shake it open.
• Don't clean the cutlery or wipe your face
or nose with the napkin.
 Using Napkins Cont….

• The napkin rests on the lap till the end of

the meal.
• If you excuse yourself from the table,
loosely fold the napkin and place it to the
left or right of your plate.
• Never place your napkin on your chair.
 Using Napkins Cont….

• The host will signal the end of the meal by

placing his or her napkin on the table.
• At the end of the meal, leave the napkin
semi-folded at the left side of the place
setting.
 When to start eating?

• Wait until all are served at your table

before beginning to eat.
• When your host or hostess picks up their
fork to eat, then you may eat.
 Table setting….

• Eat to your left, drink to your right.

• At formal dinners, the food is served from
the left and the dishes are removed from
the right.
• Start with the knife, fork, or spoon that is
farthest from your plate.
Table setting
 How to use the utensils?
• Hold knife in the right
hand and fork in the
left hand.
• Eat food with fork still
in left hand.
• Difference between
American and
Continental styles.
 Cont….
• Hold the knife and fork
in your hand with the
tines pointed down
throughout the entire
eating process.
• If you want to take a
drink put down both
the utensils on the
plate.
• Always rest forks,
knives, and spoons on
the side of your plate
or in the bowl.
 How to use glasswares?

• Hold the glass by its

stem.
• Do not drink when
there is still food in
your mouth.
• Do not the empty the
glass.
 Drinking soup….
• Dip the spoon into the
soup, until it is about
two-thirds full, then
sip the liquid from the
side of the spoon.
• Do not slurp the soup
or insert the whole
spoon into the mouth.
• Do not blow on the
soup to cool it off.
 Cont….
• Do not put in big
pieces of bread into
your soup.
• Break the bread into
small pieces by hand.
• It is perfectly fine to
tilt the bowl slightly to
get the last spoonful
or two of soup.
 Cont….
• Tip the bowl away
from you, not toward
you.
• Place the spoon in
the bowl when you
want to rest.
• When you are
finished, leave the
spoon on the plate
beneath the bowl.
 How to eat bread?
• Use your fingers to
remove bread from
the serving
plate/bread basket.
• Pass the basket/any
food always to your
right.
• If bread is handed out
by a waiter, allow the
waiter to use bread
tongs to place it on
the plate.
 Cont….
• Break apart the bread
into small pieces
using your fingers.
• Do not cut or bite.
• Add butter to each
small piece of bread
in your bread & butter
plate.
• Place the butter knife
horizontally on bread
plate.
 Cont….
• Take enough butter
from the butter dish
and place it on your
dish using the butter
knife.
• Do not “double dip”
into the butter dish.
• Carefully and neatly
spread the butter and
eat the small broken
piece.
 How to eat sandwiches?
• Small sandwiches
may be picked up and
eaten with your
fingers.
• Large sandwiches
should be cut with
your knife before lifting
and eating.
• Any hot sandwich
served with a gravy
requires a knife and
fork.
 Eating the main course….
• DO NOT talk with
food in your mouth!
• Always taste your
food before
seasoning it.
• If asked for the salt or
pepper, pass both
together.
• Always use serving
utensils to serve
yourself, not your
personal silverware.
 Cont….
• Don't blow on your food to cool it off.
• Cut only enough food for the next
mouthful.
• Do eat a little of everything on your plate.
• It is acceptable to leave some food on
your plate if you are full or unable to eat.
• Do not "play with" your food or utensils.
 Cont….
• Do not hold food on the fork or spoon
while talking.
• Do not wave your silverware in the air or
point with it.
• Try to pace your eating so that you don’t
finish before others are halfway through.
• Once used, your utensils, including the
handles, must not touch the table again.
 Cont….
• Always rest forks, knives, and spoons on
the side of your plate or in the bowl.
• It is never acceptable to ask a person why
they have not eaten all the food.
• Don't make an issue if you don't like
something or can't eat it - keep silence.
• Do not request food other than which is
being served.
 Eating desserts….
• Dessert is a course that
typically comes at the end
of a meal.
• It usually consists of
sweet food.
• Common desserts
include cakes, cookies,
fruits, pastries, ice cream,
and candies.
• Always use the dessert
spoon and the dessert
knife.
 Drinking wine….
• Never turn a wine
glass upside down to
decline wine.
• It is more polite to let
the wine be poured
and not draw
attention.
• Otherwise, hold your
hand over the wine
glass to signal that
you don't want any
wine.
Placing knife, fork and spoon
after completing food….
 Using arms and legs….
• Rest your arms in your lap when you
aren't eating.
• If you gesture with your hands during a
meal conversation, you may rest only your
forearms on the table.
• Keep the arms still when in your lap, and
avoid the urge to fidget.
 Cont….
• Don't rest your elbows on the table while
you dine.
• Never stretch your arms at the table. It
signifies boredom.
• If you feel the urge to stretch or fidget
while dining, excuse yourself from the
table and take a break.
 Simple, Good Manners….
• Always respond to an invitation within a
week of receiving it.
• Dress properly as per the occasion.
NEVER attempt to "out dress" the host!
 Be punctual - never more than 10 minutes
late.
• If you wish to bring a guest as your
partner, you should always check with the
host first.
 Cont….
• Never carry any gifts for the host or the
hostess.
• Avoid loud eating noises such as slurping
and burping as they are considered very
impolite.
• Don't stretch across the table crossing
other guests to reach food or to pass the
food.
• Picking teeth or licking fingers are very
unattractive!
 Cont….
• Drinking too much wine can be very
embarrassing!
• If you drop a piece of food on the table,
don't panic.
• Don't correct others if they aren't using
proper etiquette.
 Cont….
• Don't forget to make polite conversation
with those guests around you.
• Pick a role model and compare your
behavior with them if you are not sure.
THANK YOU