Good dinner etiquette involves being polite, respectful, and using common courtesy. Keep your elbows off the table, wait until everyone is served, and say please and thank you. American and European styles are both proper, but utensils should never touch the table once used.
It’s important to use the correct dinner etiquette to avoid offending the host or appearing rude. While there are many tips for good table manners, the most important thing to remember is to be polite and respectful, using common courtesy at all times. Being polite and tidy is far more important than remembering which fork goes with which course.
Dinner etiquette begins as soon as you are seated at the table. He’s polite to immediately remove the napkin and place it on his lap, neatly folded. The napkin should stay on your lap for the rest of the dinner. If one gets up to leave the table, the napkin should be folded and placed on the table, but not on the seat of the chair. When you’re done eating, it’s polite to fold your napkin and place it back on the table to the left of your plate.
Another important tip to remember is to always keep your elbows off the table. Basic dinner etiquette also states that it’s polite to wait until everyone at the table has been served, and is ready to eat before you start eating. Saying please and thank you when you ask for items on the table is also very important, and it’s considered polite to pass items to another person by placing them on the table, not in person. Don’t talk with your mouth full and take small bites of food.
When you receive food, tasting it before adding salt or pepper is good dinner etiquette. If there’s something in the dish that isn’t curated, it’s a good idea to try it anyway. You don’t have to eat it all. Remember that all plates on the left and glasses on the right are those associated with your particular place setting. Food can be eaten American or European style; each is proper etiquette for the dining table.
In the American style, the fork and knife are switched by right and left hands, depending on the utensil used. The food is cut with the knife in the right hand then set down and the fork is then picked up and held in the right hand to eat. In the European style, the fork remains in the left hand and the knife in the right throughout the meal. Both styles are appropriate, but once the utensils are used, good dinner etiquette requires that they never touch the table again. In general, if you have multiple tools, it’s best to start on the outside and work your way. Following these basic tips will ensure a pleasant dining experience.
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