Basic Dining Etiquettes and Table Manners

Part - I

While more and more people are turning to dining out these days, it is of the essence that besides improving yourself, you teach your children formal dining etiquettes and table manners.

There is nothing wrong in desiring to pick up the basics of etiquettes of different events and occasions at any stage of life especially if you or your children or friends are not already well acquainted with them.

Lack of appropriate knowledge and practice of table manners may spoil your image particularly if you attend parties frequently either with friends or business colleagues.

A loutish behaviour on the occasion of a company dinner or a lunch with an important client could ruin your personality and cause you irreparable damage.

There is not much difference in table manners whether you are a host or a guest.  In either case you have to follow almost the same dining etiquettes.

Basic and Common Table Manners

- When you are comfortably seated, simply pull out the napkin from its setting; decently unfold it to place on your lap.  Tucking the napkin into collar is only seen in old movies.  Always avoid doing so. 

- People who rarely dine out have been noticed to be a bit shy in eating finger foods with fingers.  They assume it is against etiquettes to eat anything with a finger at such places like restaurants and party dinners.

Bacon, fried chicken, small fruits, French fries, chips, bread, cookies, sandwiches, berries, cubed cheese, corn on the cob, nuts, olive, pickles, hors d’oeuvres, muffins and casual pizza without much topping are all finger foods. It is perfectly fine to eat them with fingers.

- It is rather preferable to bite off pieces of larger chunks and use a fork or a spoon if they are muddled with toppings or other savories.

- Do not put an entire sandwich or a burger into your mouth even if it is small in volume.  Eating it in small bites lets your palate feel the real taste of every ingredient and spice.