Preview
of Dining Etiquette Booklet
Tips on Modern American Dining Etiquette
1. While standing in line at any fast food restaurant, decide what you want to order and have your money out and ready to pay immediately after giving your order.
11.
If
you choose to eat in your car, remember that your car has windows and people
can see what you are doing, so put your napkin on your lap and don’t gobble!
12. If you are invited to a dinner that is going to be a casual affair at a private home, always ask the hostess if you may bring some food or wine when you accept the invitation.
30.
At
a casual party, the guests are expected to take their own plates to the
kitchen.
33. If the luncheon is to honor someone such as a wedding shower, baby shower, etc., you must bring a gift for the honoree when you come to the luncheon. If you are unable to attend the luncheon, you do not need to give a gift, but most people do give a gift especially if they are close friends of the person who is being honored.
40.
If
the luncheon is served formally at tables, find your place card, if there are
place cards, and stand behind your seat as soon as luncheon is announced.
80. Invite your guest at least one week ahead so that he will not feel that he is a last minute replacement.
118.
Cellular
phones, if they are brought, should be turned off during a business lunch unless you are expecting an extremely important call.
126. If the price of the meal is to be split equally between people and the price of everyone’s meal was about the same, no one should demand an exact accounting of
who ate what.
Formal Dinner at Home
141. Always include a map to your home in the invitation unless all of your guests are neighbors. Even if all of your guests have been to your home before, they may have forgotten how to get there.
165. As the host, it is your responsibility to have a well stocked bar for your guests. If you know the favorite drinks of your guests, it is nice to have these drinks available for them.
Business Dinner in
Restaurant
209. Never assume your guest knows the dress
code!
237. You should never reach across the
table with your fork in hand to slice off a piece of food to taste!
Very Formal
Multi-course Dinner Complete with Guests(s) of Honor and Finger Bowls!
251. The host/hostess and his guest(s) of honor should be at the restaurant, private club or at his home before the other guests arrive.
313. The guests should not start eating their
desserts until after all of the toasts have been made!!
General Information
Different Types of Service
There are three classic forms of dinner service used worldwide. There is also a strictly American type of service.
(Different types of service discussed)
Different Styles of Eating
American Style Eating
(Details on “how” to eat American style discussed)
European Style Eating
(Details on “how to eat European style discussed)
Miscellaneous
Information
(Examples of Topics which are discussed)
Doggie Bags
Introductions
Smoking
How to Eat Certain
Foods
(How to eat these foods and many others are discussed)
Bananas: A banana is usually eaten with the hands after peeling it; however, if you are served a banana at the table, it must be eaten with a knife and fork.
Doughnuts: These are eaten with your fingers, but remember, no dunking in public! At home, dunk to your heart’s delight.
Soft Shelled Crabs: These are cut with your knife and fork and eaten with your fork.
Tortillas: These are held in your hand and eaten from the open end.
Tipping in
Restaurants
(Some of the “tipping” info that is given)
Average Restaurant
Tip for food: 15% of bill minus tax
Wine Steward: 0%, no wine steward
Fine Restaurant
Tips for Food: 20% of bill minus tax
Waiter 12%
Captain 8%
Wine Steward: $3 or 8% of total cost
Of wines
Coat Check Person: $1 for each coat
$2 if you left packages,
etc. with your coat
Dining Not Just
Eating!
In Greece, France, Italy as well as in many other countries people dine with each other. They sit down together to eat and food is a celebration, a sensual, wonderful experience to be shared with other people. In America, with the proliferation of fast food restaurants, mothers and fathers busy working or traveling, single parent homes, etc., etc., etc., we do not take the time to dine anymore and our culture is suffering because of it.
Studies have shown that well-adjusted children dine with their parents between five and six times a week. Even if you are unable to dine with your kids that often, at least dine with them as often as you can. Let them know how important they are to you by sharing a meal with them. Give your children this booklet to learn their table manners so you won’t have to be correcting then at the table when you should be talking and listening to them.
Dine with your fiends even if you are only at a fast food
restaurant. Enjoy your meal and make
small talk. Don’t just grab a burger
and dash off! Our American society
needs to slow down a little, smell the roses and learn to dine!