Dining etiquette is important whenever you are invited to a meal, whether it is a meal with your family or a with a potential employer, a client or the Queen, there is dining etiquette to follow and everyone should know the do's ad don'ts of dining! Here's what you need to know about dining etiquette.
First of all, when you arrive at the table, let your host to sit first before you take your seat. Of course if you are the host it is polite to invite your guests to sit first. Next you must wait until you have finished eating and only then should you push your chair backwards. You also should not cross your legs until you are done eating. You may cross them at the ankle dring the meal but you must sit upright at all times and preferably with your feet placed flat on the ground.
Another aspect of dining etiquette is when the mean actually starts you should always wait for the host to start eating first unless you are invited to start first. Never star before the other diners. Of course if after everyone has been seated and you have placed the napkin on your lap you may partake of any water that is present on the table at the time but not before.
As a rule where communal dishes and baskets of bread are concerned you should not indulge unless asked by your host. When asked by the host the individual closest to the basket should pick it up. Proper dining etiquette at this point requires this person to offer a serving to the person seated to his or her left and only after should they serve themselves. Therafter they should pass it to the individual seated on the right. Naturally this gesture applies to anything you wish to partake of on the table such as condiments, salad dressings, salt or pepper.
The dining room table itself is set to specific standards that everyone should know in order to execute proper dining etiquette at the dining room table. You will always find a little to the left and directly to the top of the fork your salad plate and your plate for bread and butter.
Similarly, to the right above your eating spoon you will find your beverages.
To help you remember these placements just remember that solids always to the left whilst liquids are always to the right. Another vital point to remember is how to use the silverware, which comes first? Well it's always the outside ones which are used first, so it's outside in.
For instance if there are two forks, the closer fork is to be used for the main meal whilst the outer fork is to be used for the salad assuming you are having one. As each course of your meal is completed the waiter will remove your silverware.
Usually you will find a 3rd fork to the left of the fork to be used for the salad and this would be for any appetizers being served but definitely not more than 3 forks will be placed on either side.
For dessert you will find a 4th utensil placed above your plate which can also be used for any coffee served as well. And as a general rule of thumb regarding dining etiquette, always be polite to your hosts or guests.
Questions are important for conversation at meals but don't plague, bother or probe people too much. Always speak pleasantly about the food even of it was not to your liking.
You don't have to lie, but proper dining etiquette suggests you can exercise discretion and be pleasant and never insult the chef. After all dining should be a pleasant experience and even if the food was not the best at least everyone can walk away satisfied with the delightful company that was present.
