Test Your Etiquette

Traditionally, how should men and women take their seats in a restaurant or at a dinner party? Men remain standing until women are seated. Women and men take turns one by one; first a woman sits, then a man. Everyone stands and waits for the host to be seated. Then, all sit.

Men remain standing until women are seated. "Traditionally, men remain standing until women are seated. This is an especially nice gesture when guests are of different generations, such as grandsons showing courtesy and respect to their grandmothers. Men assist women with their chairs unless the waiter or host does."

When eating soup, how do you spoon? Stick the spoon in and pull it towards you. Dip the spoon in the soup and move it horizontally across the bowl. Spoon away from you.

"Spoon away from you. Place a plate under the soup plate or bowl as the service plate. If space allows, place the spoon on the plate when you are talking."

Following American style, where do you place your knife and fork during the meal? On the tablecloth, on either side of the plate. The knife lies across the back of the plate and the handle of the fork rests on the rim, with the tines of the fork resting on the inside of the plate. They sit next to each other, on the tablecloth, on the right side of your plate.

The knife lies across the back of the plate and the handle of the fork rests on the rim, with the tines of the fork resting on the inside of the plate. "Although there are variations of where and how to lay the knife and fork during the meal, the American style is accepted and easy to remember: Lay the knife across the back of the plate, slightly to the right, handle on the right side. During the meal, lay the fork at an angle to you, the handle on the rim."

At meals, when can you start eating? As soon as you are served. When the people on either side of you have been served. After everyone is served.

"Wait until everyone is served before starting to eat in a private home or restaurant. For family meals, the mother starts first. Guests should wait for the hosts. No one should leave the table until everyone is finished."

How should you share food in a restaurant? Fill your fork or spoon and empty it on your companion's bread-and-butter plate. Ask your companion to open his or her mouth, and simply deposit the food. Pass your dish around and let people help themselves. Place a morsel to taste on your bread-and-butter plate and pass the plate to your companion.

"To share food in a restaurant, carefully place a small portion on your bread and butter plate and pass it to your companion. In informal situations with a spouse or close friend, a forkful of food, carefully passed and not dripping, is fine. Don't feel compelled to share food, and don't press others into tasting all the dishes."

Why should you pat your lips with a napkin before taking a sip of a beverage? To avoid leaving a spot on the glass. As a signal to the server that your glass needs filling. So your lips will look plump and buffed. To prevent crumbs from falling in your beverage.

To avoid leaving a spot on the glass. "Pat your lips with your napkin before taking a sip of a beverage to avoid leaving a spot on the glass. Pat discreetly if you feel any food or liquid on your lips."

At the end of the meal, what should you do with your knife and fork to signal that you have finished eating? Lay the knife and fork across your plate with the handles at four o'clock. Place your utensils next to each other, on the tablecloth, above your plate. Position your utensils on your plate so that the knife and fork form an "X".

Lay the knife and fork across your plate with the handles at four o'clock. "Lay the knife and fork across your plate with the handles at four o'clock (think of a clock face) to signal that you have finished eating. Make conversation at the table until everyone has finished eating. If the meal involved a soup course, the spoon should be on the service plate, not in the soup bowl. However, if this is awkward, leave the spoon in the bowl or notice how other diners are handling the situation."

In a formal table setting, what is a charger? The proper name for a large serving tray. A large plate that sits under your plate or bowl. The type of decorative folded napkin that stands on your plate.

A large plate that sits under your plate or bowl. "A large plate on a set table is a charger or service plate. It stays on the table throughout the meal unless removed with the soup course."

When is it acceptable to put your elbows on the table? Only between courses. While you are eating. Never.

Only between courses. Never say never. Contrary to popular belief, elbows on the table is acceptable between courses or after everyone has finished eating, but never during the meal.

During the meal you need to visit the restroom. What do you do? Announce to everyone, "I've gotta go to the toilet." Say, "Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back." Say nothing -- just leave. Sit quietly and suffer until the meal is over.

Say, "Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back." Publicly announcing bodily functions is crass. If you gotta go, you gotta go -- just leave with the minimum amount of fuss. A quiet "Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back" is sufficient.

When you are not eating, where do you keep your hands? On your lap or resting on the table. In your pockets. Keep 'em busy. Drum a little tune with your fingers.

On your lap or resting on the table is ideal. If you place your hands on the table be sure that your wrists are on the edge of the table

More Dining Etiquette

Talking with food in your mouth… Do not talk with your mouth full. The important word here is ‘full’. If every diner had to wait until their mouth was completely empty, then conversation at the table would be very sad indeed.

Do not chew food with your mouth open: People that chew food with their mouth open are not aware they are doing it. The next time you eat, pay attention to whether you are chewing with you mouth open. If you are, please stop. – Smacking and crunching. Eating as quietly as possible is essential to good table manners.

Do not scarf down your food: Eat your food slowly and enjoy it. Give yourself the opportunity to enjoy the company of your dining companions.

Napkin Etiquette Unfolding the Napkin. Unfold your napkin in one smooth motion without "snapping" or "shaking" it open. – The size determines how you unfold a napkin in your lap. Large napkins provided at more formal dinners, are unfolded halfway. Smaller napkins are unfolded completely and cover the lap fully. Tucking the Napkin. Don't tuck a napkin into your collar, between the buttons of your shirt, or in your belt. Using the Napkin. Use your napkin frequently during the meal to blot or pat, not wipe, your lips. Blot your lips before taking a drink of your beverage

After the meal: The napkin, whether paper or cloth, is placed to the left of the place setting when you are finished and about to leave the table. - See more at: n-nuances-correct-placement-of-the-napkin- after-a-meal/#sthash.JrqkVRFh.dpuf “Whenever you excuse yourself from the table, place your napkin in your chair. Just leave it in loose folds, keeping any soiled parts out of sight.

Posture at the table Proper posture at the table is very important. To show that you're alert and engaged, don't slouch. Make sure to sit up straight, with your arms held near your body. Never hang your elbows heavily on the table when at a formal dinner.

When to be excused... After finishing your meal, you should remain at the table until everyone else is finished.

Place setting

Dinner plate: This is the "hub of the wheel" and is usually the first thing to be set on the table. In our illustration, the dinner plate would be placed where the napkin is, with the napkin on top of the plate.

Two Forks: The forks are placed to the left of the plate. The dinner fork, the larger of the two forks, is used for the main course; the smaller fork is used for a salad or an appetizer. The forks are arranged according to when you need to use them, following an "outside-in" order.

Napkin: The napkin is folded or put in a napkin ring and placed either to the left of the forks or on the center of the dinner plate. Sometimes, a folded napkin is placed under the forks.

Dinner Knife: The dinner knife is set immediately to the right of the plate, cutting edge facing inward. (If the main course is meat, a steak knife can take the place of the dinner knife.) At an informal meal, the dinner knife may be used for all courses, but a dirty knife should never be placed on the table, place mat or tablecloth

Spoons: Spoons go to the right of the knife. In our illustration, soup is being served first, so the soup spoon goes to the far (outside) right of the dinner knife; the teaspoon or dessert spoon, which will be used last, goes to the left (inside) of the soup spoon, next to the dinner knife.

Glasses: Drinking glasses of any kind -- water, wine, juice, iced tea -- are placed at the top right of the dinner plate, above the knives and spoons

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