1. Dining Etiquette
By: Cassie Klumpp

2. How to use a napkin… As soon as seated, unfold napkin
Place napkin in lap
Keep napkin until done with meal
Don’t clean silverware or wipe face
NEVER use to wipe your nose
Don’t leave the napkin on the chair
-As soon as you are seated, unfold your napkin but do not shake it
-place the napkin on your lap
-keep the napkin on your lap until everyone is done with the meal
-do not clean your silverware with the napkin
-do not wipe your face with the napkin
-NEVER use the napkin to wipe your nose
-if you have to excuse yourself from the table, loosely fold your napkin and place it on either the left or right of your plate
-Do not refold your napkin or wad it up on the table either
-never place your napkin on your chair
- At the end of the meal, leave the semi-folded napkin to the left of the place setting

3. When to start eating… Restaurant Wait until everyone is served
Private Dinner Party
After the host picks up silverware
Not unless insisted by host
Restaurant
Wait until everyone at the table is served
Private Dinner Party
After the host picks up their silverware you can start to eat
Never eat before the host unless they insist that you eat

4. How to use your silverware…
Start from the outside, work in
Dessert fork or spoon above plate
When eating you start from the outside of the silverware and work your way in.
Salad fork is on the outside left then you would use your soup spoon on the outside right
Next would come your dinner so you would take the fork that was after the salad fork
The desert fork can be on your left next to the plate, above the plate or brought out with your desert
The smaller spoon after the soup spoon is the teaspoon used for your drinks
The plate to the upper left is for your bread or rolls with the butter spreader
The water glass is the biggest glass of the three

5. General dining etiquette rules…
Follow dress code on invitation
Never arrive late
Sit man-woman-man at table
Join in with a toast
Send a thank you note
Follow the dress code on the invitation or specified by the host
Arrive 10 minutes early, never arrive late!
If there are no name cards at the table, sit man-woman-man at the table
Sometimes a host says a toast, you should join in on the toast.
You should send a thank you note to the host after the party.

6. Serving Food Food served from left Plates taken from right
Always say please
“Thank you” to waiter
Dip transferred to plate first
The food is served to your left
Plates are taken from your right
Always say please when asking for something
Say “thank you” to the waiter or bus boy that takes your plates
Butter, spreads, or dips should be transferred to your plate before you place it on food

7. Passing dishes or food Pass food from left to right
Pass both salt and pepper
Set food on table to pass
Never intercept a pass
Always use serving utensils
Pass the food to the right never across the table or to the left.
When someone asks you to pass the salt or pepper, pass both so people don’t have to search for both.
When you pass food to someone, place it on the table instead of passing hand-to-hand
When passing someone food, never take some before passing it to them if they asked for it first
When taking food, use the serving utensils to get the food, not your personal silverware.

8. Eating Don’t talk with your mouth full Don’t blow on your food
Cut bite size pieces
Only one or two pieces
Don’t play with food
Never talk with your mouth full, always wait until you are done chewing your food before talking.
If your food is too hot, wait for it to cool, don’t blow on it.
Cut your food into bite size pieces, and only cut off one or two pieces.
Don’t play with your food.

9. Table Manners No slurping or burping Keep your elbows off the table
Mingle, don’t talk too loud
Say “excuse me” when leaving
No toothpicks or apply makeup
No cell phones
Keep your elbows off the table
You can mingle with the people at the table, but don’t talk too loud.
No slurping or burping when eating at table.
Say “excuse me” or “I’ll be back” when leaving the table
Do not use toothpicks at the table, also do not apply makeup
No cell phones at the table, it is not polite to have your cell phone go off in the middle of a dinner.

10. Proper tipping in a restaurant…
At a restaurant, always leave a tip. Tips can vary from 15% to 25%. 
Waiter: 15% to 20% of the bill; 25% for extraordinary service Wine steward: 15% of wine bill Bartender: 10% to 15% of bar bill Coat check: $1.00 per coat Car attendant: $2.00 to $5.00

11. Dividing or sharing the bill…
6 or more people, divide bill
If dividing, tell before hand
If order less, make payment smaller
If there is going to be 6 or more people, then you will want to divide the bill
If you know that you are going to be dividing the bill before hand, then tell the waiter before hand, this will make the payment easier in the end
If someone orders less than everyone else, then have them pay less towards the bill so it is fair for them

12. Sources
"Dining Etiquette Guide, Table Manners, Dinner Party Manners, United States Dining Table Manners, Dinner Etiquette, Restaurant Dining Etiquette, Food Etiquette Guide." What's Cooking America, Fathers Day, Fathers Day Recipes, Memorial Day Picnics, Old Fashion Picnic Foods, Healthy Eating, Weight Loss, Healthy Diets, Beauty Articles, Food Articles, Diet Articles. Web. 20 May <
YouTube - Basic Dining Etiquette - Table Taboos. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 18 May <
Photograph. Web. 18 May <
Photograph. Web. 18 May <
YouTube - Bad Table Manners. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 18 May <