Don't go for food. Etiquette and table manners

Etiquette includes a huge number of all sorts of rules and subtleties that are very difficult to remember. However, it is essential to know the rules of conduct for those situations in which a person finds himself most often. So, it is worth learning how to behave at the table.

How to sit correctly

You have to sit nicely at the table. You can not fall apart on a chair, as if it were your home chair. Sit on the edge of a chair with your back straight and legs straight. No need to move very close to the table and even more so to lean on it with your chest. You should sit in such a way that it is comfortable for you to eat, and at the same time not feel any constraint in movement. In accordance with generally accepted standards, a distance equal to the palm of your hand should remain between the table and the person. The plate should be placed on the table at a distance of two fingers from its edge.

Basic rules of table etiquette

The rules of table etiquette strictly forbid putting your elbows on the table. You can put your hands on it. Between meals, hands should be folded on your knees or on the armrests of the chair. Sitting at the table, you need to unfold the cloth napkin located next to your plate and place it on your lap. It is worth noting that the main purpose of this napkin is to protect clothes and prevent them from getting dirty. Hands should be wiped only with paper napkins. They also need to blot the mouth, do not wipe, namely blot, gently touching the lips.

Cutlery

The rules that describe how to behave at the table state that the knife and spoon must be held in the right hand, and the fork in the left. It will be useful to know that the cutlery folded crosswise on the plate means that you have decided to take a break. If you want the waiter to remove the cutlery or replace the dish, you should place a fork and knife diagonally parallel to each other. Their handles should look in the lower right corner. Cutlery stacked on a plate indicates your desire to pause. It should be noted that after the first dish is eaten, it is necessary to leave the spoon in the plate. Meat, poultry and fish should be eaten with a knife and fork. The bones should be removed from the mouth not with your fingers, but with a fork, carefully setting them aside.

Eat carefully

You do not need to bite off too large pieces of food, you should chew with your mouth closed. While eating, you can not talk, slurp, sip and blow on hot food. In addition, it is indecent to discuss treats and choose the most appetizing piece on a common plate. In the event that you cannot take a dish, you should politely ask the person sitting next to you to pass it. When thinking about how to properly behave at the table, do not forget about the polite attitude towards your companions. While at the table, you can not laugh out loud and talk with your mouth full. You need to respect your companions: do not smoke in front of them, do not talk on the phone, and do not gesticulate.

Refusal of a meal

  • If you want to refuse some food that you do not like or that may cause you an allergy, then it is worth politely refusing: "No, thank you." But still, the rules of good manners recommend that you take at least a small piece from the dish and place it on the plate in such a way that it is not noticeable that you have not touched it.
  • Undoubtedly, any hostess will be upset if she notices that you have not tried any dish. In this case, you do not need to loudly explain what the reason is. It is necessary, without attracting the attention of the rest of those sitting at the table, in a low voice to explain to her why you refused to eat: you are on a diet, you are allergic to certain types of products, your doctor does not recommend them to you.
  • If you refuse a dish that the waiter offers, you just need to shake your head or say in a low voice: "No, thanks." In the case when you are present at an "a la buffet" dinner, where several dishes are offered at once, you can put on your plate just what you like best. However, if at such a dinner waiters are standing at the table with appetizers, then you need to point them to the dish you like, stretch your plate forward, smile and kindly ask them to put the dish you have chosen. If you notice that you were about to put something that you didn’t ask for, you should say: “No, thanks” and repeat your previous request.

Now you know how to behave at the table to create a good impression of yourself. Remember that by following the elementary rules of etiquette, you can attract attention to yourself and achieve the location of others. Try it and see for yourself!

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Even the simplest gatherings with loved ones are also a ceremony that has its own rules. The laws of etiquette must be followed, if only because they help to make everyone at the table feel comfortable and cozy.

website collected for you the most common mistakes in behavior at the table. Spoiler: the most important thing is the last one.

1. Get stuck on social networks

The phone on the table is a sign of bad taste, and besides, it is unhygienic. It's best to put your phone on vibrate and put it in your pocket. It is worth remembering that for a well-mannered person, all correspondence interlocutors are secondary. If in the midst of lunch someone suddenly calls who cannot be answered, you should apologize, leave the table and resolve all urgent issues as quickly as possible.

2. Start eating first

Even if everything looks damn delicious and you're hungry like you haven't eaten in 7 days, don't start eating alone (you can't even cut that slice that looks right at you). In the restaurant, we wait until the orders are brought to everyone and the woman sitting at the table starts eating, at a party - when the owners of the house start eating.

3. Silently put ourselves a salad

If you are successfully sitting in front of a common dish, you first need to offer it to other guests and only then serve it to yourself. And if the housewife’s branded Olivier is standing in front of a neighbor, it means that he is on the “distribution” today: you just need to politely ask him for help. An important nuance: at the table everyone passes with the right hand.

4. Put the used appliances on the table

Spoons, forks and knives that have been used at least once should lie in a plate and not stain the festive tablecloth. There they should be during the conversation. (Yes, yes, waving a dirty spoon in front of the interlocutor’s nose is bad manners.)

5. Bite the bread

In order to eat more of these soft French rolls, and remain a connoisseur of etiquette, you need to consider only 2 points. First, do not cut bread with a knife. Second: do not bite your teeth into a large piece of bread (it is better to break off small pieces with your fingers as needed).

6. Torture the tea bag

It is most correct to pull out the bag with a spoon (without touching the rope with your hands), squeeze it slightly on the edge of the cup and put it in the upper left part of the tea saucer. We also send tea wrappers, sugar packaging, etc.

7. Spread butter from a common plate

It is considered polite to first put some butter on your plate and only then spread it on bread. So bread crumbs do not fall into a common plate.

8. We pass the salt only when asked

I salted it myself - offer it to a neighbor on the table. There may be shy people at the table who would rather eat unsalted than turn to someone with a request. Important: we always give away the salt shaker together with the pepper shaker on the same stand. At the same time, it is more correct not to give it to your hands, but to put it on the table next to your neighbor.

Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, corporate parties - there are many bright events in our lives. And unfortunately, at a feast in honor of some of them, one can feel awkward. But how I would like every holiday to be fun and relaxed.

The reasons that put us in this position can be very different - from the banal inability to behave at the table to more complex ones: differences in education, in worldview, an unusual environment, an alien number of appliances and previously unfamiliar dishes.

But no matter what happens, the culture of behavior is the same for everyone. And adhering to its simple rules, you can impress a well-mannered person on all, without exception, companions.

Try to follow the rules of etiquette even alone with yourself, and it will become easier for you to follow them in the presence of others!

How to behave at a dinner party

It is better to leave the phone and other personal items in the hallway or wardrobe so as not to be distracted by them during the evening. Pay more attention to the guests and the person who invited you.

Even on the threshold, remember the cherished words of courtesy: thank you, please, bon appetit, sorry. Feel free to wield them throughout the event.

Watch how you sit

When you sit down at the table, whether at the very beginning of dinner or in the middle, do not move your chair closer to it. Just put it so that you take a comfortable position for you right away. Ideally, one hand should fit between you and the countertop.

Don't put your elbows on the table! If young people are unlikely to notice such an omission, then this gesture will certainly not flash past the eyes of the adult generation.

During breaks, i.e. between meals, keep your hands in your lap or on the armrests.

The most elementary gesture of politeness is not to start a meal until the inviter himself has started it. It is not difficult to comply with it, but if the owner insists that the guests do not wait for him, support his desire.

Keep an even posture, you can not lean on anything and lean towards the plate. Food should be brought to the mouth, not the other way around. Try to look casual.

Stretching your legs, reaching for an alluring dish is also not worth it. By such actions, you can interfere with your companions and give the impression of an absolutely ill-mannered person. It is better to ask for something closer to the sitting guests.

The true purpose of a cloth napkin

The first thing to do when sitting down at the table is to unfold the cloth napkin and place it on your lap. Unfolded or folded in half if it is too large.

Just don't plug it into your shirt collar, it's considered bad manners in today's society and is only acceptable for small children.

Do not try to wipe your hands and mouth with a cloth napkin, it is designed to protect your holiday attire from accidentally spilled liquids and dropped pieces of food. And hands should be cleaned with ordinary paper ones.

If there is no paper version, most likely the owner combined their purpose. In this case, follow how he does and do the same.

Talented handling of devices

Remember that the spoon and knife must be held with the right hand, the fork with the left. If you fold the appliances crosswise, the owner will understand that you have decided to pause. And if you lay it parallel and slightly diagonally, you are ready to serve the next dish. These are simple ones that you can’t do without at any event.

To make a positive impression on others, follow simple rules during the meal:

  • It is necessary to eat slowly and carefully, even if it is very tasty! Chomping and slurping will instantly elevate you to the list of ill-mannered people.

Soft foods, such as scrambled eggs and some fish, should be eaten with a fork without a knife.

  • Never choose the most appetizing piece from a shared plate. Take the one closest to you.
  • Cut meat, game and fish in stages. It's not nice to cut them into pieces right away!
  • You can’t reach for a far-standing dish, ask those who are sitting closer to serve it.
  • Do not try to chew too large pieces of food. They should be small in size to be able to keep up the conversation in time.
  • Don't blow on hot food, let it cool down while you enjoy socializing.
  • Always eat with your mouth closed! Even at home, to get used to and not to forget during a dinner party.

  • Do not eat with a knife, this is a sign of bad manners and bad taste.
  • When you want to pour a drink from a carafe for yourself, first offer it to your interlocutors. This also applies to general meals.
  • Don't give more food than you can handle. It is better to report several times.
  • Tilt the bowl of soup away from you, not vice versa. And ideally, leave it half-eaten.
  • Don't talk with your mouth full, apologize politely, and chew your food.

  • Remove the bone stuck in your mouth with a fork and discreetly transfer it to a paper napkin.
  • If you find hair or something else in the dish while visiting, do not express your dissatisfaction. Just put it on the edge of your plate and cover it with a side dish so that the rest of the guests do not notice.
  • You can not keep devices on weight during the conversation.
  • Do not place your spoon, fork or knife on a clean tablecloth during or after the meal. Keep them in a bowl.
  • If you urgently need to leave the table, tactfully apologize to either the interlocutor, or, if there is none, the nearest neighbor.

  • Do not drink solid food! Chew well, swallow, blot your lips with a napkin and only then drink.
  • Pick up only as much food on the fork as it can freely fit on it. It can be less, the main thing is that it does not fall off.
  • It is absolutely unacceptable to collect the remains of the sauce, for example, with the help of bread.
  • Do not lick cutlery and move dirty dishes to the side.

And be careful with gestures, otherwise you risk knocking something over on your companion.

Remember to politely apologize to your tablemates if:

  1. Need to leave urgently.
  2. The phone rang.
  3. You need to clear your throat, and it's too late to leave.
  4. The hiccups started abruptly.
  5. You suddenly became ill.
  6. Suffering from digestive problems.


How to show gratitude before leaving

At the end of the evening, sincerely thank the person who organized it. Tell him how pleasant it was for you to be in his company, praise the choice and taste of the dishes.

We all know without too much reminder that the rules of etiquette at the table are simply necessary. After all, having this knowledge, we feel much more comfortable and confident at any table. I was inspired to prepare this material by a girl I knew, who refused to accept invitations to restaurants and cafes just because she did not know how to properly handle a knife and fork. Now this problem has already been solved for her, but certain points in food etiquette may cause us doubts. In order to have as few such doubts as possible, let's look at the elementary rules of table etiquette.

First, how to sit? Not too far from the edge of the table, but not too close, and of course not resting your elbows on the table. There is a small exception for women, when she can briefly lean one elbow on the table, but only in case of emergency, for example, if her arm is tired. You should sit straight in a chair and not bend over a plate. There are no exceptions here for anyone.

Before you start a meal, you need to "deal" with a napkin. A napkin intended for individual use should be unfolded and placed on your lap. While eating, they do not wipe their lips with such a napkin; for these purposes, it is better to use paper ones, and only at the end of a meal, you can touch your lips with a linen napkin and wipe your fingertips. Where to put her then? Just put it on the table.

Even if you have an appetite, do not pounce on food. Eat slowly, so you get even more pleasure from food. Of course, if you like the dish, finish it to the end, but in no case do not clean the bottom of the plate with a piece of bread. Just imagine that your table neighbor will do this, is it a pleasant sight?

Food is taken from a common dish with common appliances (special tongs, forks, spoons are designed for this) and put on a plate. Don't forget to put these appliances back. And do not get confused: only common appliances on your plate, but not individual appliances from a common dish. If the dish is far enough away from you, do not reach across the entire table, ask a waiter or a neighbor to serve it to you.

The rules of etiquette at the table do not prohibit taking bread, cookies, cake, fruits, citrus fruits with your hands - this is exactly what is accepted. Refined sugar is also included in this category, but if there are special tongs nearby, use them.

Since we are talking about bread, it should be recalled that this is a very delicate product, you can even say that there is a bread etiquette. For example, it is not customary to bite off a whole piece of bread. It is eaten in small pieces, which are broken off over their plate. It is also not customary to butter a whole piece of bread. This is best done by gradually breaking off pieces and buttering each of them. If there is a pie plate next to you, which is specially designed for bread, then put it in it, shifting the bread from the common plate. Butter is also put into a pie plate with a clean knife, which is then spread on slices of bread. They do the same with caviar, only for caviar there is a device - a special spatula. Pate can be taken either with a knife or a fork. Sandwiches are also taken by hand. If they are prepared for a snack, then they are eaten with a knife and fork.

Hot appetizers from kokotnitsa or kokotnitsa are eaten with a kokot fork or a teaspoon. Hot fish is eaten with a fish knife and fork. In extreme cases, if there are no special devices, you can use two table forks.

Now for the soup. It is eaten slowly and silently. If the soup is very hot, do not stir it with a spoon, it is better to wait until it cools down. With a spoon they scoop from themselves and bring it to the mouth with the left wide edge. If you finish eating the soup, slightly lift the plate away from you with your left hand. Dumplings, noodles, potatoes in the soup, if necessary, crush with the edge of a spoon. At the end of the meal, the spoon is left in the plate.

Broths are served in cups (broth makers) with one or two handles. From a cup with one handle, the broth can be drunk like tea, and from a cup with two handles, you should eat with a spoon.

Fish cold dishes are eaten with snack utensils. However, this is the case with all cold snack dishes. But hot-smoked fish gastronomy - with the help of fish appliances. In all cases, if the bones get into your mouth, you should carefully and, if possible, unobtrusively remove them with your hand and put them on the edge of the plate.

With the help of cutlery - a knife and a fork - they eat natural portioned meat dishes such as pork and lamb chops, steaks, fillets, langets, liver, etc. In this case, the knife is held in the right hand, the fork - in the left. Meatballs, cutlets, chopped zrazy, cabbage rolls, omelettes and other soft dishes, where the use of a knife would be redundant, are eaten with a fork, which is now held in the right hand.

Dishes and snacks from natural meat, cheese, sausage, ham are not immediately cut into small pieces. From this, the dish cools quickly and loses its attractiveness. It is better to cut off the pieces gradually, naturally using a knife and fork. The same is done with birds and game.

True, there is an exception for “tobacco” chickens. It is eaten with the hands, but at the same time, vases or bowls with warm water are served on the table to rinse the fingers. Usually slices of lemon or rose petals are dipped into such water. In this case, clean cotton napkins must be served, in extreme cases, paper napkins, which are immediately removed at the end of the meal. They also eat asparagus and crayfish.

In general, for crayfish, lobsters, lobsters, there are special devices that consist of a short fork and spatula. From the body of the crayfish, only the meat in the claw is eaten. Then the crayfish is turned over on its back, the neck is separated and the meat is selected with a fork.

Sturgeon, beluga, boiled and hot smoked sturgeon are eaten only with a fork.

Mustard and salt are taken with special spoons. Mustard is placed on the bottom of the plate, and not on the edge, on the right side.

Soft-boiled eggs are served in a special glass (plow), the shell is slightly broken with a spoon, put in a saucer, the egg is eaten carefully, trying not to spill the yolk. Fried eggs and ham and scrambled eggs are eaten with a fork in the right hand, and, if necessary, a piece of bread is helped, holding it in the left hand.

It happens that food needs to be temporarily interrupted. In such cases, the knife and fork are placed on the plate as they were held, the knife with the handle to the right, the fork with the handle to the left. Such cases may be a temporary weaning from the table, or the need to drink water, take bread, put a piece of meat, etc.

Let's move on to dessert. For dessert dishes, special devices are provided, with the help of which they eat biscuit cakes, puddings, ice cream, creams, etc. When dessert is served (tea, coffee, confectionery), excess dishes, bottles, glasses, wine glasses are removed from the table. Vases with jam, sweets, cookies, plates with thinly sliced ​​lemon, sugar, rosettes for jam are placed on the table. In the case when a cake or pie is served, a dessert plate is placed for each guest, a dessert knife or spoon is placed to the right of it, and a dessert fork is placed to the left. Tea, coffee is placed to the right of the dessert plate, while the handle of the mug or cup is turned to the left. Cream is served hot in a milk jug or creamer, which is served on a saucer at the table. Biscuit cakes are eaten with a dessert fork, sometimes with a teaspoon, hard cakes that crumble easily are eaten with a hand.

Now let's talk about fruits and berries. Apples and pears are cut with a fruit knife on a plate lengthwise into 4-8 parts, cleaned and the seed nest is removed. These pieces no longer cut, but bite right off them. A peach or apricot is taken in the left hand and cut in a circle to the stone, after which they are broken and the stone is removed with a knife. You can cut off pieces from the halves, but you can use whole halves. Bananas are held in the left hand and peeled gradually. Berries (raspberries, strawberries) are eaten only with a teaspoon. Watermelons and melons are served sliced ​​with peel. Taking a slice of watermelon from a common plate, it is placed on an individual plate with the skin down and thin slices are cut off with a fruit knife. Cut the mango in half on a plate, take out the bone and eat the pulp with a spoon. Pineapple is peeled, cut across into thin slices, put on a plate and eaten with a knife and fork. Oranges and tangerines are eaten by cutting the peel and dividing the pulp into 5-6 parts, from which they are then separated into slices. Fruits from compote are eaten with a dessert spoon, and with its help they put the bones on a saucer.

Concluding our conversation, I would like to recall some obvious things. For example, a teaspoon is only for stirring tea. Having stirred tea or coffee, they no longer use it, but put it on a saucer. When cutting food, the fork is held at an angle rather than perpendicular to the plate. At the end of the meal, the fork and knife are placed on the plate, not on the tablecloth.

Today we only talked about the basic rules of table etiquette, of which we counted a little more than 45. But the conversation about etiquette is far from over, and very soon we will definitely return to this topic. In the meantime, I want to wish you enjoy food not only at the height of taste, but also at the height of good manners!

Everyone should follow the rules of etiquette in a restaurant in order to make a good impression of themselves.

Compliance with the rules of etiquette will help you have a great evening, and leave a good impression on others about yourself. Don't know how to behave in a restaurant? Relax and enjoy. But don't forget about etiquette.

  • We all love to have lunch and dinner at home. But sometimes such constancy bothers, and you want to go to an expensive restaurant, taste real culinary masterpieces.
  • Often ladies are invited to the restaurant by their fans, grooms or husbands. How to make a good impression of yourself? What should you say to the waiter, and what can you ask him?
  • It often seems to us that nothing can spoil the rest, destroy the holiday atmosphere. But a lot depends on behavior. If everything is done correctly, good memories of the holiday will remain.

It is better to book a table in advance, but if the decision to go to a restaurant was spontaneous, you should resolve all issues with the administrator. Do not immediately go into the hall and take the first free seat. After all, perhaps the table is already booked by other guests.

The administrator is usually located at his desk near the entrance. If he is not there, then you need to wait, he can deal with visitors who came before you.

So, the administrator invited you to a table. Now the question arises: how to behave in a restaurant, how to communicate with a waiter? Etiquette and rules of conduct:

  • Relax and keep at ease. Remove excess stress, enjoy the evening. Pleasant atmosphere, beautiful design of the hall, gallant waiters, beautiful outfit - all this makes you want to be the hero of the evening. Spend time with pleasure.
  • Start eating with everyone. If food has been brought to you, but other people from your company have not yet, you do not need to immediately grab a fork and knife and use them for their intended purpose. You can warn the waiter in advance to bring the dishes at the same time.
  • Consider the specifics of the restaurant, forget about your tastes. If you go to a fish restaurant, don't order meat. At a famous restaurant that serves delicious steaks, you don't have to limit yourself to salad.
  • Don't be afraid to ask the waiter questions. If there are incomprehensible names of dishes on the menu, ask the waiter what this dish is made of. This is especially important if you are allergic to certain foods.
  • Always ask the price if you are interested. There is nothing shameful in this. The waiter may suggest a restaurant specialty and you may ask for a price.
  • Leave a tip. According to the rule of etiquette, you need to leave 10% (of the value of the check) or more to the waiter for a tip. It's a shame not to leave a tip if you've been well served.


Customers mostly don't talk to waiters. The restaurant employee must take the order, serve the guest at the highest level and ask to pay for dinner. Visitors should have a good rest and not bother about the fact that they can do something wrong or say the wrong thing.



Etiquette in a restaurant - cutlery: how to use, how to put after a meal?

In a restaurant, you usually have to use more than one fork and knife. But do not be afraid of a large number of devices near your plate. Here are some tips on how to use it, how to put cutlery after eating. The rules of etiquette in a restaurant on this occasion say the following:

  • Remember the order in which the dishes are served. First, a salad - cold or hot, then the first course, if you ordered it, and the second course.
  • Start your meal with the forks and knives furthest away from your plate., and move to those that are closer.
  • If the fork or knife has fallen off the table, do not focus on it.. Call an employee of the institution, and ask to replace the device for you.

Remember: The length of the salad knife is the same diameter as the appetizer plate, the appetizer fork is slightly shorter. The length of the second course knife is equal to the diameter of the plate in which the dish was brought to you. The table fork is long, and a long spoon and knife are used to serve portions from a shared plate.

  • Dessert dishes are served with other utensils: knife with a sharp tip, a fork with three cloves and a small spoon.
  • Fruits are served with special cutlery: fork and knife for eating fruits are smaller than dessert cutlery.
  • Separate spoons are used for drinks: for coffee - coffee, for tea - tea. A teaspoon can be used for soft-boiled eggs, as well as for cocoa drink and smoothies.
  • Additional devices: tongs, special forks, spoons and knives. With a two-pronged fork, you can take a piece of herring, as well as eat crab or shrimp. A small spoon, which is in the salt shaker, helps to add salt to the dishes. With the help of tongs, they put confectionery, sugar, marshmallows, sweets and marmalade on their plate.


Restaurant etiquette - cutlery

Important: If there is red or black caviar on the table, then there is a special spatula to put this dish on a plate. A large rectangular spatula is designed for shifting meat or vegetables. A small figured spatula is used for pate.

General rules for using cutlery:

  • The knife should always be in the right hand.
  • When you eat food with a fork or spoon, keep the utensils parallel to the table.. Do not blow on a hot dish.
  • If there is some soup left in the bowl, you can finish it. tilting the plate away from you. Scoop up the rest of the soup carefully, do not hit the plate.
  • During a pause or conversation at the table, cutlery must be placed on a plate, next to food.
  • If the knife and fork lie parallel to each other on the plate, and the knife is turned with the tip towards the fork, which indicates the end of the meal. For the waiter, this suggests that the plate can be removed.

In the following video, an etiquette specialist will tell you how and what a well-mannered person should do at the table, and how to use forks and knives correctly.

Video: How to use cutlery correctly



You should not take with your hands at the table what you can eat with the help of cutlery. A dish that can be eaten with a fork should not be eaten with a spoon. There are many nuances of behavior at the table, like eating a barbecue, a burger or an expensive dish. Here are some rules:

  • Shish kebab pieces are removed from the skewers and eaten with a knife and fork..
  • Burger should be held with hands. Cutlery is not used. Bite off in small portions and chew the dish for a long time.
  • Expensive dish, for example, lobsters are served with special cutlery. Using a sharp knife with a hole, break out the claws. Use a two-pronged fork to eat lobster meat. To the left of the plate will be a bowl of water. In it, you can rinse your hands after a meal.

The main thing in a restaurant is to eat silently. But, if you can’t, for example, cope with a lobster, ask the waiter to help.



The napkin always accompanies us at the table. This is not only a decor item, but also a unique serving item that helps to facilitate the meal. Often in a restaurant you can see that a person ignores the napkin or pretends that it does not exist. No need to be afraid of this serving item.

How to use napkins in a restaurant - rules:

  • This hygiene product should be on your lap, not on your neck or on a table.
  • If the napkin is dirty, you can ask the employee of the institution to replace it with a fresh one.
  • At the end of dinner, the napkin is left to the left of the plate. You should not put this item on a plate, no matter you used a cloth napkin or a paper one.

If you need to leave during dinner, a napkin is also placed next to the plate on the left. It is unacceptable to hang it on the back of a chair or put it on its seat.



As soon as the waiter or your companion poured beer into glasses, you need to start drinking it. This drink is usually poured according to a special mark. If there is no such mark, then no more than 3/4 of the glass should be poured.

According to beer etiquette in a restaurant, one should not drink a lot of beer or stretch the process for a long time. First, half a cup is drunk, and the rest is divided into two doses. Do not mix beer with other types of alcohol. Dark beers are worth drinking in the cold season with salads and hot dishes. Light beers are good to drink in summer with shrimps or pistachios.



If you came to the restaurant before the rest of your friends from your company, then you should wait for everyone outside. The waiter pushes the chair back to the girl as she sits down at the table. But, if there are several girls, then their companions help them.

Other important rules of etiquette in a restaurant at the table for a girl:

  • Hide your excitement. If you don't know how to use certain appliances correctly, see how others do.
  • At the table you need not only to eat, but also to keep up the conversation. There are forbidden topics: about illness, death, sex, religion and politics.
  • No smoking at the table even if it doesn't bother anyone. There are designated smoking areas in the restaurant.
  • When the wine is poured into glasses, do not rush to drink it.. The host must say a toast or take the first sip. Before drinking a drink, you need to wipe your lips with a napkin, otherwise there will be greasy marks on the glass.
  • When the waiter starts serving the dishes, take the napkin from the plate and place it on your lap.
  • If you are allergic to a certain food, you should not talk about it in full hearing or scandal. Just leave the plate with this dish untouched.

Wrap long pasta with a fork and knife. After that, quickly put them in your mouth. Bones from meat or fish that ended up in the mouth are placed on a fork, and then on a plate. If they are too small, you can take them out with your index finger and put them on a plate.



When entering a restaurant, a man opens the door to a woman. The door to the hall is also opened by a man and the lady is let in first. Near the table, the woman chooses the place she likes, and the man must move the chair so that she sits down.

The rest of the rules of etiquette in a restaurant at the table for a woman with a man:

  • It is indecent to pull up a chair if you are sitting uncomfortable.. You can just move to the edge.
  • If there are two menus, then they are served to both the woman and the man. If there is only one menu, then the lady chooses first.
  • Don't limit yourself to the cheapest dishes- this will indicate doubts about the viability of a man.
  • Do not order the most expensive dishes, because you do not consider yourself a woman who will take advantage of the opportunity. Pick something in the middle for the price.
  • A girl should not say "Order to your taste". One can only ask, “What do you recommend?”
  • The order is made by a man, and the lady expresses her wishes to her companion who shows care and resourcefulness in this way.
  • Previously, it was impossible to keep your elbows on the table- this rule of etiquette is a thing of the past. In the company of a young man or with friends, no one will pay attention to this. If you are dining with the older generation, then it is better not to risk your reputation.
  • Eat slowly and calmly. Don't talk while eating. Start the meal before the man, and finish the meal later.
  • Do not rush a man when he eats and don't ask the waiter to bring the bill. He will do it himself.
  • A man finishes a romantic dinner. But, if the lady wanted to leave earlier, she can do this by apologizing to her gentleman.
  • The man usually pays the bill, and a woman should not feel embarrassed about it. If the man and woman are friends, then you can pay the bill in half.
  • Leave beautifully This is also the main thing in the restaurant. You can thank the waiter for dinner and the head waiter. The man leads the lady to the exit, opening the door for her. He picks up outerwear in the wardrobe and dresses himself. Only then does he help the lady get dressed. She must patiently wait for help from her companion.

If you do something not according to etiquette - do not worry. A man will still see you as a well-mannered prude who behaves beautifully in a restaurant and at the table.



Many transactions are concluded not in the company's meeting room, but in the restaurant. Everything affects the result - behavior, the ability to eat mussels or spaghetti, and much more.

Business etiquette in a restaurant - rules for a dinner to be held at its best:

  • Guests should not come hungry. After all, the purpose of a business lunch is to resolve specific issues.
  • If you are invited to a business lunch, then you need to book a table in advance and study the restaurant menu.
  • Both parties should be well versed in cutlery.
  • It's indecent to complain about service or food. Don't discuss your diagnosis when refusing a meal if you have an allergy, ulcer, or other illness.
  • Before drinking wine or water from a glass, blot your lips. so as not to leave traces of food on the glass.
  • Do not eat if invited guests have already finished their meal.
  • Topics of religion, medicine and politics are not discussed at the table. Talk only about work. You can talk about children, touch on the topic of weather, history or sights.
  • business papers laid out after the waiter clears the table from plates and food.

A business lunch helps to establish friendly contacts with partners and contributes to successful teamwork.



Do not use your mobile phone in a restaurant. Turn off the sound and leave your cell in your coat pocket. Telephone etiquette in a restaurant forbids talking at the table. If you are waiting for an important call, then put your phone in your pocket or purse. When the mobile rings, apologize to your companion and leave the room to talk.



Often when going to a restaurant, many people ask themselves: “Who pays in a restaurant?” If you go with a man for a romantic evening, then he pays. If you have friendly relations, pay in half. At the banquet, the initiator of the feast pays.

Remember: Who will pay for dinner should be agreed in advance. It is indecent to find out when the waiter has already brought the bill.

Communicate politely with the waiter, and he will help you choose the most delicious dish in this restaurant. Next time, the waiter will definitely tell you which dish the chef turned out to be very tasty, and which one is better to try next time.

Video: Etiquette. How to behave in a restaurant