Meal Etiquette
General Rules:
· When holding your fork while cutting meat, do not hold the fork He-Man style. Turn the fork over and place your pointer finger on the handle towards the prongs of the fork.
· Rest position for silverware is at the top of the plate.
· Finished position for silverware is at the 4 O’ Clock position.
· Have the knife above the fork when finished; the blade of the knife should be facing you; the blade of fork should be facing up.
· A lady is to place her purse on back of the chair or underneath it. DON’T FORGET IT!
· Do not share food.
· Pass everything to the right – starting with the person who the item is in front of.
· Do not point with Silverware.
· Use your napkin every two to three bites.
· Never talk with food in your mouth.
· Never say that you do not like something, try everything.
· Never place a used utensil on the table.
· Do not use the side of the fork to cut anything.
· Never order alcohol first and never order it during an interview.
· If you must leave the table, leave the napkin on the chair.
· When finished, leave the napkin on the left-hand side of the table.
· Don’t drink with food in your mouth – even if the food is too hot.
· Do not swish drinks inside of your mouth.
· Do not shovel your food, mash it together or eat just one thing at a time.
· Do not reach for anything. Ask politely.
· Watch your conversations – be polite. POLITICS, RELIGION, and SEX are dangerous topics! Do not gossip!!!
· Do not groom at the table – including lipstick or picking at your teeth.
· Do not be the first or last person to finish eating (unless there are only two of you).
· Chew your food well before swallowing.
· Wait for everyone to get their food before starting to eat.
· Once you place your napkin on the table, do not eat or drink anything else.
· Only put bite-size pieces of food in your mouth.
· Take silverware from the outside in – the salad fork is the outside fork.
· Do not pick up anything if you drop it on the floor.
How to Drink Iced Tea:
· Drinks are at your upper right of the place setting.
· Do not take more then two packs of sugar.
· Do not tear off the whole top of the sugar.
· Slide the sugar packet garbage under the liner plate.
· Rub lemon around brim of glass.
· Cover the lemon with your hand so you do not squirt anyone. Do not touch the glass with your spoon as you stir.
· Place the spoon behind the glass when finished.
How to deal with bread (rolls) and butter:
· Bread and Butter are to the right and at the top of your dinner setting. Do not move them from here. Put butter on butter plate.
· When passing dinner rolls, ask person to your left if they would like a roll, then pass to the right.
· Do not bring the plate by you.
· Break small bite-size pieces off of the roll and butter them each one at a time.
· Do not clean off the crumbs that fall on the table. If it is too bad, ask the server to do it.
How to eat your soup:
· The spoon should go away from you, not towards you when picking up the soup.
· Take a minimum of two to three bites; first is testing for temperature and the second is for flavor.
· Drink your soup from the side of the spoon.
· Place spoon on back of liner plate when finished eating.
· Do not blow on the soup if it is too hot – just move the soup around a little in your spoon.
· Do not eat crackers with your soup.
· When at the bottom of soup bowl, DO NOT tip bowl away from you to get the last bit out.
How to eat a salad:
· Use salad knife to cut the salad.
· The smaller outside fork to the left is the salad fork.
At more expensive restaurants, sorbet will be served between the soup and the entrée.