Skip to main content

Table Manners FAQs

 Table Setting

"How do I eat..." is one of the many common questions I received daily as an etiquette specialist.  Here are those questions with my answers. 

How do I eat bread or rolls?

Place butter on the rim of the bread plate if you have one, if not use your dinner plate.  Tear a small piece of bread or roll over your plate and butter the bread eating one piece at a time.

When eating soup, what do I do with the spoon when I am not holding it?

Place the spoon in the bowl or on the bowl liner if provided.  Never allow a utensil to touch the table once it is used.

Which bread plate is mine?

Yours is on the left above the forks.

At a family-style meal, which way do I pass the food?

All dishes are passed from the left to the right.

During a business meal, when should I begin to discuss business?

Usually, you begin to discuss business after the first course, or appetizer.  If the group is not having the first courses, wait until after everyone has ordered.

How do I use a finger bowl?

Finger bowls are rarely used anymore.  If used at a formal meal, dip fingertips in the bowl and dry on your napkin.

When should I enter the dining room for a formal meal?

Enter when called to the table.  Look for your place card and stand behind your chair until everyone is ready to sit.

Which side do I remove a plate?

Dishes are typically removed from the right.

More by The Polite One

How to Eat That?

What is the Etiquette for Today's Woman?

Are These Finger Foods?

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Etiquette 101: Top Three Gum Chewing No-No’s

Smacking, Popping, Nauseating Behavior …Oh My! Gum chewing has been around for decades and for the most part, it’s inoffensive.   However, there are those times when gum chewing, especially smacking, is frowned upon.   Sometimes – strangely enough – it can even affect our future and how others view us.    Read on to learn how.   Not at a wedding! The wedding march begins as the bride walks the procession.   Ah, the lovely bride in her flowing gown smiling at her soon-to-be spouse.    All in the crowd stand as she floats down the aisle.   At once, her expression changes, she stops, as her guests’ heads turn toward alien sounds coming from the front row.    Smack, pop…yep, it’s the sounds of the ill-mannered gum chewer.    Unfortunately, this scene is playing out every day somewhere in our lovely US of A.    Why is this of importance?   The simple answer is that the gum chewer’s smacking and popping d...
Post a Comment
Read more

Etiquette 101: How-to Host an Adult Birthday Party That Will Please Your Guests

  Birthday Party Etiquette Hosting an adult birthday party can be tricky since many don't realize it isn't a gift-giving event.  If gifts are expected, the birthday baby could appear greedy.  Imagine an adult birthday party resembling a child's party focusing on gifts--very silly, indeed.  On the positive side, because gifts are not the focus, it opens up the possibility of hosting our own.  This is a plus for those of us who view our friends as the best birthday present.   Now we can have our cake and eat it too! To assist us with hosting a party that will be viewed as positive and polite, here's a bit of birthday party etiquette Q & A. Dear Polite One, I invited 30 people (15 couples) to a birthday party I'm hosting for a 45-year-old male.  I designed the invitations to look like a ticket stub, which includes a door prize stub.  My question is this: What are appropriate door prizes? What should be...
Post a Comment
Read more

From an Etiquette Point of View: Royal Wedding/Reception Primer

I was asked to give my opinion quite often during the week leading up to the royal wedding.   It was a wonderful experience for me, as I had to do quite a bit of research.   I had forgotten so much due to the fact that I don’t use this information/material on a daily basis.   What I found intrigued me.   What follows is just a small sample of the history and protocol of the royals and their weddings/wedding breakfast.   Royals Set Trends & Make History For one, royals tend to begin traditions, such as the white dress for brides.   Queen Victoria wore white for her wedding with Prince Albert (in 1840).     She also chose to include a sprig of myrtle in her bouquet because it represented true love.   After her wedding, she planted a bush in her yard.   A sprig of that same bush has been added to each British royal bride's bouquet since. Laying the bride's bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a tradition that...
Post a Comment
Read more