Dining Etiquette for All

Dining Etiquette offers many well-known rules and several lesser known ones that are equally important. Many of these suggestionsCouple eating at a restaurant have been handed down to us as young children such as chew with your mouth closed and no elbows on the table. There are other rules that we learn as we get older such as wait for others to be served before eating, and using a napkin. Then there are more subtle rules that we may be marginally aware of, but have not learned their exact specifications. This is where an ImageDesign dining etiquette presentation comes in handy. Learning the more subtle rules of etiquette gives you an extra layer of refinement that is apparent to those sophisticated enough to know them. You may have noticed that others with this knowledge:

  1. Place silverware on their plates in a certain way so as to inform others whether they are done, or simply resting.
  2. Eat soup directing the soup spoon away from them.  woman eating hot soup
  3. Only place their napkin on the table when they are through eating.
  4. Know how to order, taste and drink wine.
  5. Feel comfortable enough to be gracious while eating so that they can carry on a conversation and still follow etiquette guidelines.

What is the difference between etiquette and manners? Etiquette is knowing and following the rules, but manners is using rules to make yourself and others feel comfortable. Etiquette will help you navigate a formal dinner, but manners will enable you to be polite when others do not have the same etiquette knowledge that you do. They are both important and work together to insure a civil, polite and pleasant society.