Restaurant Etiquette and Poise

Eating out at a restaurant for a business lunch or dinner, celebration, date, or other event puts your etiquette and social skills on full display- so how would you behave without embarrassing yourself or committing any faux pas?

An important part of restaurant etiquette is proper table manners, which also applies when dining in other people's homes. All of us should feel confident when we sit down at a table, but that confidence comes with knowledge and practice.

Image Credit: Harpers Bazaar (of Fashion Editor Carol Murphy) by Bill Cunningham 

All of us should feel confident when we sit down at a table, whether it is a formal dining setting with a six-course menu at a fine dining restaurant or your boss or friend's dinner party in their home. Most dinners are informal, but informality means the focus should be on our relationships with others, and never mean we talk with foods in our mouths, or dress like as a schoolgirl or schoolboy (i.e. shorts with sneakers and T-shirts) when invited to someone's home for a barbecue.

Before the event R.S.V.P

It literally means "repondez s'il vous plait," or please respond. Therefore, inform your host or hostess within 24 hours or stipulated time frame mentioned of receiving your invitation; mentioned the time frame you may need to respond due to travel or family emergencies. A delayed response is always better than no response but never reply maybe, as yes or no is expected.

Gift Giving

Purchase a host or hostess gift, such as flowers, wine, or something special, but don't expect that present will be shared, or used at the event. In Japan, gifts should always accompany the guest and be given to the host with both hands, preferably with the bag where you bought the gift underneath the gift.

Know the Dress Code

Who has invited you for dinner? Where? In the United States and the United Kingdom including most Western Countries, guests are frequently entertained in the hosts' homes. In Asia, notably Japan, China, and Taiwan entertaining is done almost exclusively at restaurants.

By knowing the cultures and the occasion, you will also have a good idea about what to wear.


Restaurant Etiquette Do's and Don'ts

1. DON'T put your cell phones, keys, or purse on the table.
2. DO set up payment ahead of time if you're the host.
3. DO know where to place your napkin.
4. DO let your guest order first.
5. DO always dress nicely.
6. DON'T yell to your waiter.
7. DON'T reach across the table to sample your companion's food.
8. DO send back food that's not cooked properly.
9. DO order the same number of courses as your companion.
10. DON'T start a business conversation before the conclusion of the entrée.
11. DON'T place your utensils on the side of your plate when you're done eating.
12. DO remember your table manners!


Bon Appetit...

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