Biggest pet peeve?

DINING ETIQUETTE
 You never get a second chance to make a first impression. And in this fast-food era, many people
have forgotten – or were never taught - the fundamentals of dining etiquette. Which way should I
pass? Which fork is mine? What do I do with my napkin?
 Table manners play an important part in making a favorable impression. They are visible signals of
your manners and therefore are essential to professional success. Whether you are having lunch with
a prospective employer or dinner with a business associate, your manners speak volumes about you.
 In Foreign, about 80% of the interviews are at dinner only.
 Interviewer wants to know that you can socialize with your client or not.
 Manners followed by you at the dining will evaluate your personality.
 As an individual its important to know it.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE TABLE

 Do not place any bags, purses, sunglasses, cell phones, or briefcases on the table
 When everyone is seated, gently unfold your napkin and place it on your lap, folded in
half with the fold towards your waist
 Keep utensils in the same order they appear on the table
 Do not rearrange utensils to accommodate yourself if you are left- handed
 Wait for all parties to arrive before beginning any part of the meal
Greetings

 When meeting someone… – rise if you are seated. – smile and extend your hand.
 Handshake, Introduce yourself.
Approaching to the Table

 Sit where the host assigns you.

 Help the lady to get seated.
 Take your seat from the left side of the chair.
 Put all beepers, pagers, and cell phones at silent mode or turn them off
Posture

 Position your elbows off the table while eating and on lap while not using your hands.
 Make appropriate eye contact.
 Be comfortable.
 Wait until everyone is seated before eating.
How to use napkins?

 Start the meal after the host unfolds his napkin.

 Napkin rests on the lap till the end of the meal.
 Don't try to clean the cutlery or wipe your face or nose with the napkin.
 The host will signal the end of the meal by placing his or her napkin on the table.
 At the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the place setting.
Ordering

 Wait for the HOST to order

 Don’t order the most expensive dish from the menu
 Avoid ordering the messy, hard foods such as chicken wings etc.
 Don’t order drinks unless your host tell you to order so.
 Don’t order more than one drink.
Passing and Adding

 Food is passed from your right to left and drinks from left to right.
 If you need to stretch for food then ask someone to pass it.
 Always pass pepper and salt in Pair.
SILVERWARE & DINNERWARE

 Eat to your left, drink to your right. Any food dish to the left is yours, and any glass to the
right is yours.
 Starting with the knife, fork, or spoon that is farthest from your plate, work your way in,
using one utensil for each course.
 The salad fork is on your outermost left, followed by your dinner fork.
 Your soup spoon is on your outermost right, followed by your beverage spoon, salad knife
and dinner knife.
 Your dessert spoon and fork are above your plate or brought out with dessert.
How to use the utensils

 Hold knife in the right hand and fork in the left hand.
 If you want to take a drink put down both the utensils on the plate.
While eating

 When dining with others, everyone is supposed to start and finish at the same time.
 Do not slurp the soup or insert the whole spoon into the mouth.
 Do not blow on the soup to cool it off.
 Use your fingers to remove bread from the serving plate/bread basket.
 Large sandwiches should be cut with your knife before lifting and eating.
 It is never acceptable to ask a person why they have not eaten all the food.
 Don't correct others if they aren't using proper etiquette. While eating
When You Have Finished

 Do not push your plate away from you or stack them up; leave plates and glasses where
they are in the place setting
 To signal that your are done with the course, rest your fork, tines up, and knife blade in,
with the handles resting at five o'clock and tips pointing to ten o'clock on your plate
 Any unused silverware is simply left on the table
Soup

 Soupspoons are usually too large to fit completely in your mouth, therefore, sip from the
side of the spoon.
 Spoon your soup away from you towards the center or top of the bowl.
 When finished, place the spoon on the right side of the under plate.