Dining Etiquette

Rocky Point
Career Advisory Partnership
 Meet and Greet
• First impressions are lasting, and it is sometimes
the only opportunity you may have.

• Therefore, a powerful and lasting introduction can

give you the edge when meeting new people for
the first time.
 Introductions
The Handshake
• Make sure you make eye contact.

• Firm but painless.

• When introducing yourself, give someone

personal identification such as your name and
title.
 Why Dining Etiquette?
• A lunch interview or meeting is not a meeting
with food.

• It is a true test of your social skills and your

level of sophistication.

• Your host wants to see how you handle yourself

in a social setting.

• It’s polite to have proper dining skills when

representing yourself or your company.
 Arrival

• Arrive 15 minutes early.

• Wait for host/guest in the lobby.

• Make sure you are standing when they

arrive and reach out to shake their hand.
 Once Seated – The Napkin

• Wait for the host to make the first move.

• Never “flap!”

• When you leave the table, rest the

napkin on your chair.

• When finished with your meal, do not

refold the napkin; lay it to the left of your
plate.
 Ordering
• Order the same number of courses as your
host. (i.e. salad, main course, beverage)

• If unsure of price range ask the host what they

recommend.

• Do not study the menu.

• Avoid the wild food.

Formal Place Setting
 Eating
Step One
• When cutting a piece of food,
place your fork in your left
hand with the handle hidden
in the palm of your hand and
the fork tines down.

• Place the knife in your right

hand with the handle hidden
and the serrated edge facing
the plate.
 Eating
Step Two
• After cutting the piece of food, lay your knife across
the top of your plate with the serrated edge facing
you.

• Transfer the fork from your left hand to your right

with the fork handle now showing between your
index finger and thumb and the tines facing up.

Step Three
• After chewing and swallowing the food, repeat the
first three steps.
 Eating
Step Four
• When you choose to lay your utensils down to rest
or to listen more intently to the people with whom
you are dining, the “rest” position is to place your
knife across the top of the plate with the serrated
edge towards you.

• Place your fork, tines up, with its handle resting on

the lower right side of the plate
 Eating
Step Five
• When you are finished, place your fork across the
center of the plate with the handle to the right and
the fork tines down.

• Bring your knife from across the top of the plate

and place it next to the fork with the blade still
facing you.

• Remember: Keep with the pace of others!

 Meal Time Basics
Cutlery
• Don’t wave your knife in the air to make a
point, and don’t put silverware partly on the
table and partly on your plate.

• Once a piece of cutlery is picked up off the

table it should never touch it again.
 Meal Time Basics
Napkins
• Don’t blot or rub – dab.

• Don’t wave it around or flap – gently unfold and

leave it on your lap.

• When you leave the table remember to lay it on

your chair and when finished, loosely lay it to
the left of your plate.
 Meal Time Basics
Chewing
• Never chew with your mouth open. Never.

• Even if you feel you must add your words at

the perfect moment, wait until you have
swallowed.

• Thank your waiter or waitress.

 Meal Time Basics
Appearance
• No elbows in the table and sit up straight.

Bread
• Tear roll or slice in to bite size pieces and butter
each one just before eating it.
• Do not butter the whole slice at the beginning.

Speed
• Watch your pace.
• Have the same number of courses as your
host/guests.
 Meal Time Basics
Picking
• If you have something trapped in your teeth,
don’t pick!
• If you must, excuse yourself and pick in the
restroom.

Purses, Briefcases
• Keep all items off of the table.
• This includes keys, eyeglasses, pens, basically
anything that is not part of the meal.
 Meal Time Basics
Soup
• Scoop with the spoon tilted away
from you. Don’t slurp, drink or
dribble.

• Don’t blow on it if it is hot (wait) and

don’t crumble crackers in it.

• When done, leave the spoon in the

soup plate or rest it on the saucer if
it is a soup cup.
 Meal Time Basics
Salt and pepper shakers
• They are married, pass them together.
• Don’t divorce the salt and pepper.

Passing
• Offer to the left then go to the right.

Seasoning
• Only after you taste the food first.

Cutting your food

• Only enough for one mouthful.
 Meal Time Basics
Pace Yourself
• When your host is done you are done.

Necktie
• Do not flip or tuck your tie!

Ask for items to be passed

• Do not reach across the table.
 Remember
• Never call attention to the dining
mistakes of yourself or others!

• Perception is reality, so your image is very

important.

• It will follow you wherever you go.

• Therefore, it is important that you strive to

project a positive image—one that you will be
proud of at all times.