This document provides etiquette guidelines for dining in restaurants and at formal meals. It discusses how to make and handle reservations, how to be seated at the table, proper use of napkins, when to start eating, table settings, how to use utensils and glassware, how to eat different foods like soup, bread, sandwiches and dessert, and basic manners to follow during the meal.

1. DINING ETIQUETTE
Attention should be focused on people,
not on food.

2. How to make restaurant reservations?
• Restaurant reservations are like any other
appointment.
• If you make a reservation, stick to it.
• Call ahead if you’re going to be more than
15 minutes late.
• Cancel as far in advance as possible.

3. Getting seated….
• Never take your seat before being invited
to do so by your host.
• The gentleman should always help the
lady be seated.
• Do not ever run around trying to help the
ladies not sitting directly next to you .
• Always take your seat from the left side of
the chair.

4. How to use napkins?
• The meal begins when the host or hostess
unfolds his or her napkin.
• This is your signal to do the same.
• Pick up your napkin by a corner and let it
fall open.
• Do not shake it open.
• Don't clean the cutlery or wipe your face or
nose with the napkin.

5. Using Napkins Cont….
• The napkin rests on the lap till the end of
the meal.
• If you excuse yourself from the table,
loosely fold the napkin and place it to the
left or right of your plate.
• Never place your napkin on your chair.

6. • 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.
Using Napkins Cont….

7. When to start eating?
• Wait until all are served at your table
before beginning to eat.
• When your host or hostess picks up their
fork to eat, then you may eat.

8. Table setting….
• Eat to your left, drink to your right.
• At formal dinners, the food is served from
the left and the dishes are removed from
the right.
• Start with the knife, fork, or spoon that is
farthest from your plate.

9. Table setting

10. How to use the utensils?
• Hold knife in the right
hand and fork in the
left hand.
• Eat food with fork still
in left hand.
• Difference between
American and
Continental styles.

11. Cont….
• Hold the knife and
fork in your hand with
the tines pointed
down throughout the
entire eating process.
• If you want to take a
drink put down both
the utensils on the
plate.
• Always rest forks,
knives, and spoons
on the side of your
plate or in the bowl.

12. How to use glasswares?
• Hold the glass by its
stem.
• Do not drink when
there is still food in
your mouth.
• Do not the empty the
glass.

13. Drinking soup….
• Dip the spoon into the
soup, until it is about
two-thirds full, then
sip the liquid from the
side of the spoon.
• Do not slurp the soup
or insert the whole
spoon into the mouth.
• Do not blow on the
soup to cool it off.

14. Cont….
• Do not put in big
pieces of bread into
your soup.
• Break the bread into
small pieces by hand.
• It is perfectly fine to
tilt the bowl slightly to
get the last spoonful
or two of soup.

15. Cont….
• Tip the bowl away
from you, not toward
you.
• Place the spoon in
the bowl when you
want to rest.
• When you are
finished, leave the
spoon on the plate
beneath the bowl.

16. How to eat bread?
• Use your fingers to
remove bread from
the serving
plate/bread basket.
• Pass the basket/any
food always to your
right.
• If bread is handed out
by a waiter, allow the
waiter to use bread
tongs to place it on
the plate.

17. Cont….
• Break apart the bread
into small pieces
using your fingers.
• Do not cut or bite.
• Add butter to each
small piece of bread
in your bread & butter
plate.
• Place the butter knife
horizontally on bread
plate.

18. Cont….
• Take enough butter
from the butter dish
and place it on your
dish using the butter
knife.
• Do not “double dip”
into the butter dish.
• Carefully and neatly
spread the butter and
eat the small broken
piece.

19. How to eat sandwiches?
• Small sandwiches
may be picked up and
eaten with your
fingers.
• Large sandwiches
should be cut with
your knife before
lifting and eating.
• Any hot sandwich
served with a gravy
requires a knife and
fork.

20. Eating the main course….
• DO NOT talk with
food in your mouth!
• Always taste your
food before
seasoning it.
• If asked for the salt or
pepper, pass both
together.
• Always use serving
utensils to serve
yourself, not your
personal silverware.

21. Cont….
• Don't blow on your food to cool it off.
• Cut only enough food for the next
mouthful.
• Do eat a little of everything on your plate.
• It is acceptable to leave some food on
your plate if you are full or unable to eat.
• Do not "play with" your food or utensils.

22. • Do not hold food on the fork or spoon
while talking.
• Do not wave your silverware in the air or
point with it.
• Try to pace your eating so that you don’t
finish before others are halfway through.
• Once used, your utensils, including the
handles, must not touch the table again.
Cont….

23. Cont….
• Always rest forks, knives, and spoons on
the side of your plate or in the bowl.
• It is never acceptable to ask a person why
they have not eaten all the food.
• Don't make an issue if you don't like
something or can't eat it - keep silence.
• Do not request food other than which is
being served.

24. Eating desserts….
• Dessert is a course that
typically comes at the end
of a meal.
• It usually consists of
sweet food.
• Common desserts
include cakes, cookies,
fruits, pastries, ice cream,
and candies.
• Always use the dessert
spoon and the dessert
knife.

25. Drinking wine….
• Never turn a wine
glass upside down to
decline wine.
• It is more polite to let
the wine be poured
and not draw
attention.
• Otherwise, hold your
hand over the wine
glass to signal that
you don't want any
wine.

26. Placing knife, fork and spoon after
completing food….

27. Using arms and legs….
• Rest your arms in your lap when you aren't
eating.
• If you gesture with your hands during a
meal conversation, you may rest only your
forearms on the table.
• Keep the arms still when in your lap, and
avoid the urge to fidget.

28. Cont….
• Don't rest your elbows on the table while
you dine.
• Never stretch your arms at the table. It
signifies boredom.
• If you feel the urge to stretch or fidget
while dining, excuse yourself from the
table and take a break.

29. Simple, Good Manners….
• Always respond to an invitation within a
week of receiving it.
• Dress properly as per the occasion.
NEVER attempt to "out dress" the host!
 Be punctual - never more than 10 minutes
late.
• If you wish to bring a guest as your
partner, you should always check with the
host first.

30. Cont….
• Never carry any gifts for the host or the
hostess.
• Avoid loud eating noises such as slurping
and burping as they are considered very
impolite.
• Don't stretch across the table crossing
other guests to reach food or to pass the
food.
• Picking teeth or licking fingers are very
unattractive!

31. Cont….
• Drinking too much wine can be very
embarrassing!
• If you drop a piece of food on the table,
don't panic.
• Don't correct others if they aren't using
proper etiquette.

32. Cont….
• Don't forget to make polite conversation
with those guests around you.
• Pick a role model and compare your
behavior with them if you are not sure.

33. T H A N K Y O U