All people know that there are different rules of behavior at the table. But few people knew more about them in more detail. For many, it is sufficient that they know in which hand you need to hold the knife, and in which - the fork. However, this is very small. In this article I want to talk about how to behave at the table correctly.
About etiquette
First of all, it must be said that there are different types of behavior in a particular institution and even in a particular country. If you understand how beautiful it is, this question will be completely one for European countries, in which you need to be quiet at a table, and for Asian countries, where they express their gratitude to the host for a delicious dinner with loud champing and smacking. Also, the behavior in the restaurant and visiting relatives at the table may differ slightly.
Restaurant etiquette
Understanding how beautiful it is to eat is very important for those people who visit various restaurants from time to time. So, it is important to behave correctly right after the institution’s threshold is crossed. It is important to remember that the head waiter meets the guests, talks about whether there are empty seats, and leads them to the desired table. It is also his responsibility to pick up visitors' outer clothing. Approaching the table, the man (if the heterogeneous guests came) should first help the lady sit down, slightly moving her chair back, then he will sit down himself. It is also important to remember how to sit at the table. Regarding the situation, the representative of the stronger sex should be opposite the woman or to her left. If the lady is a little late, the man can take a seat at the table, however when the head waiter leads her to the appointed place, the guy will certainly stand up as a sign of respect.
Order selection
When the couple is already at the table, the waiter must serve the menu. Choosing the desired dishes is not in a hurry, in such institutions it is not customary to rush. Most often, the waiter will see that the guests are ready to order something, and he will do it. But you can also call the service staff to yourself with a flick of the wrist. The order is made first by a woman, only then by a man. However, the lady may ask the guy to do it for her, this is also allowed. If guests cannot decide on the choice of wine, they can ask the waiter for advice. You can also consult with him about a particular dish, it is allowed by the rules of etiquette.
Expectation
How to behave at the table before the order has arrived? At this time, guests can communicate quietly. The first, most likely, the waiter will bring wine. Uncorking bottles only a restaurant clerk, a man should not break loose to do this. First, the drink is served to the ladies, then to the guys. As for food, you can start eating only after everyone at the table already has the ordered dishes.
rules
Understanding how beautiful it is to eat, it is also important to remember that in restaurants it is strictly forbidden to pick up fallen objects from the floor. This will be done by the waiter. He must bring a clean device. If there was an embarrassment and broke, for example, a plate or glass, do not worry. Just a restaurant will include its value in the bill, and the case will be closed. There will be no scandals about this. If you want to salt the dish, and the salt shaker is on the other side of the table, you don’t need to reach for it yourself, you just need to ask the person who is sitting next to serve what you need. It is also important to remember about decibels: you need to speak in a restaurant so as not to disturb others.
How to sit
Understanding how beautiful it is to eat, it is important to remember that you need to sit at the table correctly. So, it is forbidden to put elbows on the table, to fall apart on a chair, to swing on it. Also, do not bend low over the plate. The back of a seated person should be even, no need to slouch. However, in posture there should not be tension and rigidity, everything should be natural. When the meal is changed, the guest is allowed to lean back a bit so as not to disturb the waiter and relax a bit in a comfortable position.
About food
It is worth remembering that in restaurants it is not customary to rush, dishes are eaten slowly in order to enjoy their taste. If the food is quite hot, you can not blow on it. To cool, you just have to wait a bit, supporting the conversation. If burning with burning food has occurred, you should not wave a napkin or hands into your mouth, you can only wash everything with water. Various seeds, including fruit, are strictly forbidden to spit out or remove from the mouth with your hands. For this, a fork is designed, which is neatly brought to the mouth and everything unnecessary is folded there. If the person did not like the taste of the dish at all, you can bring a napkin close to your mouth and spit everything out there, without attracting the attention of others with indignation about this.
If you need to move away
The culture of behavior at the table has its own recommendations regarding mobile phones. So, if a guest got a call, he can briefly say that he will call back without leaving his place. However, if the conversation is urgent, you must definitely move away. Talking at the table on the phone is a bad tone. Also, if you need to leave, for example, in the restroom, you need to ask permission from everyone present at the table. You can also not talk to people sitting at a nearby table. If these are comrades or you just need to ask something, you need to get up and approach them. In the case when acquaintances enter the restaurant, they should be welcomed sitting, with a slight nod of the head. A man stands up only if a lady joins his table. Women do not move in any situation.
The end of the meal
When the dinner has come to an end, the guests are full and satisfied, they can ask the waiter for a bill, which will mean that their stay in this institution has come to an end. The service team will bring a folder in which the account will be indicated. It is also important to remember about tips - 10% of the order value. Who should pay is another question. So, in the countries of the post-Soviet space this is done mainly by men. In European countries, women are actively struggling with this, considering it a relic of the past, and there everyone pays for himself. If the dinner was just friendly, you can ask the waiter in advance to bring a personal invoice, separate for each person. It is also important to remember the change. If it is necessary, the person is simply silent. If there is money in the folder, part of which is not necessary to be returned, you just need to say: “Without change”, and this will end. It is important to remember that to decide who will pay, you need to do this in advance, ugly before the waiter. You need to know about who needs to make their complaints. To talk about everything that you liked or did not like, you need a head waiter, not a waiter.
Cutlery
But if all of the above is not too terrifying to the unknowing, then here's how to deal with cutlery correctly - this is a whole science. After all, there are a huge number of plates, knives, spoons and glasses, different in size and purpose. You just need to know how to hold the plug and how to use it. So, when a person sits down at a table, no matter where it happens - in a restaurant or at home, he must definitely look around. So, according to the rules, there should be a snack plate directly, to the right of it - a pie or napkin. On the left hand from the plate should be spoons and knives, on the right - forks. If all this is observed at the table, we can conclude that certain manners are required of the guest. You also need to remember that in front of the plate there will be a dessert device, most likely a teaspoon. Behind the plate, there will be wine glasses and glasses, they all also have their purpose.
How to use cutlery
So, how to hold the plug? This question often worries people. It is worth remembering that those devices that lie to the left of the plate are taken with the left hand, those that are on the right with the right. That is all science. Dessert devices are arranged so that the handle will look to the right or left side. Depending on this, you need to decide which hand to take them. As for the knife, according to the rules, the end of its handle should rest against the center of the palm, the thumb and middle finger are on the sides of the knife, and the index finger in the center. The remaining fingers are slightly bent towards the palm. During the meal, the fork holds so that its teeth look down, the handle, like that of a knife, rests on the palm of the hand. In the case when you need to eat small pieces of food, as well as a side dish - mashed potatoes or porridge, the fork is turned upside down with cloves, while a knife can help in picking food. The spoon is held in the left hand so that its end is on the base of the index finger, and the beginning is on the middle. If the dish is easily detached, the waiter can only serve the fork, in which case it must be held in the right hand. Now everyone should understand, not only how to hold the fork and knife, but also the other nuances of using cutlery. Moreover, it is not so difficult as it might seem at first.
Napkin
Understanding how to eat beautifully, it is important to know that you also need to be able to do with a napkin. Often it becomes the subject of table decoration, but it also has its intended purpose. Before eating, the napkin must be carefully folded in half and put on its knees with the edge to itself. This will help protect the suit or dress from drops that might spill. You can also wipe your hands or lips with this napkin after eating or drinking. Hanging her by the collar, making a bib, is strictly prohibited. This is both inconvenient and very ugly. Soiled fingers are gently and quietly wiped on the upper edge of the napkin, which remains on your knees. If you need to get your lips wet, the napkin is lifted, however, so that it is completely in the palm of your hand, and not hung. Blot (but do not wipe) the lips with the middle of the napkin, then it is put back into place. It is strictly forbidden to use it as a handkerchief or towel for wet or dirty hands. Also, do not wipe the cutlery with a napkin, looking for a speck on them. This can be great to offend the hosts. If this item fell, you need to ask to bring a new one. At the end of the meal, the napkin is placed to the left of the plate, but never hung on the back of the chair.
About drinks
Everyone understands that proper behavior at the table is the key to a successful evening at a cultural institution. It is also important to give a few words and drinks, as well as containers that suit them. The main thing is to remember the rule: the stronger the drink, the less capacity is needed for it. A glass for vodka drinks, a madeira glass for fortified ones, glasses or glasses for white and red wines, a wine glass or a glass for champagne. Stronger drinks are served first, then in ascending order. Two-thirds of the wine is filled with wine.
About children
Etiquette at the table for children is also important , because kids should also be able to behave correctly in society. However, it is worth saying that the rules for them will be easier and more restrained than for adults. And no one should pay special attention to the mistakes of the kids at the table. However, the mother or other parent should quietly make a tiny remark, teaching him the correct behavior. What is the main thing for children with behavior at the table? It is important that the kids know that at the table you can’t talk loudly, laugh, scream. You can’t talk with your mouth full, it is ugly and even harmful to the process of eating. Also, you can not slurp and smack, this is unacceptable. It is necessary for the child to tell how to properly handle the napkin: it should be used to wipe dirty lips and hands, and when not needed, it should be on your knees. Also, the baby needs to be told that there are dishes that you can eat with your hands, and those for which you need to use cutlery. So, for example, french fries, shrimp, fish fingers can easily be picked up by hand, you can also capture the cauliflower inflorescence. But this ends the list of products that are taken without appliances. For unknown reasons, kids love to eat spaghetti with their hands, but this is ugly and wrong. The kid must definitely say this. Children should also remember that they need to stay at the table until everyone eats. And, of course, it’s important to say “thank you” to the owners who regaled. In the case of food in the restaurant, “thank you” is told to the head waiter. If etiquette at the table is too hard science for the crumbs, pictures are what can help a lot in learning. It is only necessary for the baby to show a few video tutorials or characteristic pictures, and everything will become more clear to him.