Our etiquette is not as strict as English. And yet the rules of good manners at the table should not be neglected. They exist for people who want to feel comfortable during any feast. It is not without reason that it is believed that good manners are the calling card of a true lady or gentleman.

Table etiquette rules: serving cutlery

At home, we usually make do with a minimum of cutlery. For example, we often dine without a knife. Another thing is eating in a restaurant. All the shiny elements of serving - knives, spoons and forks - are placed there in the same order in which the order is fulfilled. First they bring soup, then chicken, then fish and finally dessert dishes. Knowing this rule, you need to take the device farthest from the plate first.

Each tableware has its own location and purpose. Before dinner, on the right side of the snack plate there is a knife and spoon. On the left side it is customary to place the pie plate, as well as forks and a disposable paper napkin.

Dessert cutlery should be placed in front of the plate. Behind them is placed crystal - glasses and glasses. On the snack plate lies a folded cloth napkin and a wine glass.

10 golden rules of restaurant dining ethics

1. In Russia, at the end of the toast, it is customary to thank the congratulatory person with a slight nod of the head. In Germany they always look into the eyes of the person they clink glasses with.
2. It is considered bad manners to bring a cocktail from the bar to the dinner table.
3. Don’t even think about placing personal items on the table: wallet, cosmetic bag, keys. Elbows should also be removed from the table.
4. Do not blow on a hot dish during lunch; it will cool down on its own.
5. Do not use a tissue to remove lipstick from your lips. It is customary to cover your knees and wipe your mouth from food debris. After eating, it is placed to your left, and the used paper is placed on a plate.
6. The correct use of a knife and fork, according to European etiquette, involves constantly holding them in your hands while eating. In America, after cutting a piece of meat, you can lower the knife and pick up the fork with your right hand.
7. You should try to chew food silently: chomping, talking or laughing with your mouth full are taboos in polite society.
8. If the steak you ordered for dinner contains cartilage and you feel one of them in your mouth with your tongue, you should remove it with a fork. But you can remove the olive pit from your mouth with two fingers.
9. There is no need to move your plate and cup away from you after finishing your meal. Leave all appliances in their places.
10. After eating, you should not place a knife and fork crosswise on your plate: this is how restaurant customers in some countries make it clear that they did not like the dish. These devices need to be placed diagonally on the plate parallel to each other.

How to behave when visiting

Going on a visit is a kind of test of one’s ability to behave in any society. Despite the informality of the atmosphere, all rules of etiquette should be observed. By the way, an invitation to dinner for the whole family is an occasion to teach table ethics to your child. Even at home, it is necessary to teach children the correct behavior at a party and how to use cutlery.

It would be good for adults themselves to remember the basic requirements of table etiquette:

• the invitation to start the meal must come from the hosts; before this, the guests sit calmly at the table, holding their hands on their knees;
• During dinner, cutlery is passed from one guest to another in a counterclockwise direction;
• you should not reach out for a salad bowl that is standing far from you - just ask your neighbor to pass it to you;
• if donuts and jam are served for dessert, you need to break the donut into small pieces with your hands and spread them one by one with jam, putting them in your mouth one at a time;
• Only after swallowing food and wiping your lips with a napkin can you drink water or wine;
• According to the rules of etiquette, you cannot paint your lips at the table after eating: it is extremely unpleasant to see a girl or woman doing marafet where they are eating.

After visiting, some people send the hosts an SMS message with words of gratitude.

Nuances of table conversation

Proper conversation at the table should be enjoyable for everyone present. It is allowed to talk about business only after the meal is over.

When eating, taboo topics are:

• illness;
• anatomical features of men and women;
• intimate problems;
• income;
• industrial conflicts;
• religious and political themes.

You shouldn’t get carried away with a monologue; it’s better to demonstrate your ability to listen. It is not recommended to be interested in the social status or age of your interlocutors. Subtle humor and relevant remarks about the weather, art or culture are welcome, but without delving into the subject of conversation.

Conclusion

The rules of dining ethics will come in handy more than once in life. By showing correctness and courtesy at a dinner party, you will make the most favorable impression on those around you. After this, you will be considered a pleasure to do business with.

Comment on the article "Modern rules of table etiquette"

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Table manners:

1. Start eating after the invited colleague or the main person, the mistress of the house, has done so.

2. Do not swing, spread, or place your elbows on the table while eating. You can place your elbows on the table if the music is loud and you need to be heard by your interlocutor.

3. Do not wave the napkin, but place it on your lap with the fold facing you. Do not tuck the napkin into your collar, or between shirt buttons, or the waistband of your trousers. Never use a napkin as a handkerchief. If you leave the table, place the napkin on the chair; when you finished eating - on the table, to the left of the cutlery.

4. Don’t slump in your chair, sit straight, keep your elbows off the table longer, if you don’t know where to put your hands, put them on your knees.

5. Chew with your mouth closed, do not talk while you chew.

6. Don't put too much food in, chew your food thoroughly.

7. Don't spit anything into your palm.

8. The plate located to the left of the main one is for bread; the butter must first be placed on the bread plate, and not directly from the common one onto your piece.

9. Break off bread and rolls. Nothing can be dunked anywhere. There is no need to smear the sauce from the plate with bread.

10. Do not take anything with your hands except bread.

11. Do not blow on hot food or drinks or sip. Quickly wash down hot food with water. If there is no water, quickly and discreetly remove the hot piece from your mouth with your fingers or spit it onto your fork, and then place it on the edge of the plate.

12. If you come across poor quality food, do not swallow it, but remove it from your mouth quickly and discreetly. Don't spit into a napkin.

13. When you finish your meal, do not move the plate away from you, simply place the cutlery parallel to the plate, the fork with the tines down, the knife with the convex side facing the fork, and the napkin to the left of the plate, without straightening it. It is allowed to place the fork and knife crosswise on the plate.

14. Place the briefcase on the floor, hang the bag on the back of the chair, to your left. Never place papers on the table, hold them in your hands.

15. While eating, do not look at your partners for a long time or point-blank.

16. Even if the meal takes place in a part of the restaurant where smoking is allowed, it is better to refrain from smoking. If you can, be sure to wait until everyone is finished. Never use the saucer as an ashtray.

17. If you spill something on yourself or on the tablecloth, do not dramatize the situation. No need to jump away from the table. Place a napkin on the flooded area of ​​the table, and blot your clothes with the napkin too. You can ask the waiter to bring more napkins.

18. If you splashed your neighbor, you need to quietly apologize and offer to pay for the cleaning. There is no need to try to wipe your neighbor with anything, just offer your napkin.

19. If you drop solid food, you should use a spoon or the tip of your knife to pick up a piece from the tablecloth.

20. If someone leaves the table, don’t ask “where?” If you go out on your own, apologize.

21. Operate devices using your fingers, not your hand. Eat at a medium pace. The art is to start and end with everyone together.

22. Apply butter only to the piece of bread you put in your mouth.

23. Avoid looking around at those sitting at neighboring tables, develop peripheral vision.

24. It is not customary to talk about health, good or bad, at the table. If you need to take a pill, take it, there is no need to explain why or why.

25. Come to the feast at exactly the appointed hour. The man must make the woman sit down, moving the chair back and forth accordingly, sit to her LEFT, and if the table is small, opposite.

26. The biggest mistake is picking your teeth with a fork and eating with a knife.

27. How to sit at the table correctly

The correct posture to take at the table means that you need to sit straight, not hunched over, but not as if you “swallowed an arshin,” but slightly leaning back in the chair. Hands, when they are not occupied with a knife and fork, can be placed on your knees - this will help get rid of the bad habit of rolling bread balls, drawing on the tablecloth with a knife, aimlessly moving plates and cutlery around the table. Well, if you are such a restless person, you can put your hands on the edge of the table, but not your elbows - this way you will feel less constrained. Try not to hold your hands to your face or twist or touch your hair.

Although we have heard “don’t put your elbows on the table” since childhood, there are times when this is not only acceptable, but simply necessary. For example, in a restaurant, loud music is playing, drowning out your words, and in order for the interlocutor to hear you, you have to move your whole body towards him. This movement - especially when we're talking about about a woman - it will look much more graceful if you lean your elbows on the table rather than your palms on your knees, as if you suddenly felt severe pain. But at home, where there is no need to lean towards your interlocutor in order to say something loudly to him across the table, you should not lean your elbows on the table. At a formal dinner, as in a restaurant, you can rest your elbows on the table and lean forward to talk to the person sitting opposite you. However, even in such special situations, elbows are never placed on the table while eating.

A person slouching and lounging on a chair, or swaying on it, looks very unsightly - the latter is not only considered a flagrant violation of the rules of good manners, but also poses a serious threat to the legs of the chair.

28. Napkin

Normally, when you sit down at the table, you unwrap your napkin and place it on your lap, but at a formal dinner, it is customary to wait for the hostess to do this first. There is no special wisdom in how to unfold a napkin - just don’t do it with a sharp movement. Taking a napkin from the table, you carefully place it on your lap. If the size of the napkin allows, you can even secure it somehow so that it does not slip onto the floor. If not, just unfold it as far as you see fit with both hands.

A man should never tuck a napkin into his collar, or between the buttons of his shirt, or into the waistband of his trousers.

When using a napkin, do not wipe your mouth with it, but blot your lips a little - this looks much more attractive.

If you have already finished eating or need to get up from the table, place the napkin to your left, and when the plates are cleared - in front of you. It should not be folded again or crumpled - let it lie freely, without taking up too much space. At a dinner party, the hostess, as a sign that the meal is over, places her napkin on the table, and the guests do the same, but only after the hostess, and not before.

If your family uses napkin rings, the napkin should be folded again and threaded through the ring to be used one or two more times.

29. When you serve yourself and when you are served

When transferring food to your plate, you need to be careful and hold the serving spoon or fork so as not to drop what you take on the tablecloth, on the floor, on yourself or on a neighbor.

All foods served on pieces of toasted bread (toast), except for fried pigeons and quails - mushrooms, asparagus, “sweet meat” - should be taken from the tray along with them, because, firstly, it’s easier to transfer everything to your plate , and secondly, a pile of softened toast on a tray is an unattractive sight. And therefore, the toast with everything on it is picked up from below with a spoon, held on top with a fork and transferred to your plate, on the edge of which you can then put the bread if you don’t want to eat it. When you take food only with a spoon, you should be especially attentive and careful.

Gravy or sauce is poured over meat, potatoes or rice, while pickles, relishes or jelly are placed next to the main dish. Olives, radishes, and nuts are placed on a snack plate, if there is one, and if not, then on the edge of your plate.

When passing your plate for refills, leave your fork and knife on it, making sure they won't slip.

The host puts food on plates and passes them to the guests counterclockwise: everyone sitting on the right takes a plate from his neighbor on the left and sends it on. If a lady sits to the right of the owner, she keeps the plate for herself, but passes the next one to the guest who is at the very end of the table. The third is intended for the last one on the right, the fourth - for his neighbor on the left, etc. When all the guests sitting on the right hand of the host have been served, the plates begin to be passed to those sitting on the left side. Lastly, the owner puts the food in for himself. When the hostess, who occupies a place at the opposite end of the table, lays out the food, she follows the same order.

“Family style” dinner assumes that the host or hostess lays out only the meat or other main dish, and the trays with other dishes are passed around so that everyone can put as much as they want. Trays are also passed counterclockwise. The man does not court his neighbor on the right, but puts his portion on his plate. He, however, can hold the dish until the lady serves herself food. If a guest sitting at the far end of the table asks for a refill, and the dish ends up with you “on the way,” you have the right to say: “Do you mind if I put a little in for myself first, so as not to pass this dish back later?” If there is only one portion left on the dish, this, of course, should not be done.

At family dinners, when the mother knows who likes what and how much they can eat, she puts the food on plates in the kitchen and, herself or with the help of one of the children, brings the filled plates to the table. This is not allowed in the presence of guests - guests are given the right to choose and serve their own food. Exceptions here are possible only for dishes prepared and served in a special way, such as “eggs Benedict,” which must be “put together” in the kitchen.

The maid, serving food to guests, hands the dish to the left. If you don't like the food, just say, "No, thanks."

30. How to refuse an offered dish

If you are offered a dish that you are allergic to or that you particularly dislike, you can politely refuse: “No, thank you.” However, the rules of good manners recommend taking at least a small piece from each dish and placing what you did not touch on the plate so that it is not noticeable. The old rule of not leaving anything on the plate is outdated today, but the hostess will undoubtedly be upset if she sees that you have served yourself a large portion without even touching it, not to mention the fact that it would be simply wasteful. There is no need to explain why you are refusing food, but if the reason is that you have an allergy, or you are on a diet, or your doctor does not recommend it to you, you can, sparing the hostess’s pride, quietly, without attracting the attention of other guests, explain to her , what's the matter.

When refusing a dish offered by a waiter, quietly say, “No, thank you,” or simply shake your head - this form of refusal is now more widespread.

At a buffet lunch, where there are several dishes to choose from, you can simply take what you like best. If the waiters at such a dinner are standing at the table with appetizers, you only have to point to the dish you like, holding your plate forward, or say “No, thank you” with a smile if they are going to serve you something other than what you wanted.

31. Cutlery

You should never think about which fork and knife to eat this or that dish. Everything is very simple: they start with the cutlery located farthest from the plate, and with each change of dishes they take those knives and forks that lie closest to it. This question comes up again and again, but the answer is always the same. There is, however, one exception - if the table is set incorrectly and the order of the cutlery is mixed up, take a fork and knife that match the dish you are going to eat. For example, an oyster fork lies closer to the plate than a regular fork, but this does not mean that you should use a regular fork for shrimp cocktail, and eat the main course with a small oyster fork. In all other cases, the order remains unchanged: start with the furthest utensil and, starting each subsequent dish, take the fork and knife that are closest to the plate.

Having finished eating the main course, place the fork and knife parallel on the plate so that their handles slightly protrude beyond the edge of the plate, diagonally from left to right and from top to bottom. It is also customary to put a dessert spoon and fork. When the dessert is served in a vase on a high stem or in a deep vase on a separate plate, the spoon is placed on this plate. If the vase is small and wide, the spoon can be left in it or placed on a plate.

How to use a knife and fork

How to properly handle a knife and fork can best be shown through illustrations. By carefully examining the pictures, you will understand how best to use cutlery to cut the bird, and how to more conveniently and gracefully bring the food to your mouth.

In America, it is customary to eat in a zigzag manner: the fork is transferred from the left hand to the right after cutting off a piece of meat or poultry. This manner is quite correct, but, in my opinion, it is too complicated, and loses in comparison with the “European” style, when the knife remains in the right hand and the fork in the left, fortunately it is both simpler and more elegant. Although some people think that adopting a “foreign” manner is snobbery, I see nothing wrong with adopting a more practical custom.

32. How to help yourself when eating

Bread crust is perfect for helping with eating. A knife is also suitable for this purpose - provided that you use it correctly. The knife should be held in your left hand in the same position in which you hold it in your right when cutting food, and with its tip you place the pieces on the fork. This movement is natural and therefore completely acceptable.

33. Getting out of difficult situations at the table

- Food that is too hot or of poor quality

If, after putting food in your mouth, you feel that it is too hot, quickly wash it down with water. Only when there are no drinks can you get rid of the piece that is burning your palate by quickly and discreetly pulling it out of your mouth with your fingers or spitting it onto a fork and then placing it on the edge of the plate. The same should be done with regard to spoiled food. If you find the taste of an oyster or any other shellfish suspicious, do not swallow it, but remove it from your mouth - quickly and as discreetly as possible. However, spitting something into the corner of a napkin is unnecessary and unacceptable.

- When you choked on meat or bone

Although each of us has heard that a piece of food that went down the wrong throat led to someone’s death, in fact, most often the situation of a choking person is far from so tragic. If a sip of water doesn't help, try clearing your throat with a tissue over your mouth. Remove the stuck piece of food or fish bone from your mouth with your fingers and place it on the edge of your plate. If you feel like you need to induce a longer coughing attack, excuse yourself and leave the table.

However, when you are choking severely, do not hesitate to call for help. The trouble is that a person in this position is not able to speak, cough or make any sounds at all. Therefore, by any means, attract attention to yourself and remember that there is no time good manners. Try to remain calm and act quickly - it could save your life.

- If you cough, sneeze or want to blow your nose

To perform one of these actions - if it does not take too long - it is not at all necessary to get up from the table. As a last resort, you can apologize, go into another room and deal with the cough or uncontrollable sneezing there. When you feel a coughing attack approaching, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or if you don’t have a tissue or time to get one, use a napkin. As a last resort, just your palm will do - it's better than nothing. You should never blow your nose into a tissue. If you don't have anything suitable at hand, excuse yourself and hurry to the bathroom.

- If there is a pebble, hair or insect in the plate

If there is something inedible in food, the only way out is to get rid of it, and as quietly as possible. Remove the foreign object from your mouth with your fingertips and place it on the edge of your plate. When you notice this “something” - a hair in butter, a worm on a lettuce leaf, a fly in soup - even before the foreign object gets into your mouth, try to remove it without attracting attention to yourself and continue eating. If the impression turned out to be too strong and completely ruined your appetite, just set the plate aside so as not to embarrass the hostess. In a restaurant, on the contrary, you not only can, but must, indicate to the waiter that the dish was served in substandard form and demand a replacement. However, an observant and attentive housewife, noticing that you have stopped eating and guessing what’s wrong, will make sure that they bring you another portion.

- If food gets stuck in teeth

You cannot use a toothpick at the table, and it is absolutely unacceptable to remove a piece of food stuck in your teeth with your fingers. If it causes pain, excuse yourself, get up from the table and go to the bathroom. Or wait for a pause, say, a change of dishes and, after leaving the dining room, ask for a toothpick.

The same thing should be done when a piece of food gets stuck in a denture. You should apologize and go to the bathroom to wash it off.

- If you drop or spill something

When it comes to solid food, you should use a clean spoon or the blade of your knife to pick up a piece from the tablecloth, for example, jelly, a slice of cucumber, etc. If there is a stain on the tablecloth, wet the corner of your napkin with water from a glass and try to wipe it off. Apologize to your hosts, who in turn should not draw attention to this incident so as not to add to your embarrassment.

If you spill wine or water at a formal dinner or in a restaurant, calmly call the waiter and ask him to bring a napkin to cover the spill. At a family dinner where there are no servants, try using a napkin or sponge to wipe off the stain and generally help the hostess get rid of it as best you can.

What you shouldn't do at the table

Although I much prefer to tell you what to do in certain circumstances, sometimes it is necessary to focus on what you should never do. Below are the most important rules regarding what not to do at the table. When you hold a spoon or fork in one hand while eating, you should not grab the plate with your other hand. When you finish eating, do not push the plate away from you. It must remain in its place until the waiter or maid removes it from the table. If the dinner took place without servants, you can take the empty plate yourself and take it to the kitchen. Don’t lean back in your chair, announcing loudly: “That’s it, I’m full!”, or: “I can’t take it anymore!” The fact that you have finished eating should be indicated by the fork and knife placed on the plate in the appropriate manner. Never drink anything before you have chewed and swallowed the food. It is allowed to drink coffee while holding a small piece of toasted bread in your mouth - so small that it is unnoticeable to others. However, it is still better not to combine food and drink. Do not wipe down your equipment in a restaurant. If you have doubts about the cleanliness of your knife and fork, call the waiter, show him the cutlery and ask him to replace it. Women need to ensure that traces of lipstick do not remain on a napkin, on the rim of a glass, on a fork or spoon, and therefore they should not overuse cosmetics before dinner. When bringing a cup to your mouth, do not put your little finger aside - it looks mannered. Never leave a spoon in a cup: not only is it unsightly, but it can also lead to an accident. Avoid waving a fork or spoon during a lively conversation, especially when there is food left on it. Most often this is done with ice cream, but the fact that it is too cold is justified in in this case cannot serve. It is better to take a smaller spoonful, but swallow this portion immediately. Do not immediately cut everything that is on the plate in front of you - this is an unappetizing sight. Do not put a lot of mashed potatoes or peas on a fork that has already been used to prick the meat. In other words, try to never stuff your mouth full of any food.

1. You must sit at the table with clean hands. If you are visiting, ask the owner of the house to use their facilities for this purpose.

2. It is necessary to sit at the table at a comfortable distance from each other. Not too close, and not too far.

3. Watch your seat at the table. The back should be straight, elbows should not lean on the table. The arms should be pressed to the body, and only the hands should be on the tablecloth.

4. Don't stretch your legs under the table.

5. The napkin should be placed on your lap and brought to your mouth when the need arises. Do not tie a napkin around your neck or tuck it into your shirt collar like a bib.

6. Before you start eating, you need to wait until all the guests have food and the owners of the house start eating first. However, if there is a risk that the food served may become cold, the hosts may invite everyone who has already been served to start eating.

7. Never touch food with your hands, with the exception of bread and breadsticks, which, in any case, must first be broken off from the whole piece and then put in the mouth.

8. The bread you use for food should be on a small plate to the left in front of the main dish.

9. Do not make noise while eating or drinking.

10. Don't talk on the phone if there are other people at the table besides you.

11. Don't take photos while eating.

12. Keep your phone in your pocket or bag, not on your desk.

13. Don't clean your plate with bread.

14. Chew food with your mouth closed.

15. Do not blow on food to cool it.

16. Don't talk while eating.

17. Drink the drink only after swallowing food.

18. When eating, bring the fork or spoon to your mouth, and not vice versa. Never tilt your head towards the cutlery, or even worse towards the plate.

19. In order to finish the soup from the bottom of the plate, you need to tilt it towards the center of the table.

20. Use a knife only for cutting food, not for eating with it.

21. To eat, hold a fork between the thumb and index finger of your right hand.

If a fork and knife are used in conjunction with food that requires cutting, the fork should be held in the left hand and the knife in the right. After cutting food, the utensils do not change places in the hands, that is, the fork with which you will put food in your mouth remains in your left hand, and the knife in your right.

22. The spoon should be held between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand and should be half filled when eating. It is not allowed to use a spoon and fork when eating spaghetti.

23. You need to learn how to eat spaghetti by twisting it on a fork. Do not suck them into your mouth directly from the plate.

24. In order to make it clear that you have finished eating the dish, you need to place the fork and knife parallel on the plate.

25. If you need to serve yourself food that is on the table far from you, then you do not need to reach for it. Ask one of your neighbors to give you this dish of food.

26. If you eat a dish that requires cutting, you must cut off pieces as you eat them. It is not allowed to first cut the entire portion into pieces and only then eat it.

27. In order to serve yourself food from a common dish located in the center of the table, you must use the cutlery that is on this dish; you are not allowed to use your own cutlery.

28. Do not serve yourself more food from a common dish than you can eat, so that after finishing the meal you will have nothing left on your plate.

29. Toothpicks should not be used in public.

30. If you need to pour water or wine into a glass, offer to pour it to your neighbors first.

31. If there is a toast, everyone must drink. If someone does not drink alcohol, all they need to do is raise the glass to their lips.

32. If a toast is made in honor of one of the guests, you must raise the glass to face level and extend your hand in the direction of the person in whose honor the toast is being made.

33. If you want to refuse a drink that you are offered to pour, just make a slight movement with your hand. There is no need to make any apologies about this.

33. Smoking is prohibited during meals or between courses. After meals, smoking is permitted only if there is consent from the hosts and all guests.

34. You should get up from the table only after eating, unless some other circumstances arise in which this must be done earlier.

All photos are from the Internet.

😉 Greetings to my regular and new readers! A successful person cannot do without knowledge of the rules of etiquette in society! I hope that the article “Table Etiquette: Rules of Conduct, Serving and Video” will help you with this.

Every person needs to know this in order to feel easily and comfortably in any place and in any company.

And if you try to follow these simple rules even at home, it will definitely become a habit. When you come to a restaurant, you will easily, without hesitation, behave “as it should.”

Table manners

• never put your elbows on the table - only your hands should be on the table. Where to put your hands? Fold them on your lap;
• if you have already been served a dish, wait until all the guests at the table have been served, and only then start eating;
• It is customary to point the blade of a cutting knife inside the dish to avoid cuts;
• eat at a relaxed pace. Quickly devouring food is a sign of disrespect for the owners, indicating that you only came to eat;
• when taking something from public utensils (vases, dishes), you must first put it on your plate, then in your mouth;
• if the soup is too hot, do not blow on it - wait until it cools down a little;
• if you have food in your mouth, you should try to avoid talking. Chew, swallow the food, and only then enter into dialogue;
• if you need to go to the toilet, say “Excuse me, I’ll be gone for a minute”;
• measure your gestures so as not to hurt your interlocutor or knock over food;
• Do you have food stuck between your teeth? You should not take it out at the table, even if you have toothpicks. If you absolutely cannot tolerate this inconvenience, you must apologize, go out and remove the stuck food from your teeth in the toilet;
• Leaving traces of lipstick on cutlery and glasses is bad manners. This is especially undesirable at business lunches. Do you have lipstick on your lips and don't have a tissue to remove it from your face? Walk to the toilet, or grab a napkin from the bar when you return;
• handbags, keys, hats, gloves, glasses and cases for them, and cigarette packs should not be on the dining table. If the item is not part of the meal, it should not be on the table;
• If you need to squeeze lemon onto fish or seafood, cover it with your hand. This way, drops of juice will not fall on others or into your eyes;
• A smoked cigarette should be extinguished in an ashtray, but not in a plate.

Table etiquette: rules of behavior (video)

Napkin

• As soon as you sit down at the table, place the napkin on your lap. Do not tuck the napkin into your collar, between shirt buttons, or into your belt;
• During lunch, use a napkin often to blot your lips, but do not wipe them. If there are also paper napkins on the table, it is permissible to wipe your lips with them;
• Before drinking drinks, be sure to blot your lips, this is especially important for women who wear lipstick;
• if there is still a plate in front of you, when leaving the table, place the napkin to the left of the plate;
• if the table in front of you is empty, the napkin should be placed in the center of the table, where your plate stood.

Table setting

Setting the table is a process that can accompany not only holidays, but also regular meals with family. The number of cutlery at the table depends on the number of changes of dishes that will be served. Remember: with each change of dishes, cutlery is used sequentially, starting with those closest to the plate.

All devices that are located on the left (and these are always forks) should be held in the left hand. On the right are spoons and knives, which are held in the right hand.

The Secret Language of Cutlery

Salt and pepper

• always pass both salt and pepper together, even if you are asked for one;
• if the open salt shaker does not have a spoon, use the tip of a clean knife to scoop out the salt;
• if the open salt shaker is intended only for you, you can take the salt either on the tip of a knife or just a pinch - with your fingers;
• if an open salt shaker is common to all guests, never take salt from it with your hands or a dirty knife;
• It is customary to place salt on a bread plate, or on the edge of any other plate in front of you.

"Tea, coffee, let's dance..."

• cups must be held by the ear, without inserting the index finger into it and without putting the little finger aside;
• After stirring the sugar in the cup, remove the spoon and place it on the saucer. Sipping hot tea or from a spoon is considered a sign of bad taste;
• There is no need to blow into a cup of hot tea or coffee. Wait for the drinks to cool down. They can only be stirred lightly with a spoon so as not to knock it against the walls of the cup;
• if tea is served with lemon, you need to lightly press the fruit slice with a spoon, squeezing out the juice. Then place the spoon on the saucer. The tea is drunk and the remaining lemon slice is left in the cup;
• The tea bag, squeezed out with a spoon, must be removed from the cup with the same spoon and placed on a saucer;
• no need to put the used bag in the ashtray;
• sponge cakes, according to the rules of restaurant etiquette, should be eaten with a teaspoon, and dry shortbread should be eaten in your hands.

Table etiquette: rules of conduct:

Test yourself! Questions:

1. What to do if tea spills from a cup onto a saucer?
2. If lump sugar is served, but there are no tongs, can you take a lump of sugar with a clean teaspoon?
3. Where to put the used tea leaves?
4. Is it okay to take a bite of an almond cake?
5. You take candy from a box - can you immediately put it in your mouth?
6. How to drink from a bowl correctly?
7. Do I need to drink the coffee grounds?
8. You drink tea while standing at the reception.
9. Is it possible to lift a cup and saucer?
10. A delegation came to the manager for a short (30 minute) visit. Is it necessary to serve coffee or tea?
11. Who interviews the guests - members of the delegation about the type of drink (tea or coffee)?

Answers:

1. Blot it with a paper napkin and find an appropriate place to throw the wet napkin.
2. No, in the absence of special tongs, lump sugar is taken with your hands (with your fingertips, trying not to touch other pieces).
3. Gently squeeze it out with a teaspoon and place it on a saucer.
4. No, they eat it like bread, and break off small pieces with their hands and put it in their mouth.
5. No. Having taken something from public utensils (vases, dishes), you should definitely put it on your plate, and only then in your mouth.
6. It is customary to lift the bowl with both hands.
7. Of course not. And you should not engage in fortune-telling with coffee grounds by turning the cup of coffee grounds upside down.
8. Yes, definitely. A cup without a saucer cannot be lifted from the table.
9. No, not necessarily. But there should be mineral water and glasses on the table.
10. This should be done by the leader himself at the beginning of the meeting, after the guests have sat down. At the same time, one of the employees must be present to remember who ordered what.