Table manners
play an important part in making a favorable
impression. They are visible signals of the
state of our manners and therefore are essential
to professional success. Regardless of whether
we are having lunch with a prospective employer
or dinner with a business associate, our manners
can speak volumes about us as professionals.
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Napkins and
Table Settings
• Take
your napkin cues from the host. When the host
picks up his/her napkin, the meal begins.
When the host places his/her napkin on the table,
the meal is finished.
• Unfold your napkin, refold it in half,
and place it in your lap with the fold toward
you
(note: large dinner napkins
are folded and placed on your lap, while small
lunch
napkins are placed completely
unfolded on your lap).
• Place your napkin neatly to the left
of your plate if you need to leave the table
for any reason during the
meal (do not place it on your chair). It should
be placed to the right
of the
plate when the meal is completed.
• Start with the knife, fork, and spoon
farthest from your plate and work your way in,
using one utensil for each
course.
• The utensils above the plate are used
for dessert.
• Return all utensils to the “rest
position” when you are not using them
(do not allow
them to hang
off the plate). Once an utensil has been used
it is never laced on the
table again. The
knife may rest diagonally with the blade in
on the right side of your
plate or at the top
of your plate. The fork can
rest diagonally on the left side of your
plate
and may cross the knife near
the center.
• Signal that you are finished with a
course by laying your utensil(s) on your plate
in the
10 and 4 o’clock
position (knives are placed blade in and forks
can be placed with tines
up or down).
• If you drop a utensil, ask for a new
one. Pick up the dropped utensil only if you
can
reach it comfortably.
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Soup, Salad, Bread, and Dessert
• Place all soup,
coffee, and dessert spoons on the service plate
or saucer when you are finished (do not leave
them in the bowl, cup, or parfait glass).
• Drink from a soup bowl only if the bowl
has a handle (as in the case of a clear
consommé
or bouillon).
• Scoop your soup away from you; tilt
your soup bowl away from you.
• Place crackers in your soup as they
are given to you, but do not crumble them.
• Allow your food to cool if it is too
hot to eat (do not blow on it).
• You may cut large
pieces of lettuce, tomatoes, etc. in your salad
in order to avoid
putting a too large portion
of salad in your mouth.
• Butter only the piece of bread you intend
to eat (do not butter the whole piece of
bread).
• Break your bread over the bread plate.
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Miscellaneous Food Facts
• Pick up foods
that are considered finger foods (e.g. corn
on the cob, chips, hors
d’oeuvres, sandwiches
that aren’t too messy, etc.)
• Remove inedible food items from your
mouth as inconspicuously as possible with
your
thumb and forefinger, and
then hide them under something on your plate
(e.g. parsley) or place them
on your bread and butter plate.
• Cut only
two or three pieces of meat or vegetable at
one time.
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Eating and Passing Food
• Begin eating when:
1) Everyone has been served (in groups of 8
or fewer), and/or
2) instructed by the host after two or more
guests have been served (including the
guest
of honor, if applicable).
• Pass food to the right. If you are the
individual starting the passing of the bread
basket, first offer some to the person on your
left, then take some for yourself,
then pass
to the right.
• Pass the salt and pepper together, one
in each hand. Please note that if someone has
asked you to pass these items, you should not
pause to use them.
• Ask others to pass any items you cannot
reach without straining, or cause you to reach
your arm across another person’s plate.
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Bad Behaviors You Probably
Already Know Not to Do
• Don’t talk with
your mouth full or chew with your mouth open.
• Don’t slurp your soup.
• Don’t use your fingers to push
food onto your utensil.
• Don’t mix or mash food on your
plate.
• Sit up straight with your arms near
your body, but don’t sit stiffly.
• Don’t wave utensils around or
gesture with them while you talk.
• Don’t stack dishes at the end
of a meal.
• Don’t place your elbows on the
table during a course of the meal. You may place
them
on the table between courses or at the
end of a meal.
• Don’t order alcoholic beverages
during interviews.
• Don’t smoke during a meal.
• Don’t season your food before
tasting it.
• Leave the table if you need to remove
food that is caught between your teeth. Do not
use a toothpick at the table
• Don’t wear hats to the table.
• Hold wine glasses by the stem (not by
the bowl or rim).
• Don’t push your plate away when
you are done eating.
• Say “no, thank you” if you
do not wish to try a certain food.
• You may wipe your nose at the table,
but not on your napkin and not if you are going
to make a large amount of noise.
• Don’t touch up or reapply makeup
at the table.
Remember
that etiquette is mostly common sense and designed
to make people feel more comfortable in potentially
stressful situations.
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