Each of you at least occasionally visits a restaurant, goes to pizza with friends, or spends time in cozy cafes for a cup of fragrant coffee with a delicious cake. Men love to watch football in a cup of beer, and girls talk for a glass of wine. You are often invited to come to visit – for your birthday, anniversary, or some other family event. How to behave yourself to make a pleasant impression and not get into an awkward position? In this article, we will discuss the basic rules of etiquette, which will allow you to always feel confident in any of the situations listed above. Please note that etiquette rules for children are almost identical to adult etiquette rules, so if you need to read this article for your children.
Etiquette rules at the table
- If you came to a visit, do not rush to sit down at once. Wait for the hostess to ask you, maybe you will be offered a predefined place. If this does not happen, you can delicately explain where you are better off.
- There is no need to welcome each guest present, you may well limit yourself to the general greetings, not forgetting to say hello to the owner and mistress.
It is undesirable to sit too close or too far from the table. You will be uncomfortable to take food and eat. - At the table, you must sit back and lean back against the seat of the chair. In no case can you swing on the chair. Apart from the fact that it has a non-aesthetic look, you can break the furniture and even fall.
- Ever since childhood, everyone knows that putting elbows on the table is uncultured. It is better to put your hands on your knees, only hands can be placed on the table.
- Do not also be overly active gesturing, because you can inadvertently touch a neighbor, pour wine on a tablecloth or break a plate. In order not to irritate others, do not knock your fingers on the table, do not use dishes or glasses.
- Do not stretch for the desired dish, slurry or sauce through the whole table. You run the risk of contaminating clothes or turning on the tablecloth the contents of a dish or a glass. It is better to ask a neighbor or waiter to give you what you need.
- To avoid contaminating clothes, you can put a wrapped cloth on your knees. After eating, she is put on a table in the expanded form to the right of the plate. Do not wipe the face with a napkin, just simply wet your mouth.
How to behave politely and communicate
- In the restaurant or on the go, go naturally and relax. It is not necessary to attract attention to excessively noisy manner of speaking or too loud laughter. You do not need to fall into the other extreme and sit quietly, like a mouse, not taking part in the general conversation.
- When talking to a neighbor on the table, try not to turn your back to another neighbor. It is not accepted to scream through the whole table, even if you really want to talk to a longtime friend or former classmate. You can chat later when everyone gets up from the table.
- Do not place a dish on a neighbor’s plate without his / her permission. Do not force someone to eat “at least a little bit”, even if, in your opinion, this is the most delicious snack from all that you have tasted.
- Do not force someone to drink alcohol, motivating the notorious “you do not respect me”, “you do not support the company”. If a person does not want to smash another glass of vodka or a glass of wine – this is her personal business.
- If you do not want to drink more, just politely refuse, do not cover the glass with a hand or a napkin. You are also not required to explain the reason for the refusal.
How to pronounce toast
Many celebrations, especially weddings, birthdays and anniversaries, do not dispense with toast and wishes from guests. To make your toast a success, follow some simple rules.
- Be concise. It is not necessary to drag a toast a lot, to tell long stories from the past. Guests just get bored and they will look forward to when you finally let them throw up the glass and continue the celebration.
- Speak distinctly, emotionally, looking into the eyes of the culprits of the celebration. Smile, be witty and benevolent. Avoid sayings that may touch someone’s self-esteem, ridiculous, and indecent phrases.
- If you are confident enough, you can tell an interesting story, a fresh anecdote, use an apt aphorism. It is not worthwhile to recite the long-known banal toasts, anecdotes and poems. It’s better to sincerely congratulate the birthday girl in his own words.
- If eloquence brings you or you are worried – restrict yourself to a few simple and positive wishes, or, if possible, prepare a toast at home.
How to take food and eat dishes
- Remember that a dish from a common dish can not be typed with your own spoon or fork, use the device that is intended for it.
- When consuming the first dishes, you need to spray so much fluid that it does not spill during meals. You do not have to blow in a plate or spoon, it’s better to wait a while until the dish cools down.
- You can eat bread and poultry with your hands.
- Bread is placed on a plate and broke off from it small pieces, it is not accepted to hold a whole piece of hand; Do not collect the remains of the sauce or the first dish with a slice of bread.
- Meat dishes are eaten with a knife and fork, cutting off small pieces. The stitches are kept in the left hand, and in the right side.
- Fish is not cut to cut with a knife, it can only help themselves to separate the stones.
- Cutlets, daisies, dumplings and other similar dishes are eaten with a fork, do not cut them with a knife.
- Salads are also eaten with a fork, with a knife you can cut salad leaves or large pieces.
- Salt from a salt cell should be taken with a special spoon or a clean knife.
- Sugar-refined are taken with special tweezers, or if they are not – just hands.
Picture Credit: bridgesward, stokpic