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On This Day in South African History

DINING ETIQUETTE

While some of the rules have changed, it is still important for making a favorable impression and showing courtesy to your dining companions. Our etiquette experts have been hard at work creating a contemporary, comprehensive dining etiquette guide with new rules for a new millennium and the time-tested techniques still needed today.

 

TABLE MANNERS GUIDE

Placing the Napkin in Your Lap. Place the napkin in your lap immediately upon seating. If there is a host or hostess, wait for him or her to take their napkin off the table and place it in his or her lap. (An exception to this rule is buffet-style meals, where you should unfold your napkin when you start eating.)

Unfolding the Napkin. Unfold your napkin in one smooth motion without “snapping” or “shaking” it open.

The size determines how you unfold a napkin in your lap.

  1. Large napkins are unfolded halfway.
  2. Smaller napkins are unfolded completely and cover the lap fully.

Using the Napkin. Use your napkin frequently during the meal to blot or pat, not wipe, your lips. Blot your lips before taking a drink of your beverage.

 

WHEN TO START EATING


At a small table of only two to four people, wait until everyone else has been served before starting to eat. At a formal or business meal, you should either wait until everyone is served to start or begin when the host asks you to.

RESTING UTENSILS

How do you leave your knife and fork on your plate when taking a break or are finished eating?

When you pause to take a sip of your beverage or to speak with someone, rest your utensils in one of the two following styles:

Continental Style: Place your knife and fork on your plate near the center, slightly angled in an inverted V and with the tips of the knife and fork pointing toward each other.

American Style: Rest your knife on the top right of your plate (diagonally) with the fork nearby (tines up).

When each course is finished:

Place the knife and fork parallel with the handles in the four o’clock position on the right rim of the plate.

 

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