There's no doubt that this practice comes from a good place. But to the surprise of many, it's actually a really common restaurant etiquette mistake. Although it feels like a way to refine our table manners at restaurants, it does quite the opposite.
"The overwhelming response from servers is, 'Please don't, but thank you for the thought,'" Abbott, who offers up modern etiquette expert restaurant tips, tells Parade.
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So if it comes from a place of wanting to help, why should you stop doing it? If you ask Abbott, servers have a process that can feel interrupted if you do this. Coming to your table to find a stack of dishes waiting for them can get in the way of how they do their job.
On top of that, it can also send a message to your server that something has gone awry.
The Hidden Language of Silverware: How To Signal You Are Finished
Those forks and knives on your table? Sure, they're best used for shoveling food into your mouth and wiping the food off of your plate when you're all done. But they can also be useful in sending a message to your server to let them know you're finished eating your meal—and its not a hindrance like stacking plates can be.
According to Abbott, the placement of your silverware to showcase you're done eating can range drastically between dining spaces in the United States versus in Europe.
Across the pond, this practice requires just a few more steps.
Does this rule work everywhere, all the time? There are exceptions, says Abbott.
However, other fine dining venues where servers are taught how to properly set the dining table will know the code, she explains.
Of course, besides silverware placement, there are a ton of other ways you can let your server know you're done. Especially if you're at a casual joint that won't pick up this silverware tip.
Some might even put their napkin in their plate. But if you want to follow proper etiquette, she suggests avoiding this.
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A lot of us do this one all too often, but it's actually an impolite habit to constantly do at restaurants since, in most cases, it can turn one dish on the menu into something completely different, says Abbott.
"Dressing on the side is fine," she says, but notes that "ordering the beef dinner [and] swapping in fish, a different potato and double salad is not."
2. Not supervising children
Not supervising your kids at a restaurant can easily cause mayhem to happen in a matter of minutes. According to Abbott, this can be seen as rude because it interrupts the experience for other patrons.
This may seem like an obvious one, but maybe not for some. Going into a restaurant minutes before closing and ordering a full meal can infringe on the waitstaff's time.
4. Seating yourself at an uncleared table
Helping yourself to an uncleared table "forces staff to rush and clean around you, and it reads as entitled," Abbott tells Parade.
"Point it out, say you're happy to wait, or take a table that's already clean," she explains.
5. Treating servers like servants
"No flirting, no touching, no prying personal questions," Abbott states.
"Servers are hardworking people in one of the toughest public-facing jobs, and they deserve to be treated like they have value, because they do," she says.
The Golden Rules of Modern Tipping and Leaving a Table
Tipping can be a tricky feat to navigate through at times. It can be hard to know in what circumstances to tip, and for how much and when.
"If it's there, you can add more for especially good service, but arguing about the auto-charge is a serious faux pas," she warns. "If there's no automatic tip, 20 percent is the standard."
"Most U.S. servers earn at or below minimum wage and count on tips to make a living, and even imperfect service doesn't justify tipping out of spite," the etiquette expert explains.
After that, be sure to free up the table around 10-15 minutes later. It helps waiting guests be seated and ensures you don't overstay your welcome.
Related: Is It Really Rude To Show up to a Party Early? Here’s What an Etiquette Expert Says
Source:
August Abbott is a certified etiquette consultant and Manners & Social Protocol Expert.Hence then, the article about an etiquette expert is begging people to stop this common habit at restaurants was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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