If you’ve landed on this page, you’re more than likely heading to a restaurant soon and want to ensure you’ve perfected your dining etiquette so you can enjoy the best meal possible. Whether you’re dining solo, on a date, with family, out with friends or celebrating a special occasion, it’s important to be aware of any actions or restaurant behavior you may be engaging in that can actually come across as rude—and nobody wants that.
“Table manners and dining etiquette [are] important because we want to make sure we are making a good impression on others,” says Arden Clise, an etiquette expert as well as the founder and President of Clise Etiquette. “And no one wants to eat with someone who eats like a pig or is more focused on the food than the company. Etiquette and politeness will never go out of style.”
That said, Parade chatted with etiquette experts across the United States to learn more about how you can elevate your dining experience the next time you go to a restaurant. It’s worth noting that restaurant etiquette can vary by place, so it’s important to keep that in mind. But these seven habits or actions are generally deemed rude at restaurants. And if you do them, you might unintentionally be disrupting the staff and coming off as disrespectful to your dining companions.
Related: An Etiquette Expert Is Begging People To Stop This Common Habit at Restaurants
The Unintentional Rude Habits You Might Be Doing at Restaurants
Even though you might mean well when you go out to eat at restaurants, there is a possibility that you are unintentionally doing some things that are frustrating to the restaurant staff and/or people you’re dining with. If you’ve ever stacked your plates, asked to split the bill at the last minute or placed a used knife on the table, you might want to keep reading.
Again, you might know the major don’ts like not chewing with your mouth open, not putting your elbows on the table and being polite to your server. But there are some sneaky habits that can come off as impolite.
So read on for several habits you can learn to recognize and tweak to make your future dining experiences even better.
7 Common Restaurant Etiquette Mistakes, According to Etiquette Experts
1. Eating too fast or too slow
Diane Gottsman—etiquette expert and owner of The Protocol School of Texas—notes that many people make the mistake of not paying attention to the dining pace of the other people they are dining with.
This is particularly important to pay attention to if you’re eating at a restaurant with a strict time limit per reservation, such as weekend brunch or a popular dining spot in town. You don’t want to exceed the time that you’ve agreed to when making the reservation. You also risk the restaurant asking you to leave.
“You don’t want to be the first one to finish, and you don’t want to be the last one to finish,” she says. “So, if you are slow and making everybody wait, it really comes across as rude and annoying.”
The same principle applies when a server asks if they can clear your plate. You should say no until the others around you are done, as they might feel rushed, feel pressure to go faster or say they are done while they are still in the middle of enjoying their meal.
2. Not asking for a split bill at the beginning of the meal
While it can generally be okay to split a bill at a restaurant, especially when dining with a large party, you want to ensure that you are not waiting until the end of the meal to inform your server about your table’s payment preferences. You don’t need to make this request the first words you say to your server, but Jodi RR Smith, an etiquette consultant as well as the President and owner of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, notes this should be completed before placing your order.
“For most payment systems, it is much easier to know in advance if the bill is to be divided,” she explains. “[Furthermore], the waitstaff should not need to become the financial referee for a table at the end of the meal.”
Not only can not asking for a split bill at the beginning of the meal potentially blindside your server—putting them in a difficult spot if they’ve already processed the orders for your table into their system—it can also serve as a shock to the rest of your dining party, especially if not everyone is on board to pay evenly. After all, the last thing you want is to surprise your dining companions with a bill they did not expect when they intentionally ordered what was in their budget (unless agreed upon earlier).
Related: Etiquette Experts Say These 8 Nonverbal Habits Make You Seem Rude Without Realizing It
3. Stacking plates
Despite the fact that you may have good intentions when stacking plates for your server to take in an effort to be helpful, Clise notes that most servers will appreciate it when you refrain from doing so.
“Servers have a system for clearing dishes, and when you hand them your items, it can throw them off,” she shares. “It also takes away from the people you are dining with as you focus on cleaning up.”
4. Putting your napkin on your plate
You might not think much of putting your napkin on your plate (especially if it’s a fabric one) as you figure that it’s going to be cleaned anyway, but Clise notes that you should avoid doing this.
“It may further soil the napkin and make it more work for the restaurant staff to get stains out,” she explains. “Placing your napkin on your plate would be like putting a cigarette out on your dish. It can be seen as careless and thoughtless.”
She also advises against folding your napkin too nicely, as it might confuse the restaurant staff, who might confuse it for being clean.
5. Placing used utensils on the table
Similar to not placing your napkin on your plate, placing used utensils on the table can be perceived as rude (and potentially unsanitary).
“Putting your used utensils on the table, especially when there is a tablecloth, is bad manners,” says Clise. “Putting used utensils on the table could require that the bus-people or waitstaff have to work harder to clean the table or the tablecloth.”
6. Blowing your nose at the table
Even though you might think blowing your nose at the table is permissible as long as you do so while covering your nose, you’d be wrong. Even though you might be tempted to use the napkin or tissue closest to you to clean your nose, it’s not polite.
“The noise is quite unattractive, and the risk of your spittle or germs reaching your tablemates’ food is high,” says Smith. “Most importantly, a cloth napkin is never to be used as a tissue.”
This is not meant to shame anyone who has to blow their nose, but more so to inform them that the proper etiquette and sanitary protocols advise visiting the restroom, so you can wash your hands and keep germs contained in the bathroom instead of at your table.
7. Overemphasizing mishaps
If you encounter a mishap with your food, such as a hair in it, Gottsman notes that it is bad etiquette to loudly point it out.
“If you find a hair in your food, do not point it out to all of the guests,” she states. “You know, just be very discreet. You don’t have to eat it, but be discreet about it because now you’ve ruined it for everybody else.”
Related: Etiquette Experts Say These 12 Common Habits Make You Look Rude (Without Realizing It)
How To Handle Service Issues Without Being Rude
The good news is there are ways to respectfully handle service issues, such as letting your server know about undercooked food, any unwanted hairs, order mistakes or long waits while not embarrassing yourself or restaurant staff.
For example, if you notice your food is undercooked, Clise notes that you can say, “Excuse me (server’s name), I ordered my steak medium rare, and this is well done. Would you mind bringing me a new steak cooked medium rare?”
If you’re hungry and it seems as though things are taking longer than they should, Gottsman recommends saying, “We realize the kitchen is busy today; is it possible to have a basket of rolls brought to the table while we wait?”
To be extra polite, she notes that you should refer to your server by their name when making any requests and addressing issues.
Up Next:
Related: Asking This Type of Question Can Make You Seem ‘Unclassy’ When You First Meet Someone, Etiquette Expert Warns
Sources:
Arden Clise is an etiquette expert as well as the founder and President of Clise Etiquette. Diane Gottsman is an etiquette expert and the owner of The Protocol School of Texas. Jodi RR Smith is an etiquette consultant as well as the President and owner of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting.Hence then, the article about etiquette experts say you re probably being rude if you do these 7 things at a restaurant 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.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Etiquette Experts Say You’re Probably Being Rude if You Do These 7 Things at a Restaurant )
Also on site :