Eating Etiquette: 5 Basic table manners worth noting

Natasha Gan

05 May 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:07

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#1 Ready to order?
If you're ready to order yet your server is still occupied with other patrons, refrain from raising your hands, snapping your fingers or yelling for them. Instead, just stay put and close your menu. When your server is ready, they'll come around to get your order when they see your menu on the table is closed.
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#2 The thing about cutleries
When you're at a formal dinner, chances are you'll find yourself seated in front of an array of cutleries in various sizes. The rule is to start outside-in. At times there would be a small set of fork and spoon placed horizontal above your plates, those are for desserts. When you are done eating each dish, place your cutleries diagonally across the plate to let the server know. Another important tip to remember: eat your spaghetti or other pasta by twirling it against your spoon with a fork so you don't slurp it in a messy manner.
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#4 Napkin placement
Napkins are to be placed on your lap, not tucked into your pants or skirts, and especially not in the collar. On instances when you need to excuse yourself from the table, neatly fold your napkin on the left side of the table or on the chair. If the chair is upholstered, place the soiled side of the napkin facing the ceiling to avoid staining the chair.
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#3 Start only when everyone is ready
It's deemed impolite when you start eating before everyone else is seated and ready to eat. If you're not sure, utter a simple "bon appetit" or "shall we" to see if everyone is prepared.
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#5 Courtesy to servers
You can tell someone's character by how they treat their server. A lot of business executives looking for a manager, director or partner would bring the candidate to a restaurant to see how they treat their waiters and waitresses. It should go without saying to treat everyone with kindness.

Eating out with friends? Attending a formal dinner with your colleagues? Make sure you know these basic table manners beforehand.

While we can get our grub on when eating at home or hawker joints, we can’t have the same demeanour at fine dining restaurants, especially not when you’re sharing the table with a VIP.

There’s no need to be intimidated by the white tabletops or the spiffy servers. Albeit being a paying customer, there are some unwritten rules to follow to avoid looking uncultured. It starts when you are seated and glancing at the menu. It’s seemingly harmless to raise your hands and voice to signal you are prepared to order, but the norm is to close your menu and wait until your server comes along. In cases when it’s taking too long, an eye contact will suffice.

It’s also not written anywhere on the menu which set of cutleries to use for each dish and it could be confusing which one of the three, four forks and spoons to pick up. The key is to start from the outside and work your way in.

There are a myriad of little table manners to pay attention to we have the major ones compiled in our gallery. Sure you can get by without fussing over the nitpicks, but it doesn’t hurt to know the etiquette right?

Natasha Gan

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Eating Etiquette: 5 Basic table manners worth noting

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