And if you try to follow these simple rules of behavior at the table even at home, then it will certainly become a habit and, having come to a restaurant, you will easily, without hesitation, behave “as it should”.

The rules of etiquette are created to make everyone present (you, your interlocutor, waiter, etc.) feel comfortable. Therefore, first of all, pay attention to your attitude towards those present - be polite, include in your speech "magic words" - "thank you", "please", "I beg your pardon", "sorry", etc.

There are several basic rules of table etiquette:

You need to sit up straight without stooping your back to look at ease.
... Always say the words "please" and "thank you."
... Sitting at the table, place a napkin on your lap.
... Women are invited to the table first, men sit down next.
... If this is a festive occasion, being late is considered disrespectful and disrespectful.
... While eating, you should not put your elbows on the table - only your hands should lie on the table.
... If food has been brought to you earlier than others, wait until everyone has plates on the table - only then can you start your meal. You can start eating earlier than others only if the owners have told you so.
... While eating, the fork must be held in the left hand, and the knife in the right, but if you ordered a dish that is eaten only with a fork, then hold it in your right hand.
... Pasta and other pasta are eaten by rolling with a fork and spoon.
... Dough products and bread must be carefully broken off and there are broken pieces; bread must not be cut or bite off.
... If you suddenly drop any device, ask the waiter to bring you a new one.
... Food should be chewed with a closed mouth.
... Do not slurp at all.
... Eating with a knife is a sign of bad taste.
... If you are pouring yourself a drink from a shared container, offer it to your interlocutors first, and then pour yourself.
... If you are serving food from a shared plate, bring up your plate and put as much as you can eat, do not forget about others and do not be greedy.
... If your interlocutor has violated some rules of etiquette and you notice this, do not correct him.
... You can tilt the bowl with the leftover soup, but only from yourself, but it is better to leave it a little half-eaten.
... You need to cut off such a piece of food so that you can eat it in one go. Chew food thoroughly to avoid choking.
... There are several taboos at the table: not talking or drinking drinks with your mouth full (unless you choke, of course). Do not chew with your mouth open.
... If a piece of food is accidentally stuck in your mouth, it is taken out with a fork and placed on a plate (preferably so that no one can see).
... During a conversation, you cannot hold a fork or spoon with food on the weight, especially swinging it - eat it or put it on a plate.
... Do not lean too much towards the plate, bring food to your mouth.
... During or after a meal, cutlery should never be put on the table - put it on a plate.
... Cutlery is used in a certain order - starting with the extreme, moving closer to the plate.
... If you are expecting a change of dishes and while you have stopped eating, place the cutlery crosswise (so that the sharp part of the knife looks to the left, and the fork is facing up with the convex side).
... When you have finished eating, place the cutlery on a plate parallel to each other.
... In no case should you bend over another person, you cannot reach out - ask to be handed one or another dish.
... If you need to go out while eating, apologize to the person you are talking to.

When do you need to apologize?

If you need to blow your nose at the table.
... If you need to clear your throat at the table.
... If you need to go out.
... If you have a piece of food stuck in your tooth and need to use a toothpick or dental floss.
... If you suddenly started to hiccup.
... If you feel that you feel bad.
... If you have bowel or digestive problems at the table.

How to use a napkin correctly?

Just sitting at the table, you need to put a napkin on your lap.
... If the napkin is large, fold it in half before placing it on your lap.
... If the napkin is small, unfold it completely.
... If you need to go out, place a napkin on the table to the right of the plate, hiding the stained spots on it. Do not put the napkin on a chair - you could accidentally sit on it and get dirty.
... Place the napkin to the left of the plate if you have already eaten.

How to behave properly at the table?

Do not bite off large pieces, the pieces should be of such a size that you can calmly support the conversation at the table.
... You cannot blow on hot food. Let the food cool while you wash your hands or start a conversation.
... Salt and pepper must be transferred together, even if you are asked to transfer salt only.
... If you are asked to convey something at the table, do not pass it directly into your hands, but place it on the table next to the interlocutor. If your interlocutor sits far from you, you do not need to reach across the entire table, ask the person sitting next to you to pass the dish further.
... At the table, moderate your gestures so as not to inadvertently hurt your interlocutor or topple food.
... Put your phone or other gadget in your pocket before you start your meal - it is undesirable to put it on the table.
... The waiter must leave a tip in the amount of 10-15% of the amount of your order (unless, of course, they are included in the price of meals).

Having memorized these simple rules of etiquette at the table, you can easily and comfortably feel in any place and in any company. Enjoy your meal!

Some rules of behavior at the table are dictated by common sense and are quite understandable, for example, not to talk while eating, not to eat from a knife, while others contain their own, at first glance, inexplicable nuances. What are all these subtleties and what generally accepted rules of etiquette exist - read on.

How to sit at the table

The rules of conduct begin with how you need to sit at the table - you need to do this at a convenient distance from the dining table. The back should be straight. Keep your legs bent next to you, do not straighten them full length under the table. Where you sit is determined by the hosts in preparation for the reception.

The arms are kept bent, at the level of the cutlery. Only hands can be kept on the table. Do not put your elbows on the table! If you can't figure out where to put your hands, fold them on your knees.

During a conversation, it is customary to turn your head towards the interlocutor, and not the whole body. Speak in a low-key manner and do not actively gesture.

What to do with a napkin

Table etiquette always assumes that dishes for the guest are served along with a napkin. In addition to its main function of keeping hands and mouth clean, it serves as a sign of the beginning of a meal when the host of the evening puts it on his lap.


The large napkin is left folded in half on the lap, the smaller napkin is fully unrolled. If the napkin is served in a ring, then you remove it and leave it in the upper corner to the left of your plate.

Wipe your fingers and lips with it as needed. When you need to leave, the napkin stays in your seat. Leave the used napkin by the plate, trying to wrap the stained places inside, or, if possible, insert it into the ring in the same form.

At the end of the meal, the napkin should lie on the left side of your plate - you do not need to fold it, wrinkle it too, just carefully put it on the side. The plate has already been taken away - leave the napkin exactly in its place.

How to use cutlery

Studying the rules of behavior at the table, many, first of all, are afraid of a large number of cutlery. In fact, they are not so difficult to remember, especially since they are rarely used all at once. There is one hint that will make things easier for you, provided that the table is properly set: you should always start with the cutlery farthest from the plate and move on to the main cutlery next to the plate.


Hold the plug with your left hand. The fork teeth should point downward. When pricking food, you can rest your index finger on the joint between the handle and the teeth, but away from the latter. When using only the fork, you can hold it in your right hand.


Take the knife with your right hand, grasping it with your middle, ring and little fingers, your thumb supports the knife from below, and your index finger rests on the handle, but not on the back of the blade. Never hold your knife like a pencil. Eating with a knife is not permissible, but above all it is dangerous.


Hold the spoon between your index and thumb, in the middle of the handle.


If the appliance falls to the floor, do not continue to use it, but apologize to the owner and ask them to bring a new one.

Use serving utensils instead of individual utensils to serve food from common utensils.

You need to hold any glass exclusively by the leg, so as not to heat the drink with your fingers. The cup is held by the handle. Taking a sip, it is customary to look into the cup, and not over it and at others.

How to use chopsticks

The use of sticks requires separate rules. If you do not know how to hold the sticks correctly, then practice in advance, for example, with the help of this video.

When you are not using chopsticks, place them on a special stand or to the right of the plate.


In no case should you cross the sticks on the plate, leave them in the food and pierce it.

Rules of conduct while eating

• Do not scatter food or food leftovers on the plate. If you find a bone or other inedible element, do not spit it out, but carefully put your lips on a napkin and fold it near the plate.

• Do not try to talk with your mouth full - the food must first be completely chewed and swallowed. It is considered good form not to make any sounds while eating - not to slurp, not smack your lips, not to suck in noisy drinks. Loudly knocking instruments on dishes is also not very decent.

• Do not cut all the meat or fish into pieces at once. Cut only one piece at a time before eating it and cutting off the next.

• Spoon the soup only away from you. To tilt the plate to make it easier to scoop up the rest of the soup, you can also only in this direction. When filling a spoon with food, do so so that you can bring it to your mouth without ruining the tablecloth. You cannot blow on a spoon with hot food.

• When eating, do not tilt your head to the plate, but bring the food to your mouth using the utensils.

• You cannot reach across the table to take food - ask the person sitting closer to convey the necessary and be sure to thank him. Take only what you can easily reach, sitting upright, or leaning slightly to the side.

Do not hurry

When you are the host, keep an eye on the overall pace of your meal, pause after each spoon or sip, so as not to overtake your guests and make them feel like they are being rushed.


As a guest, in the same way, do not rush to quickly absorb food, show the owner that you are enjoying not only food, but that you are also interested in the company.

How to leave the table

If you need to go to the toilet, apologize to those present and tell them that you need to go out.

When you need to leave the company for good (for example, you don't feel very well, or they called you and urgently called you somewhere), apologize to those present and say that you would still be happy to stay if it were not for force majeure.

Restaurant etiquette

The rules of conduct at the table are common for everyone, although restaurant etiquette has its own nuances associated with the specifics of the service.

• It is not necessary to call the waiter by shouting. Ideally, try making eye contact. Otherwise, raise your hand with your index finger up to get attention. In some restaurants, special call buttons begin to appear right on the table - then use it.

• When sending back poorly cooked or spoiled food, it is polite to tell your company that they can start eating without waiting for you.

• In the case when you ordered wine, but you did not like it, you have no right to return it, because a bottle has already been opened for you. But if the wine is really that terrible, you can try to speak delicately with your waiter and explain the situation.

• If you want to try someone else's dish, then do not reach for someone else's plate across the table - let a little sample of food be served to you in a bread plate. In the case of a formal, business dinner or with unfamiliar people, it is better to leave this idea.

• Many people forget about this, or even simply do not know, but putting a mobile phone on the dining table is just as wrong as a purse or keys. In addition to the fact that this item has nothing to do with the meal, it distracts you from both food and your company. As well as according to the rules of theatrical etiquette, it is advisable to put the phone on silent mode in a restaurant, because you are also in a cultural institution.

• Girls looking to freshen up their makeup can quickly and neatly renew their lipstick after dinner, but that's about it. For the rest, it is better to use the ladies' room, putting on all the makeup at the table is bad form.

You can watch the following video on the rules of behavior at the table when going to a restaurant.

Can I take pictures of food?

With the development of social networks and the strengthening of their influence on everyday life, it has become very popular to photograph a dish before eating, and sometimes not only young people, but also people of other ages do this. The question began to arise whether the culture of behavior at the table permits such actions.


It's hard to resist this trend, so if you want to take a picture of your food, you can, but make sure you don't disturb anyone and your companions don't mind, and don't leave the camera on the table after “taking a photo”. Do not use the flash and turn off the shutter click sound. The same rules of conduct apply to your selfies - try not to cause discomfort to others and do not turn this venture into a photo shoot.

There is a so-called Silent Service Code - certain rules for folding cutlery during and at the end of a meal in order to demonstrate to the waiter your opinion about the service, readiness to move on to the next dish, etc.

• Pause in eating: cross the knife and fork towards each other, the knife looks with the handle to the right, the fork to the left. If you are using only one appliance, place it on the edge of the plate with the handle facing to the right on the table.

• I'm waiting for the next dish: cross the knife and fork on a plate at right angles, perpendicular to each other; the fork is looking north, the knife is looking west.

• The meal is over, the plate can be taken away: there are several ways to show this, the main thing is to put the cutlery between ten and four o'clock, if you imagine the plate in the form of a dial. But most often the knife and fork are folded parallel to each other in the direction of five o'clock, in the European (continental) style - teeth down, in the American - up.

• The meal is over, you liked the dish: if you want to show gratitude for the delicious food - then at the end of the meal, put the cutlery parallel to each other and across the plate, in a horizontal position.

• The meal is over, the dish is not pleasant: suppose you did not like the food and you want to demonstrate it - cross the cutlery in such a way that the knife clings to the teeth of the fork.

Etiquette for children

The rules of behavior at the table for children are not particularly different from the rules for adults, the task is to be able to clearly tell the child about it. A dry text from a book is unlikely to be interesting to him, so it is better to approach the explanation in a playful way, with the help of children's puzzles, songs, riddles and other techniques - for example, colorful pictures with poems on the topic of table etiquette, which can be easily learned, will be very by the way.

And most of all, kids will like instructive and funny videos, where the rules of behavior at the table are presented in a playful or entertaining way, for example, like this:

We hope that our material was able to shed light on the culture of behavior at the table, and the corresponding rules of etiquette will no longer be a mystery to you.

Etiquette includes a huge number of all kinds of rules and subtleties that are very difficult to remember. However, it is imperative to know the rules of behavior for those situations in which a person finds himself most often. So, it's worth learning how to behave at the table.

How to sit properly

You need to sit down nicely at the table. You shouldn't be lounging on the chair as if it were your home chair. You should sit on the edge of a chair with your back straight and your legs straight. You do not need to move very close to the table and even more so to lean on it with your chest. You should sit so that it is comfortable for you to eat, and not feel any constraint in movement. In accordance with generally accepted standards, there should be a distance equal to the palm of the hand between the table and the person. The plate should be located on the table at a distance of two fingers from its edge.

Basic rules of etiquette at the table

The rules of etiquette at the table strictly prohibit putting your elbows on the table. It is allowed to put your hands on it. In between serving meals, fold your hands on your knees or on the armrests of the chair. Sitting at the table, you need to unfold the cloth napkin next to your plate and put it on your lap. It should be noted that the main purpose of this napkin is to protect clothes and prevent them from getting dirty. Hands should only be wiped with paper towels. They also need to blot your mouth, do not wipe, namely blot, gently touching your lips.

Cutlery

The rules that describe how to behave at the table state that the knife and spoon must be held in the right hand and the fork in the left. It will be helpful to know that criss-crossed cutlery on the plate means that you have decided to pause. If you want the waiter to remove the cutlery or replace the dish, place a fork and a knife diagonally parallel to each other. Their handles should look to the lower right corner. Cutlery stacked on a plate indicates your desire to pause. It should be noted that after the first course is eaten, it is necessary to leave the spoon in the plate. Meat, poultry and fish should be eaten with a knife and fork. The bones should be removed from the mouth not with your fingers, but with a fork, carefully setting them aside.

Eat gently

Do not bite off too large pieces of food; you should chew with your mouth closed. While eating, you can not talk, chomp, sip and blow on hot food. In addition, it is indecent to discuss treats and choose the most appetizing piece on a common plate. In the event that you cannot take any dish, you should politely ask the person sitting next to you to pass it on. When thinking about how to properly behave at the table, do not forget about the polite attitude towards your companions. While at the table, you cannot laugh out loud and talk with a full mouth. You need to respect your companions: do not smoke in front of them, do not talk on the phone, and do not gesticulate.

Refusal of the dish

• If you want to refuse a dish that you do not like or that may cause you allergies, then you should politely refuse: "No, thank you." But nevertheless, the rules of good form recommend that you take at least a small piece of the dish and place it on the plate in such a way that it is not noticeable that you have not touched it.
• Undoubtedly, any hostess will be upset if she notices that you have not tasted any dish. In this case, there is no need to loudly explain what the reason is. It is necessary, without attracting the attention of the rest of those sitting at the table, to explain to her in a low voice why you refused to eat: you are on a diet, are allergic to certain types of foods, your doctor does not recommend them.
• If you refuse a dish that the waiter offers, you just need to shake your head or say in a low voice: "No, thanks." In the case when you are present at a dinner "a la buffet", where several dishes are offered at once to choose from, you can put on your plate just what you like best to taste. However, if at such a dinner waiters are standing at a table with snacks, then you need to point them to the dish you like, stretch your plate forward, smile and kindly ask them to put the dish you have chosen. If you notice that you are going to put something different from what you asked, you should say: "No, thank you" and repeat your previous request.

Now you know how to behave at the table to create a good impression of yourself. Remember that by following the elementary rules of etiquette, you will be able to attract attention to yourself and gain the favor of others. Try it and see for yourself!

• Don't put your fingers in your mouth or get food out of your teeth. Apologize and go to the bathroom.
• Don't overload your plate at the buffet.
• If you get something indecent (belching, hiccups), or if excess food falls out of your mouth, then calmly apologize. Do not make an elephant out of a fly and no one else will focus on this.
• Don't talk with your mouth full.
• Don't tilt your face down into the plate. Instead, sit up straight and bring the cutlery to your mouth.
• If you have any chewing gum, discard it before meals. It is considered bad form to stick it under the table.
• Don't take it last until you ask if someone would like to take it.
• Leave food on the plate that you don't want.
• Chew with your mouth closed.
• If you need to leave the table, say "I'm sorry." Needless to say where you are going.
• When eating or cutting something, keep your elbows close to your body.
• Don't make noise, sing, or whistle at the table unless everyone else is doing it.
• Do not tilt the back of your chair.
• Don't salt your food if you don't need to.
• They never criticize others' eating habits in public.
• If you have used the utensil before, do not touch it again! Leave food on your plate.
• Bring food to your mouth, not your mouth to your plate.
• Sit up straight.
• Don't push the plate away when you've finished eating.
• Do everything for the owner. For example, do not sit down, do not start eating, or leave the table until he does it first, or asks you to do it.
• Take a glass as you drink through the straw.
• Do not dip the spoon twice in the common dish.
• When people leave the table, do not ask them where they are going.
• Don't embarrass yourself or the owner.
• Don't interrupt someone; it makes an unpleasant impression.
• Do not speak with food or drink in your mouth.
• While resting, you can rest your elbows on the table, placing them between the dishes. But only after eating, not during it.
• Don't talk about unpleasant things at the table.
• The glasses are different. One, which is rounder, is used for red wine, and the other, taller, is used for white wine. Hold the white wine glass by the stem to avoid heating it, and hold the red wine glass by the bowl, as red wine tastes better when it is warmed by the warmth of your hands.
• When it comes to plates of bread, cups, etc., while dining at a large table with other people, many people wonder which one belongs to them. Always take what's on the left.
• If you make a loud noise and drop a spoon (or something like that), do not draw attention to it. Most likely, no one noticed, or even paid attention.

But few people understood them in more detail. For many, it is sufficient that they know in which hand to hold the knife and in which to hold the fork. However, this is very little. In this article I would like to talk about how to behave at the table correctly.

About etiquette

First of all, it must be said that there are different types of behavior in this or that institution and even in this or that country. If you figure out how beautiful it is to eat, this question will be completely the same for European countries, in which you need to be as quiet at the table as possible, and for Asian countries, where gratitude to the owner for a delicious dinner is expressed with loud smacking and smacking. Also, the behavior in the restaurant and when visiting relatives at the table may differ slightly.

Restaurant etiquette

Understanding how beautiful it is to eat is very important for those people who visit various restaurants from time to time. So, here it is important to behave correctly immediately after crossing the threshold of the institution. It is important to remember that the head waiter meets the guests, talks about whether there are free seats, and leads them to the desired table. He is also responsible for picking up the outerwear of visitors. Approaching the table, a man (if guests of different sexes have come) must first help the lady to sit down by pushing her chair a little, then he sits down himself. It is also important to remember how to properly sit at the table. As for the position, the representative of the stronger sex should be opposite the woman or to the left of her. If the lady is a little late, the man can take a seat at the table, but when the head waiter takes her to the appointed place, the guy will certainly stand up as a sign of respect.

Order selection

When the couple is already at the table, the waiter will certainly serve the menu. It is worth not hurrying to choose the desired dishes, in such establishments it is not customary to rush. Most often, the waiter will see that the guests are ready to order something, and he will come up. But you can also call the attendants to you with a slight movement of your hand. The order is made first by the woman, only then by the man. However, a lady can ask a guy to do it for her, this is also allowed. If guests cannot decide on the choice of wine, they can ask the waiter for advice. You can also consult with him about a particular dish, this is allowed by the rules of etiquette.

Expectation

How to behave at the table while the order has not yet arrived? During this time, guests can chat quietly. The first, most likely, the waiter will bring the wine. Only a restaurant employee opens bottles; a man should not take a break from his seat to do this. First, the drink is served to the ladies, then to the guys. As for food, you can start eating only after everyone at the table has already ordered dishes.

rules

Understanding how beautiful it is to eat, it is also important to remember that in restaurants it is strictly forbidden to pick up fallen objects from the floor. The waiter will do this. He must bring a clean device. If there was an embarrassment and broke, for example, a plate or glass, do not worry. The restaurant will simply include its cost in the bill, and the case will be closed. No one will make scandals about this. If you want to salt the dish, and the salt shaker is on the other side of the table, you shouldn't reach for it yourself, you just need to ask the near-seated person to serve what you need. It is also important to remember about decibels: you need to speak in a restaurant so as not to disturb others.

How to sit

Understanding how beautiful it is to eat, it is also important to remember that you need to properly sit at the table. So, it is forbidden to put your elbows on the table, lounging on a chair, swinging on it. Also, you can not bend low over the plate. The back of the seated person should be straight, there is also no need to stoop. However, there should be no tension and rigidity in posture, everything should be natural. When there is a change of dish, the guest is allowed to lean back a little, so as not to interfere with the waiter and relax a little in a comfortable position.

About food

It is worth remembering that in restaurants it is not customary to rush; dishes are eaten slowly in order to enjoy their taste. If the food is rather hot, you cannot blow on it. To cool down, you just need to wait a little, keeping up the conversation. If burning food has occurred, you cannot wave a napkin or hands into your mouth, you can only wash it down with water. Various bones, including fruit, are strictly forbidden to spit out or take out of the mouth with your hands. For this, a fork is intended, which is gently brought to the mouth and everything unnecessary is folded there. If the person does not like the taste of the dish at all, you can bring a napkin close to your mouth and spit everything out there, without attracting the attention of those around you with indignation about this.

If you need to move away

Table culture has its own recommendations for mobile phones. So, if the guest got a call, he can briefly say that he will call back without leaving his place. However, if the conversation is urgent, you must definitely step back. Talking at the table on the phone is bad form. Also, if you need to leave, for example, to the restroom, you need to ask permission from everyone present at the table. You can also not talk with people sitting at the next table. If these are comrades or you just need to ask something, you need to get up and go up to them. In the case when acquaintances enter the restaurant, they should be greeted by sitting, with a slight nod of their head. A man only gets up if a lady joins his table. Women don't move in all situations.

End of the meal

When the dinner has come to an end, the guests are full and happy, they can ask the waiter for the bill, which will mean that their stay in this institution has come to an end. The attendant will bring a folder in which the invoice will be indicated. It is also important to remember about the tip - 10% of the order value. Who should pay off is another question. So, in the countries of the post-Soviet space, this is done mainly by men. In European countries, women are actively fighting this, considering it a relic of the past, and there everyone pays for himself. If the dinner was just friendly, the waiter may be asked to bring a personal bill in advance, separate for each person. It's also important to remember to surrender. If it is necessary, the person is simply silent. If the folder contains money, some of which do not need to be returned, you just have to say: “No change,” and that’s the end of it. It is important to remember that you need to decide who will pay in advance, it is ugly to do it in front of the waiter. You also need to know who you need to express your complaints to. The head waiter should talk about everything that he liked or disliked, not the waiter.

Cutlery

But if all of the above is not too terrifying for the ignorant, then how to properly handle cutlery is a whole science. After all, there are a huge number of plates, knives, spoons and glasses, different in size and purpose. You just need to know how to hold the plug correctly and how to use it. So, when a person sits down at a table, no matter where it happens - in a restaurant or at home, he must definitely look around. So, according to the rules, there should be a snack plate directly, to the right of it - a pie or napkin plate. To the left of the plate should be spoons and knives, to the right - forks. If all this is observed at the table, it can be concluded that certain manners are required of the guest. You also need to remember that a dessert device will be located in front of the plate, most likely a teaspoon. Behind the plate there will be wine glasses and glasses, all of them also have their own purpose.

How to use cutlery

So how do you hold the plug correctly? This question often worries people. It is worth remembering that those devices that lie to the left of the plate are taken with the left hand, those on the right are taken with the right. That's all science. Dessert cutlery is positioned so that the handle will look to the right or left. Depending on this, you need to decide which hand to take them with. As for the knife, the end of its handle, according to the rules, should rest against the center of the palm, the thumb and middle finger are on the sides of the knife, the index finger is in the center. The rest of the fingers are slightly bent towards the palm. While eating, the fork is held so that its prongs point downward, the handle, like that of a knife, rests on the palm. In the case when you need to eat small pieces of food, as well as a side dish - mashed potatoes or porridge, the fork is turned over with the cloves up, while a knife can help in picking up food a little. The spoon is held in the left hand so that its end is at the base of the index finger, and the beginning is at the middle. If the dish separates easily, the waiter can only serve a fork, in which case it must be held in the right hand. Now everyone should understand, not only how to hold a fork and knife, but also other nuances of using cutlery. Moreover, it is not as difficult as it might seem at first.

Napkin

Understanding how to eat beautifully, it is important to know that you also need to be able to handle a napkin. Often it becomes the subject of table decoration, but it also has its own direct purpose. Before eating, the napkin must be carefully folded in half and placed on your knees with the edge facing you. This will help protect your costume or dress from dripping. You can also use this cloth to wipe your hands or lips after eating or drinking. Hanging her by the collar, making a bib, is strictly prohibited. This is both inconvenient and very ugly. The soiled fingers are gently and imperceptibly wiped on the upper edge of the napkin, which remains on the lap. If you need to get your lips wet, the napkin is raised, however, so that it is completely in the palm of your hand, and does not hang. Blot (but do not wipe) the lips with the middle of the napkin, then it is put back in place. It is strictly forbidden to use it as a handkerchief or towel for wet or dirty hands. Also, you cannot wipe cutlery with a napkin, looking for a speck on them. This can offend the owners a lot. If this item has fallen, you need to ask to bring a new one. At the end of the meal, the napkin is placed to the left of the plate, but never hung over the back of a chair.

About drinks

Everyone understands that the correct behavior at the table is the key to a successful evening in a cultural institution. It is also important to give a few words and drinks, as well as the containers that suit them. The main thing is to remember the rule: the stronger the drink, the less capacity it needs. A glass - for vodka drinks, a Madeira glass - for fortified, glasses or glasses for white and red wines, a glass or a glass - for champagne. Stronger drinks are served first, then in ascending order. Wine glasses are two-thirds full.

About kids

Etiquette is also important because kids should also be able to behave correctly in society. However, it should be said that the rules for them will be easier and more restrained than for adults. And no one should pay special attention to the mistakes of the kids at the table. However, a mother or another parent should quietly make a remark to the baby, teaching him the correct behavior. What is the main thing for children when behaving at the table? It is important that the kids know that at the table you cannot talk loudly, laugh or shout. You cannot speak with a full mouth, it is ugly and even harmful to the process of eating. Also, you cannot slurp and smack, this is unacceptable. It is necessary to tell the child how to properly handle the napkin: it should be used to wipe dirty lips and hands, and when not needed, it should be on your knees. Also, the kid needs to be told that there are dishes that you can eat with your hands, and those for which you need to use cutlery. So, for example, french fries, shrimps, fish sticks can be easily taken with your hands, you can also grab a cauliflower inflorescence. But this ends the list of products that are taken without appliances. For some unknown reason, kids love to eat spaghetti with their hands, but this is ugly and wrong. The kid must be told about this. Children should also remember that they need to stay at the table until everyone has eaten. And, of course, it is important to say "thank you" to the hosts who treated them. In the case of a meal in a restaurant, “thank you” is said to the head waiter. If etiquette at the table is too hard science for the crumbs, pictures can be a great help in learning. You just need to show the kid a few video lessons or characteristic pictures, and everything will become clearer for him.