There’s nothing better than going out for a lovely meal with somebody special and enjoying delicious food and a lively atmosphere. The only thing that may dampen your experience is if you’re going to a fine-dining restaurant and you don’t know the dos and don’ts of the industry.
It can be a little intimidating if you aren’t used to such a sophisticated environment, and that’s totally okay. It’s not the norm for ordinary people to eat out at high-end restaurants all the time, so it’s no wonder that it takes a moment to ensure you know exactly what’s expected.
Of course, you don’t have to know absolutely everything, but there are a few really important things to keep in mind. Here are 5 fine-dining etiquette rules to remember when you’re visiting fancy restaurants.
Don’t Lift Your Menu Off the Table
When you’re eating at fine-dining restaurants, it’s considered bad manners to lift your menu right up off the table. While it’s placed in front of you, simply read it and make your selection from there. Your waitron will indicate when they would like to collect them.
Don’t Tell Everyone You’re Going to Use the Bathroom
If you’d like to be excused to use the rest room or quickly check the results of a wager at Australian betting sites on your phone, go for it. But don’t announce it to the entire table. Rather, simply excuse yourself from the table and walk away politely.
Keep the Rim of Your Plate Clean
Try not to mess on the outside of your plate. This is simply to make things a little easier for the staff who are clearing your plates – it helps them avoid getting food on their hands or uniform.
Avoid Clinking Glasses
This is a very normal thing to do at everyday restaurants, but when you’re in a fancy restaurant, you risk damaging the glasses. Since you’re probably dealing with expensive crockery and so on, you definitely don’t want to do this.
Rather, if you’re going to give a toast, simply raise your glass and make eye contact with your guests.
Don’t Ask For an Oyster Fork
Most places will give you one anyway, but if there’s no oyster fork as part of your setting, this is an indication that the oyster has already been loosened. You won’t need to do anything – it should simply slide right out.
Once you’ve enjoyed your oyster, place the shell back on the dish upside down – this indicates to the staff that you’re done.
Put Your Napkin on Your Lap
This is a pretty common one, but always place your napkin on your lap before you start enjoying your meal. When you’re unfolding your napkin, do so with the crease facing upwards.
Leave Your Bread on Your Plate at All Times
If break is part of your meal, don’t pick up the whole piece and take a bite at a time. Rather, it’s considered better manners to break off smaller pieces, butter them as you go and eat your bread piece by piece.
