Table Etiquette

Proper etiquette and manners are important when having dinner at a restaurant or as a guest in someone's home. Knowing what to do with your napkin during the meal will help you avoid an awkward...

Sometimes, simple decorations are best when it comes to a dining room table. You can go traditional with the table, such as with a formal place setting, or you can decorate it with napkins,...

How to Treat Burps. We've all done it, one moment your sitting there enjoying a meal then you burp. You look around and see your mothers hand coming for revenge. So how to stop this and still...

Given the range of choices available in stemware, selecting the proper pieces to set at a table can be daunting for a host. With a little study, both stemware selection and table placement are...

From the formal to the whimsical, cheese knives and cutting boards are always useful serving tools. Usually much smaller than a full-sized bread or cutting knife, the etiquette surrounding these...

Sterling silver objects contain silver and another metal, which helps the object retain its shape, since pure silver is soft and easily shaped. Silver-plated items, compared to sterling objects...

Demonstrating good manners can make a big difference in business and social settings. Dining is one area in which the rules can be confusing, but learning what to do with your napkin is quick and...

While I like restaurants and fast food joints as much as the next guy, sometimes it is nice to have a nice dinner at home. Occasionally, that nice dinner is a more formal affair. If you intend to...

Ordering coffee at a coffee bar in Italy can be a very interesting cultural experience, but somewhat daunting if you're not exactly sure how to do it.

More and more it's getting confusing to set a proper, formal dinner table. When we eat out, we see the napkin at various locations on the table. Which is right? Which is wrong? Just where are...

Does the fork go on the left or the right? I have two forks at my place; which do I use first? In our casual world, the thought of setting a proper table seems archaic. However, there are...

Quarters, or speed quarters is probably the most fun you can have playing a drinking game. Obviously use caution when drinking alcohol. This article tells you everything you need, and all the...

Twirling spaghetti on a fork is something many people find to be very tricky. Read this article, and it will become a lot easier.

If you just got a new job at a fancy restaurant, or you're catering an event or hosting a dinner party, knowing how to properly set a table is the first rule in table etiquette.

Dining out should be a delightful experience for you and for guests seated around you. Here are some guidelines for how to behave when your out in public eating.

Anyone who has been a fan of the HBO drama, The Sopranos, has hungrily watched Tony’s family eat their Sunday dinners of spaghetti and meatballs with great gusto. This article will explain how to...

Although long forgotten, there is a certain etiquette that goes with a long pasta dinner. It varies a little from culture to culture but here are the basics.

A fine dining restaurant expects its customers to have good table manners. Good table manners are an important part of life. The manners you have while dining are noticed by others. These tips...

Perhaps you rarely give a thought to the plate on which your meal is served, especially if you happen to be eating from a paper plate. Today there is a huge selection of dinnerware ranging from...

When hosting a large dinner, make sure that you have all of the proper dishes and eating utensils to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Appropriate dinnerware is essential for parties...

Different restaurants come with different cuisines, customs and price ranges as well as different menu styles. A menu is the most visible and most important part of a restaurant's concept--its...

There are a lot of different types of restaurants. I have them narrowed down to four main categories. Fine Dining, Sit-Down Restaurants, Fast Food, and Cafés. Each of there restaurants have...

Everything must be properly spaced for a table setting. The centerpiece must be at the exact center of the table, and the place settings should be spaced equally away from each other. Geometric...

Buffets are perfect for feeding large groups of people, whether for a party or an everyday meal. Decorate your buffet table for added ambience and include centerpieces as part of the decor. Use...

A "pet peeve" is a minor annoyance that a person identifies as particularly annoying to them, to a greater degree than others may find it. Well, so much for the dictionary description -...

For a more personal touch and to save money, you can make do-it-yourself decorations for a baby shower. Something as common as a centerpiece at the shower can create table conversation and show...

Japanese food is one of the most exquisite cuisines in the world. The perfect marriage of taste and presentation creates an art form, rather than a simple gastronomical experience. Table etiquette...

Corkage is the fee that is charged by a restaurant when you bring your own bottle of wine. Charges can be anywhere from $7 to $25, though the fee may be waived if you order a second bottle from...

When planning an afternoon tea, you want everything to be perfect. From the freshly laundered linens to the scrumptious edibles, tea says grace and repose even in its simplest forms. Remember that...

To adult picky eaters, simple social situations like going out to eat with coworkers can be seriously challenging. While some people may think that adult picky eating is ridiculous, it is very...

If you're planning a dinner party and want a menu that will blow your guests away, your average roast and potatoes just won't do. You need to think bigger and better, with appetizers to tease the...

A romantic dinner is a pleasure, but it need not be a special occasion. It can be spontaneous and casual. Whether you are creating or attending a romantic dinner, the key is to enjoy yourself,...

Do you ever feel awkward at the lunch/dinner table especially during business meals when you use your neighbor’s bread plate? It could be nerve racking if the meal is with a potential employer or...

Growing up, we had a family rule when eating at any restaurant where chopsticks were available: no forks! Now don't use those idiot-proof chopsticks (the ones that are joined at the top) because...

Teaching your children proper etiquette begins early in life. One basic example that even very young children can help with is the proper way to set a table. Usually, children have a basic idea...

I don't know about you, but I have some friends who like to overtly pray over their food even when dining out at fine restaurants. Now don't get me wrong, I like to bless my eats too but in a less...

Knives, forks, and spoons are things that many all take for granted. Every household has a drawer full of them and you can even buy disposable ones. Surprisingly, modern eating utensils took a...

How would you like to impress your friends and coworkers with knowledge on a subject they know very little about? If so, then follow these three simple steps to becoming a wine snob. Yes, that’s...

Cleansing the palate, like many classic elements of fine dining, may have fallen by the wayside, but there is no reason that you can't revive this civilized culinary tradition. Cleansing your...

We've all done it. Trying to impress our girlfriends or family members, we try to impress them by giving them a great dining experience. Maybe the restaurant is a top end restaurant, and chances...

It's happened to all of us at one point or another. You go to a restaurant, order a pasta dish with shrimp, and then when it arrives you have to some how deal with the tails on the shrimp without...

Remember the episode in "Stuart Little" when Mrs. Little's wedding ring goes down the bathtub drain, and Mr. Little lowers his younger son on a bit of string to retrieve it? Well, this...

Many people don't know what to do when they find out there will be a vegetarian coming to dinner. They don't know what to feed a vegetarian and worry about making a main course without meat that...

Native to the Atlantic Ocean, stone crabs have become a sought-after delicacy to foodies on the Eastern seaboard and in South America. Stone crabs can be harvested alive and released after claw...

Table setting today has become such an art it has spawned a new name: "Tablescaping." Elaborate decorative elements are incorporated into formal table settings that reflect the theme of the...

Proper table setting etiquette is both polite and practical. After all, if you always know which side of the table setting your glass is on, you aren't likely to accidentally drink from another...

It is a nice gesture to invite a Chinese person into your home if they visit America. Learn about proper Chinese entertainment etiquette from an international business consultant in this free...

If you're invited to a meal in China, the host will have already ordered. Learn other ordering etiquette tips from an international business consultant in this free etiquette video.

In China, who grabs the first dish is very important. Learn about serving etiquette from an international business consultant in this free etiquette video.

Bringing in rice boxes will make a Chinese person more comfortable. Learn why bringing in rice boxes is good Chinese etiquette from an international business consultant in this free etiquette video.