How to Behave in a Restaurant

Dining at a restaurant can be a fun and relaxing experience as long as everyone behaves. However, all it takes is one of your fellow guests with poor manners to get into an argument with the waitress to ruin the whole dining experience. If everyone would keep a few basics in mind, dining out would always be pleasant.

Instructions

1. Greet the hostess. Yes, it is the hostess' job to greet you when you enter the restaurant. However, in order to make the interaction go smoothly, you need to speak up. Let her know how many people are in your party and if you have any special requests for seating.

2. Be patient. A good restaurant has a well-trained staff. Let them go through their standard procedure of getting you settled at your table and bringing water and bread. Don't make any requests until your waiter comes to the table and greets you.

3. Compliment the staff. Be sure to mention any stand-out service you receive. Compliment anyone from the busboy to the chef if you appreciate the service they provide.

4. Converse softly. There's no need to whisper at the table, but you should be aware of the other customers in the restaurant and their right to enjoy a quiet meal. Adjust your tone of voice to suit the atmosphere and keep your conversation private.

5. Bring your manners. When you're served food that isn't to your liking, remember the waitress probably didn't cook it. Feel free to ask the waitress to take it back and bring you something else, but don't be argumentative. If the food was really bad, make a point of mentioning it to the hostess or the manager on your way out.