Eating Out Etiquette
Eating out is so common that it is almost impossible to find people that do not frequent a restaurant on a regular basis whether it is for work or pleasure, at a casual or formal establishment. Restaurants are an integral part of our social and professional life. Some people frequent restaurants everyday, for social or professional reasons, others keep the experience for special occasions only. Your choice of restaurant is so wide ranging from extremely formal to very casual and everything in between. Knowing restaurant etiquette will allow you to enjoy your formal or less formal outing with no stress and anxiety. Understanding formal dinning and restaurant etiquette will empower you to dine comfortably in any setting.
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Dinning at a High End Restaurant Expect to Find;
Valet/car attendant; many of the high end restaurant provide valet service for their guests
Coat check attendant; most restaurants will have a designated area for coat check with an attendant
Hostess; all high end restaurant have a hostess that will check on the status of your reservation, whether your table is ready and that will inform you when to seat and escort you to your table.
Bar waiting area; often time a restaurant will invite guests to wait in their waiting area or bar area to wait for the arrival of all the guests to a dinner party or for table to be ready
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Bartender: Serve drinks while people are waiting for their party to arrive
Maitre D: headwaiter maître d’hôtel, will supervise the wait staff, make sure guests are satisfied, assign tables, make reservation, and manages the dinning room
Sommelier/cellar master/wine steward: Wine expert will advise patrons on the best wine to accompany their meal
Bathroom attendant: will provide soap, towel to guests using the washroom
Dinner or lunch table d’hote menu (host menu); Often times la table d’hôte is a multi course meal often three to five courses menu with a set price, a chef’s daily specialty, most restaurant will offer a table d’hôte menu that includes a red meat dish, a poultry dish and a fish or seafood dish
Prix fix menu: same concept as a table d’hôte menu but usually less formal setting and fewer courses
A la carte menu; Patrons may choose to order from the restaurant menu and not from a pre set menu, they can order individual dishes, mix and match different foods, each food item chosen is priced separately usually, ordering a la carte is more expensive.
Special du Jour (daily special) menu du jour; Some high end restaurant will showcase a specialty food, seasonal food or a chef’s new creation on a daily basis, in a less formal setting some restaurant offer daily specials to provide choices not found in their regular menu.
Tasting Menu; are a fairly recent trend where high end, new age or fusion restaurants want to showcase food creations from new and coming chefs or famous chefs. These restaurants offer an elaborate dinning experience with many appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, main courses and dessert courses. The portions are smaller than regular courses i.e. the name tasting menu. Often time these menus offer eight to fourteen and even sixteen courses.
Serving staff; your waiter, bus boy, hostess, maître d’, sommelier
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It is proper practice and preferable to make reservation at a high end formal restaurant before arriving. Let the restaurant know the exact number of guests attending. If you are not sure how many guests will come you can say approximately, for example you are expecting eight to ten guests
Let your guests know enough time in advance the place, date, time and the name under which reservation was made.
If you are unable to attend or you want to cancel let restaurant know as soon as you know
If you cannot arrive on time or running late call restaurant to let them know
If the dinner is being hosted then make arrangement for the bill to be paid by the host before dinner is finished. You can arrive early and leave your credit card with the hostess or waiter and inform them to charge the card at the end of the dinner without forgetting to mention the 20% tip
Restaurant hostess will escort you to your table, guest of honor should get the best seat, you follow the hostess to your table
Guests sit when host is sitting or when instructed by host “please sit down” or “you may take a seat”
Men should help their women companion to their seat by pulling the seat out for them, women are seated to the right of man
Remember to keep the table clean and uncluttered, no phone, purse or keys on the table. Also put your phone on silent vibrate mode so not to disturb other patrons. It is preferable to avoid answering or calling during dinner, if it’s a must excuse yourself and step out to do so
Once seated open your napkin gently and place on your lap, if you need to get up place napkin loosely folded on the table next to your plate on the left side
Waiter will come to take your drinks order first. The host can suggest a bottle of wine in the price range she wants and waiter will accommodate or suggest something different usually in same price range
If the establishment has a sommelier, you can let him know your choice of food and he will advise you on the best wine to accompany your meal. Their is no need to be a wine expert, that is why restaurants have sommeliers and wine stewards
Waiter will come to take your order once drinks are served. Appetizer and entrée are ordered at the same time. Host should invite guests to order first. When ordering guests should always order according to other guests, more or less the same amount of courses should be ordered. People should be eating at the same pace, no one should finish long before everybody else or after everyone else
Dinner conversation should be initiated by host or if there is no host light pleasant topics should be discussed. Always remember to try and include everyone and avoid monopolizing a conversation
Do not ask to taste someone else’s food or offer your plate for tasting
It is acceptable to return a plate if it is bad, raw or not cooked to your liking
It is not acceptable to send back food that is not to your taste
When you need the waiter wait for him to pass by your table or area and try to catch his attention or discreetly raise your hand to let him know you need something
Never forget to say thank you to the wait staff all along the dinner
Once coffee or tea and dessert are served it is acceptable to leave
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