What can you do in a restaurant. Bill and tip

Introduction

We go to a restaurant not only to eat, but also to chat with a partner or friend, on a date with loved ones, on family holidays etc. The degree of pleasure received and the success of a business meeting often depend on the restaurant, the ability to behave, choose dishes and place an order, use appliances, and conduct a conversation during a meal. Knowledge of restaurant etiquette will allow you not to spoil the mood for yourself and those present.

Behavior rules

Restaurant selection and table reservation

General rules

When choosing a restaurant, one must take into account not only taste preferences, but also the composition and number of guests, price category and location.

The restaurant, of course, must correspond to the purpose and occasion of the visit. An institution with a calm atmosphere is conducive to a long confidential conversation. Stylish music, such as "live" jazz, is pleasant for connoisseurs and lovers of dancing.

For the first meeting with a girl or a business partner, a restaurant with European cuisine is suitable so that the dishes and the rules for their use do not distract from the main goal - conversations.

Experts believe that it is a quiet establishment that allows gourmets to fully enjoy their meal.

When ordering a table for a banquet, you must personally meet with the head waiter, discuss seating arrangements and meeting guests.

Business lunch

For a business lunch, negotiations, a business meeting, the restaurant is ordered by the inviting party, preferably closer to the partner's office.

You can invite to a business dinner or lunch orally - in person or by phone. The time of the meeting can be discussed by the secretaries.

A restaurant of refined, sophisticated cuisine that requires special attention to dishes, not the most the best place for a decision-making meeting.

If the partners are interested in not being disturbed, it is necessary to inform the head waiter about this in advance, when choosing a table, and then the waiter. If you do not like the table, the inviting party negotiates with the head waiter. You should also warn the waiter if you want to talk so that he does not interrupt the conversation by serving dishes.

When choosing a restaurant, it does not hurt to familiarize yourself with the menu and the choice of drinks in advance. Non-alcoholic drinks are enough for a conversation. It is permissible to end a business meeting with a glass of wine.

For a business lunch, a restaurant or cafe offering standard menus is suitable. This will make food selection easier.

When choosing a restaurant, the inviting party should take into account the price category and the contingent visiting the establishment. It should correspond to the level of negotiations.

Date

Be sure to ask about the guest's food preferences. You can offer your choice, but it is incorrect to convince that this is a must-try.

If the girl is a vegetarian, it is necessary to clarify how she feels about the fact that others eat meat, fish, etc. If the girl politely refused without explaining the reasons, you should not insist - maybe she is on a diet, but does not want to announce her secret.

If a man invites a lady to an unfamiliar institution for an event, it is recommended to briefly describe what awaits the lady so that she can choose the right outfit.

Discussing the price category of the restaurant is not accepted. When making an invitation, a man should be prepared to pay the total bill. Without warning in advance, it is tactless to demand separate payment of the bill. A man must remember that paying the bill does not impose any obligations on the girl.

Can a woman invite a man to a restaurant? Why not? In this case, it is worth warning the man that she herself is going to pay for two or pay her part of the bill: “I pay the bill, this is my invitation, OK?” A man can make a return invitation or politely insist on his payment: "I accept the invitation, but I'm used to paying myself."

If a woman asks for an invitation, expecting a bill to be paid by a man, the man may or may not agree. At the same time, one should not offend the lady by unwillingness to pay for her - it is better to indicate another reason.

When choosing an expensive restaurant, keep in mind that a lady can choose any dish. Offering to order something cheaper is tactless.

A man orders a table. It also determines its location. There is no heart-to-heart talk near the podium, and it is inconvenient to look at the performance of artists or musicians from the corner.

Friends

A meeting with friends is often organized "about", say, a birthday. At the same time, it would be nice to clarify the choice of dishes, drinks, program.

It is desirable that all meeting participants know in advance about the occasion, program, cuisine and location of the restaurant in order to have time to prepare.

In any case, the cost of food and drinks should be taken into account so that those present can pay without any problems. In the case of an invitation, the costs are usually borne by the inviting party. If the hero of the day is set up so that the guests pay for themselves, this should be warned.

Holiday

It is convenient to celebrate holidays in a restaurant or cafe. The choice of an institution guarantees in this case more than half of the success of the celebration.

Families traveling to the restaurant with children should inquire about the presence of a children's menu, a playroom or a corner.

Those who like to sit longer should clarify the closing time and the serving of hot dishes.

If you do not want to stand in line for the next dish, do not visit restaurants and cafes offering a buffet on holidays. It will most likely be crowded.

An institution in the center or with a special culinary reputation will also be overcrowded.

A visit to a new restaurant offering unusual or national cuisine can be a good continuation of the festive day, but if you don’t like the dish, you can not only stay hungry, but also ruin your mood.

Banquet

In the case of a banquet, especially a crowded one, it is recommended not to limit yourself to ordering a hall or a table by phone, but to visit the institution and talk with the head waiter. If you entrusted the services of organizing a holiday to an agency, it is better to visit the banquet hall yourself. The choice of a restaurant will definitely be influenced by the courtesy of the staff and the atmosphere.

An important role in choosing a hall or restaurant for a banquet is played by the recommendations and image of the institution, as well as the possibility of additional decoration of the hall, services for meeting guests, a place for dancing, and the presence of a microphone.

Feel free to ask questions. Find out if there will be other visitors in the institution. Pay special attention to the little things that are important for your holiday. The floor should not be slippery, the hall should be equipped with air conditioning, the columns should not block the view of guests.

Find out where the guests will undress, where you can put gifts, put flowers. Feel free to ask about safety - false tact can spoil the celebration.

Check out the menu and drinks list. Feel free to ask if you can make a special order and its price.

Find out if there will be cover cards with the names of the guests next to the appliances, and whether the seating plan will be displayed in front of the hall.

If the restaurant offers a musical program, listen to the performers, familiarize yourself with the repertoire. If you invite your speakers, ask about the possibility of connecting musical equipment, as well as a dressing room.

Check the convenience and number of parking spaces, ask if the parking is guarded.

It is worth paying special attention to the qualifications of the staff. The choice of the type of table setting should be entrusted to the restaurant staff, however, the more important the banquet, the more complex the set of served cutlery can be.

Be sure to discuss bringing your own alcoholic drinks, as well as the use of unusual effects, candles, etc.

If you know that there are smokers among the guests, take care of the smoking area.

It is acceptable to visit the restaurant in advance on the day of the banquet to see how the staff works, food and drinks are served.

Staff should be addressed with "you". Stay calm and confident - shouting, demanding and rushing is indecent.

Corporate

Corporate events are booked by both large and small firms.

The occasion of the holiday influences the format and venue. The anniversary of the company can be celebrated with a buffet table, for a round date or achievement it is better to organize a banquet, and to encourage employees, you can order a pleasure boat.

Rout

Raut is an event for the business and social elite, usually without dancing. Today, however, they started dancing at the receptions. When organizing a reception, special attention should be paid to the design of the hall, serving, musical accompaniment. The place should correspond to the holiday and look meaningful.

A small restaurant is not the best place for a crowded reception, since the purpose of the reception is communication and guests should be able to move around and communicate in small groups.

Often card games, chamber concerts, drawings and competitions are organized at the reception. You will need a podium to show models. For tasting it is better to take a separate place.

It is also necessary to provide a quiet place where guests can take a break from the noise, for example, a corner with a fireplace.

Particular attention should be paid to the cuisine, the classification and level of the chef, a wide range of snacks and drinks.

Dress code

The dress code is dictated by the reason for coming and the level of the restaurant. It's one thing you went to a restaurant to have a bite, another thing - you went there for a date or a banquet.

Visiting a restaurant in the evening suggests a different style of dress than during the day, but do not forget that the restaurant is primarily a food establishment, and not a club or a disco.

If you are invited, the more beautiful and festive your outfit, the more respect you show to the invitee.

Invitation

The form of an invitation to a restaurant depends on the situation, the composition of the guests and the nature of the event.

A girl for a date, friends for a party, a colleague and relatives can be invited by phone, at a meeting or by letter. You can only invite a very close friend by SMS.

In the invitation, indicate the reason for the meeting so that guests or friends can prepare, choose a gift, flowers, calculate the time, as well as a dress code, a style of celebration, such as a masquerade, etc.

If you have chosen a restaurant that offers vegetarian or dietary options, add a line in the invitation to whom or where you should report your taste preferences. Most often this is the inviting person or organizer.

In the invitation, you can write that you are counting on the presence of the guest, but ask him to confirm the presence.

When organizing a surprise, be sure to warn the guests about this: the holiday is a surprise for the hero of the day, do not divulge the SECRET!

An official reception requires formalities. An invitation to a business lunch is sent either personally or through a secretary.

Friends can pass a verbal invitation to one another. However, it is not accepted to send an invitation through third parties. For example, each guest is invited to a birthday party personally.

The official invitation is written in the third person: "XX is inviting", "XX is inviting", "XX has the pleasure of inviting". When formally inviting a couple, the first name of the husband is indicated. If the partner's name is unknown, "Mr. Queen and his wife" are invited.

On tea table The invitation is written in the first person. It is customary to send a written invitation by mail, but it is permissible to send it personally, but not through a third party.

The invitation to the banquet should be sent 2-3 weeks before the event - in this case, the guests will have time to respond to the invitation.

If the guests did not respond to the invitation, and it is time for you to place an order, it is permissible to clarify the presence of friends and relatives.

The inviter can name the date of the meeting himself or find out when it is convenient for the invitee.

It is necessary to invite a lady to a restaurant in advance, and not at the time of the meeting.

When making an appointment, specify exactly where you will meet: in the hall at a table, at the entrance, etc.

Wardrobe

Like a theater, a restaurant starts with a hanger - a wardrobe. Here, visitors leave outerwear, caps, hats, umbrellas, bags and shopping bags. These items are not allowed to be brought into the restaurant hall. It is not necessary to change shoes in a restaurant, but ladies often change their shoes - it's more convenient. You can change shoes near the wardrobe, but not in the toilet room.

A lady's handbag is not rented to the wardrobe, but it is better to hand over the case, unless, of course, the contents are very valuable - then it is better to take it with you.

A man takes off his hat and gloves at the entrance to the building. A woman can take off her gloves near the wardrobe and stay in a hat, but not in a cap.

The man first helps the woman take off her coat, and then takes off his outer clothing. It is not necessary to help at a business meeting, but you can offer your services: “Let me court you.” A woman is not obliged to thank for the help, although you can say “thank you” to a colleague. At the same time, the colleague only helps with the coat, but does not hold a scarf or hat for the woman.

The lady may remain indoors wearing a hat for a formal reception, but regular dinner this rule does not apply.

If the institution does not have a wardrobe, outerwear is left on hangers at the entrance to the hall. If you can't find a hanger, ask the maître d' where to undress, but don't take your clothes to the table with you.

A jacket or raincoat on the back of a chair is acceptable in fast food establishments or cafes, but not in a restaurant.

Abroad, the same rules apply, but due to the fact that visiting a restaurant is less formal there, sometimes they take a jacket with them, while a woman can stay in a raincoat.

Leave gloves in your pocket or bag - do not take them with you, especially do not put them on the table.

In front of the mirror near the wardrobe, it is permissible to slightly fix your hair, but you should comb your hair, fix makeup and clothes in the toilet room.

Leaving the restaurant, the man helps his companion get dressed, and then dresses himself. Often the cloakroom attendant offers his help.

A man can thank him and, taking clothes from him, help his lady himself. Sometimes the cloakroom attendant helps both the woman and the man. In reputable establishments, such assistance is included in the duties of a cloakroom attendant.

If the cloakroom attendant helped you put on your coat from behind the bar and even brushed your clothes a little, it's logical to give him a tip. If you don't want to pay, take your coat and just say "thank you".

If he took a wet umbrella from your hands, shook it off and put it away, helped take off his coat, and seeing him off, first gave a scarf, then a coat and, finally, an umbrella, it is incorrect to limit yourself to "thank you". You should thank the cloakroom attendant who called you a taxi with a tip.

Tipping a cloakroom attendant abroad is 20–50 cents, rarely $1. In Russian institutions - 50-100 rubles.

In a pair of a man - a woman, the man gives a tip, the woman does not take out her wallet. In a group of girls, it’s not worth paying each, it’s enough if one pays.

rich lady in evening time not giving a tip is tactless, and no one expects them from girls in the daytime.

Leaving the restaurant, a lady can put on gloves and a hat already in the room, a man can only go outside.

Greetings

Greeting the entered lady, a well-mannered man will certainly get up. If the lady did not extend her hand for a greeting, you will have to put up with it. Wishing to kiss the lady's hand, the man extends his hand, slightly turning the open palm up, to demonstrate his intention to the woman.

For a kiss, you should bend slightly, but do not pull the lady's hand to her lips. In this case, it is enough just to touch the lips of the hand. Blowing a kiss on your hand is tactless.

It is not customary to place an order before the lady arrives - it is better to order a glass with a drink.

At a business lunch, a meeting with colleagues or a business dinner, the inviter should arrive first. He occupies a table, and when partners appear, he gets up, leaves the table to meet and greets those who have arrived with a handshake. It is tactless to greet people with a handshake across the table, as well as to force newcomers to bypass the table.

The first one should reach out to the senior in status, the head of the delegation or a more familiar colleague. Women do not have privileges in shaking hands in a business setting, they shake hands according to the table of ranks, and not first, as in a secular situation.

If colleagues have already seen each other that day and met at lunch, it’s not worth getting up and shaking hands, a greeting or a nod of the head is enough. Rising from the table, those present express special respect for those who have arrived.

In a friendly company, a meal can be started without waiting for a latecomer. Being late for the start of the meal, you can limit yourself to a general greeting, or, especially if friends have not seen each other for a long time, to say hello to everyone by the hand, or - in the case of a large table - by the hand with neighbors and a nod of the head with those far away.

It is not worth shaking hands with guests who are busy with crayfish or another dish eaten with their hands.

When you are late, it is not customary to interrupt the toast, it is better to quietly take your seat and then apologize.

It is not supposed to greet and extend a hand to a late guest with a full mouth. Chew and say hello.

Performance

Guests who do not know each other must be introduced. This is done by the host of the holiday or one of his relatives or friends.

If any of the guests brought a companion unknown to the hero of the occasion, he himself introduces him to the owner.

With a large number of guests, it is not worth introducing everyone - it is enough to introduce the neighbors on the table, but they can introduce themselves.

General rules: a man is introduced to a woman, a younger one is introduced to an older person, a person occupying a lower position is presented to a more eminent and influential person. A mutual introduction is also possible: “Olga Petrovna is Maria Viktorovna. Maria Viktorovna is Olga Petrovna. I think you'll have something to talk about."

Children and spouse should be introduced to guests, and parents should be introduced to guests. In the case of acquaintance of two couples, a cross handshake should be avoided. Women are the first to reach out to each other. Then women - men. And finally, men. In this case, most often women are to the right of men.

At the time of the introduction, a man can kiss a lady’s hand, but kissing a young person’s hand, for example, an invited daughter, is not worth it, this can confuse her.

If the names of those represented are pronounced, it is not worth repeating them when shaking hands. However, if the presenter has limited himself to explaining: "This is my aunt" or "This is my colleague," you should say your name.

In the classic version, the persons represented should exchange a few neutral phrases, but in an informal setting it is permissible to say that you are glad to meet you and will certainly chat during the evening.

It’s not worth saying that you have heard a lot about relatives or friends of the hero of the day, but a compliment: “Nice to meet you. I'm glad that Sergei has such friends, ”may come in handy.

In a friendly and youth circle, guests are often introduced by name, with the consent of the parties, communication can be started immediately on “you”.

If the guests are already sitting at the table, the meal has begun or toasts have been made, the latecomer either quietly takes his place at the table, greets his neighbors and congratulates the hero of the occasion later, or immediately goes to him. In this case, the host of the celebration either introduces a particularly honored guest to the audience and thanks him for the visit, or accepts congratulations and invites the guest to the table.

In a small company, a latecomer is introduced to the audience. At the same time, it is not worth shaking hands with everyone and introducing guests already sitting at the table. A latecomer should confine himself to a general greeting and a nod of the head. If the visitor walks around those present in a circle for a greeting or a personal introduction, the men rise to shake hands, and the women remain seated. Rising, the men take a napkin laid out on their knees with their left hand.

seating arrangement

Attention should be paid to the seating rules for guests during a festive banquet, wedding, etc. During a particularly solemn event, places are distributed “by rank”. Before entering the hall, a seating chart is set, and guests take their places according to the cover cards with names.

At a gala dinner, the host of the evening or the person in whose honor the celebration is organized usually takes a place at the head of the table. To the right of the owner is the lady of honor.

Although during a friendly dinner, those gathered take places according to their interests, one should adhere to the accepted rules and not plant a husband and wife or several women next to each other. The alternation at the table of men and women will provide an opportunity to look after the ladies and help them.

At a wedding, where relatives of two different families meet at the same table, relatives who have not seen each other for a long time, elderly relatives and young people, special attention should be paid to seating. Husbands and wives should not be planted next to each other. It is better to plant relatives from two families mixed up - this way they will get to know each other faster. Young people should be seated closer to the dance floor and sound amplifiers.

On a date, psychologists recommend sitting not opposite each other, but side by side in order to be closer. However, on first dates at a small table, it is better to sit face to face - it is easier to carry on a conversation, maintain an eye and keep a personal distance.

The company should pay attention to topics of interest to everyone, and not talk in person.

From the menu A La Carte in an official situation or at a meeting with unfamiliar people, it is better to do classic choice: one dish from different categories. You shouldn't surprise your date with an unusual choice on a first date or partners during a business meeting, just as you shouldn't tell them about your diet. Restaurant rules it is not forbidden to choose any dishes, for example, two starters and no hot dishes. In this case, you should warn the waiter when it is better to serve them, for example, one of the appetizers at the same time as the hot one for the companion.

Formed today general scheme serving dishes: cold appetizers, first course (soup), hot appetizers, second hot dishes - fish, second hot dishes - meat, dessert - a sweet dish, cheese, fresh fruit, coffee. However, any of the categories can be skipped.

If the companions choose dishes from different categories, it is worth warning the waiter that the dishes can be served at the same time, otherwise the dish of each next category will be served only after the previous one has been eaten.

If the dishes on the menu are unknown or you are in doubt about how they will be served, it is acceptable to ask the waiter for details. At a meeting with business partners, it is more convenient to choose well famous dishes. Particular attention should be paid to dishes of unusual, haute and national cuisine.

In a pair of a man - a woman, a question is asked to the waiter by a man, at a meeting of business partners - the host of the evening, that is, the inviting party.

If you are invited, you should not choose the most expensive and cheapest dishes. It is tactless to count on paying for expensive dishes, while ordering the cheapest one can offend the invitee.

When choosing a menu, you should take into account the age and taste inclinations of the guests. The hosts of the holiday will look at their best if they carefully consider the menu.

Do not get carried away with rare dishes, unless you are organizing a catering banquet haute cuisine. The menu should correspond to the general tastes and level of guests.

Do not try to "feed" the guests - the holiday should be remembered not only by the treat.

Lack of food will also ruin your mood. Everything is good in moderation!

For children, provide a special menu. If you know that there are vegetarians among the guests, order some special dishes for them.

Beverages

Choice

The choice of drinks depends on the composition of the audience and the situation. So, on a date, especially the first one, you should not order strong drinks. The best attributes of a date are wine, champagne, cocktails or soft drinks. Beer on a date is acceptable if the lady likes this drink. But it is better to order beer in a friendly company or in a family circle.

During a date, family or friendly party, everyone chooses a drink for themselves or, by agreement, one sort of wine or a bottle of champagne. It is not worth insisting on your tastes. Choosing a variety of champagne, you should support the choice of a lady. The inviting party should not limit the choice of invitees.

If visitors have doubts about the selection of wine for a dish, you should ask the waiter for advice. Or make a classic order: red wine with meat, and white with chicken and fish.

The waiter is informed about wine or other drink of a certain brand or year of production. An establishment where the desired drink is not available offers a similar taste or is available.

Whether to take into account the advice of a waiter or a sommelier is a personal matter of the client.

A business meeting both in the daytime and in the evening does not involve ordering alcohol. At the end of the negotiations, it is permissible to order a glass of wine. The inviting party offers: "Let me treat you", "Let me offer a glass of wine." Asking which drink the partner prefers is not supposed to. It is better to make an offer: “Let me offer whiskey”, - then the partner will be able to express his wishes in response: “I will not refuse” or “I prefer ...”

Tasting

Tasting allows you to evaluate the quality of the wine: whether it smells of mold, whether there are crumbs from the cork. During the tasting, you are not supposed to ask for another bottle if you have chosen the wrong wine. A mistake in choosing a semi-dry or sweet variety is not a reason to open new bottle. You will have to make a new order, paying extra.

Experts can also evaluate the taste and aroma of a well-known wine of a certain year or vintage, compliance with storage and serving rules.

If you've never tasted wine before, don't pretend to be a connoisseur by sniffing your glass. It is better to behave naturally and appreciate the taste of the drink.

Toast

Toasts - toasts and eulogies - ancient custom, originally associated with offering sacrifices to the gods.

Word toast came to us from English: toast- a feasting wish. There is an opinion that in medieval England, dried bread was dipped into a glass of wine and whiskey. (toast) to add taste and aroma to the drink. While waiting for the bread to get wet, the British told each other parables and legends. According to another assumption, the word toast associated with the English custom of the first half of the 19th century to put a glass of drink with a toasted slice of bread in front of the speaker.

Toast is an indispensable attribute of a feast. Topics, text, intonation of the toast are chosen depending on the situation. A little home rehearsal will help to feel confident and at ease during the speech. In order not to stray, it is permissible to arrange the text of the toast in the form of a postcard or a congratulatory address and read it.

The person to whom the toast is addressed usually makes a return speech - the exceptions are especially important people. All wishes can be answered with one toast.

On a date in a restaurant, the man usually makes the toast first, but if the woman has taken the initiative in her own hands, you should not interrupt.

At official receptions, the toast is pronounced in a solemn form and includes a greeting to the guest of honor, a wish to the assembled guests of prosperity and happiness, and assurances of the parties in the reciprocity of friendly feelings.

The guest of honor pronounces a response toast with an expression of gratitude for the hospitality rendered and expresses interest in the meeting.

Drinks that are combined with toasts addressed to a respected person, the president, a crowned person, as well as in honor of the leadership or newlyweds, are usually drunk to the bottom, expressing their respect.

To refuse to raise a glass in someone's honor is to show disrespect. Even if you are a non-drinker, you should pretend that you are ready to drain the glass and at least sip the drink.

It is not customary to clink glasses at official breakfasts, lunches and dinners. You should raise the glass with other guests a little higher and keep eye contact. If the glasses are in contact, then the men hold the glasses lower than the glasses of the ladies.

Depending on the type of reception, toasts are made either after dessert, when champagne is served, or 10-15 minutes after the start of the reception.

It is not supposed to make toasts more than once every 10-15 minutes.

The person to whom the toast is addressed should wait, raising the glass, until all the guests have drunk, and only then take a sip of the drink.

The first toast is addressed to the hero of the occasion or a high-ranking leader. At a reception in honor of a distinguished guest, the guest makes the following toast of thanks.

If there is a toastmaster at the table, the host of the celebration gives him the floor to lead the feast after the first toast.

The toastmaster (master of the feast) determines the order in which those present will speak. The most honored or senior guests are the first to toast.

Toasts and toasts at a dinner party in honor of noble persons are pronounced standing up.

The man in whose honor a toast is made, addressed personally to him, must stand up and listen while standing. Women can't get up.

If a man speaks on behalf of the assembled men, then all the men stand up with raised glasses, joining what was said.

During the toast, the guests stop eating and talking. Drinking from a glass before the end of the speech is not supposed to.

The speaker raises his glass first. If the person making the toast began his speech without taking a glass, then the rest listen to the wishes without glasses in their hands, raising them only at the end of the speech.

Remember: a toast is not raised or drunk - it is pronounced. They drink drinks and raise their glasses.

Proclaiming a toast with a cocktail is not customary, it is permissible with whiskey, punch, beer, dessert wine or port.

Tamada should remember: toasting is a voluntary matter. Not everyone has the eloquence or the courage to speak in public. To persuade, and even more so to demand from the neighbors on the table to make a speech, is tactless.

It is not customary to force people to drink alcohol.

Optimal time for one toast - three minutes. Do not torment guests with too long, confusing speech.

Fans of active gestures while making a speech should be especially careful - gestures distract from words, and their hands are busy with a glass.

Order

After the choice of dishes by those present, the order is announced by the inviting party or each for himself. On a date, a man makes an order. If the girl has any questions, it is supposed to convey them through a satellite, and not contact the waiter directly. This rule is often violated by modern women.

When ordering, you should first name the choice of the guest or companion, then your own.

Even knowing the tastes of a companion, you should not place an order before his arrival - it is better to order a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and wait.

In the circle of family and friends, of course, it is convenient to order any, even the most rare or complex dish even if you don't know how to use it. Surprising partners in a business setting is not recommended. During a business dinner, it is better to make a classic order: a cold appetizer and a hot dish.

If you are going to talk, you should warn the waiter when it is best to serve starters and hot dishes.

If you are invited, pay attention to the price category of the dish - can the person who invited you pay for it?

On a date, it is permissible to clarify whether a man is ready to pay for an expensive dish: “Do you think I should order this?” A man will either offer you to make any choice and try, or find a reason to change the order.

If the restaurant does not have the menu dish you have chosen, ask the waiter what to replace it with. Angrily leaving the restaurant is tactless. The inviting party should not apologize to the partner - you can order another dish for a business dinner. But you should apologize to the girl and offer to choose another dish or go to another restaurant.

It's not easy to change an order, so think first, then order.

If you mistakenly ordered two appetizers and no hot dish, in response to the waiter's clarification, calmly inform that you want to order exactly this combination.

Devices

Knowing how to use cutlery, you will feel confident at the table, this will allow you to enjoy your meal to the maximum and demonstrate good manners.

If you are unfamiliar with the dish and uncertain about the use of appliances, practice before you go to a banquet, to a restaurant of national cuisine, on a date or an important meeting.

Appliances for the main hot dish are called "canteens". This is a well-known meat or fish knife, fork and spoon.

Appliances differ depending on the dish to which they are served. Appetizers are served with appetizers and some hot dishes such as scrambled eggs and pancakes. The snack knife is shorter than usual, its length is equal to the diameter of the snack plate.

Knives are served with the tip towards the plate, and the forks with the tines up. The ends of the instrument handles should visually be in one straight line.

For dessert, there is a small dessert spoon, a small knife and a three-pronged fork. A dessert knife and fork is used if cake, pie, melon, watermelon, and cheeses are served.

A dessert spoon is served with sweet dishes: ice cream, pudding, etc. A flat spoon similar to a spatula can be brought to ice cream.

Fruit is served with a fruit knife and a two-pronged fork.

If there are already appliances on the table at the time of seating, they should not be touched. If you order a dish that requires other utensils, they will be brought, and the extra ones will be removed. If there are still too many appliances left, for each next dish, you should take the last appliance, farthest from the plate.

The cutlery to the right of the plate is taken and held during the meal with the right hand, and to the left - with the left. Even if you are left-handed, you are not supposed to change devices in places. The exception is the so-called soft meals, for example, vegetables or scrambled eggs, as well as minced meat dishes that are not customary to cut with a knife (cutlets, meatballs) or dumplings. In this case, it is permissible to take the fork in the right hand and eat only with the fork.

Europeans eat meat, gradually cutting off parts from a large piece with a knife and fork. Americans, on the other hand, first cut the meat into pieces, and then shift the fork to the right hand.

Dessert and fruit cutlery is often placed parallel to one another behind the dinner plate. The dessert device is taken with the hand in which direction the handle is located.

The butter knife is located on the edge of the plate of bread, parallel or perpendicular to the edge of the table.

During a banquet with service or seating in a circle, a different type of wine is served with each new dish, while the glasses are changed. One device with spices is served for two guests.

Any National dish It is permissible to eat with a knife and fork. If only chopsticks are served, you can ask the waiter to bring a regular utensil. There is no need to apologize for incompetence. If you find yourself at the table with a partner from this country, you can discuss with him the features of using the devices, but you should not say that these devices are inconvenient.

It is not supposed to bend over the plate. A fork or spoon should be brought to the mouth.

The used cutlery must not touch the tablecloth. If there is a pause in the meal, the knife and fork should be rested on the edge of the plate with the prongs down.

After finishing the meal, the knife and fork are placed parallel to each other - like clock hands showing 17.20.

Napkin

A linen napkin as an element of table setting is placed on a snack plate in front of each guest. Usually the napkin is starched and originally folded.

The ability or inability to use a napkin immediately distinguishes the guest. Regardless of the solemnity of the dinner, it is not supposed to remove the napkin from the plate in advance, as well as put it aside or place the menu on the snack plate.

While waiting for the dishes to be served, you should not wind the napkin around your finger, straighten it, play, look at the patterns. When they begin to deliver dishes, the napkin must be unfolded and placed on your knees. Do not fasten the napkin on the chest or neck, even if you are afraid for a suit or dress.

The napkin folds in half, but not exactly in half - it is better that the lower part is longer than the upper one: then the dirt will not get on the clothes, but only on the bottom layer of the napkin.

A napkin lying on your knees is designed to wipe your fingertips at the end of a meal. When eating, use paper napkins. Linen napkins do not remove lipstick from the lips and do not wipe the mouth by lifting the napkin from the knees.

If the napkin falls, the waiter brings a new one. If the waiter does not notice the fallen napkin himself, a clean napkin should be asked for.

After finishing the meal, you should first use a napkin and only then leave the table.

Leaving the table, the napkin is left on the table, to the right of the plate. It is wrong to leave a napkin on the seat or back of a chair, and even more so put it on a plate.

It is not supposed to fold the napkin along the arrows, as it was originally, even if you did not use it much.

Conversation

The restaurant combines dining with socializing. Classic rule: three pieces - a replica. The theme is determined by the situation and the composition of the guests. However, medical topics, politics and controversy are considered taboo.

During a date or a friendly party, questions that need to be answered are best asked when serving appetizers and dessert. At a business meeting, the conversation can be either after ordering and before serving dishes, or after dessert. Business conversations should not be interrupted.

During the story, do not brandish a knife and fork. Speak so that the other person can hear you, but not so loudly as to attract the attention of visitors at the next table. It is not supposed to laugh at the whole hall, even if you are gathered in a friendly male or female company.

Placement at the table plays an important role in the communication process. Sitting side by side encourages a friendly environment, but during a business meeting or first dates, it's best to sit facing each other to maintain eye contact and maintain distance.

The number of topics for communication at solemn events is limited. The conversation is with all the guests. If there are many guests, small groups or neighbors communicate with each other. It is important that no one is left alone, so whispering or touching on personal topics is not supposed to.

Keep up the conversation and express attention with your eyes, facial expressions, and a slight forward lean.

During the serving of dishes or cleaning dishes, an important conversation is interrupted.

Swearing, sorting things out at the table is not worth it. The anecdote will undoubtedly amuse those present, but it is better to tell it while waiting for the dish, but not during the meal, so as not to laugh with your mouth full. On family dinner You should not persuade the child to finish the portion. It is better to do upbringing at home, and order his favorite food in a restaurant. If the child is dirty, do not rush to publicly scold him.

Basics of Behavior

Politeness, the desire to spend a pleasant evening at a delicious meal in a pleasant company - this is the basis of the rules of conduct in a restaurant.

You should move closer to the table at a distance of one palm. It is not supposed to put your elbows on the table, fall apart on a chair, cross your legs and bend low to the plate. Slightly leaning back in a chair is permissible only when changing dishes.

The free hand during eating should not be lowered under the table on your knees.

Sometimes in a crowded restaurant you can be seated at someone else's table. In this case, it is not necessary to get acquainted - it is enough to say hello. It is also permissible to wish the neighbors Bon appetit. Leaving the table, you should politely say goodbye. Try to ignore their conversation, carry on with your conversation. It is not customary to ask random neighbors for advice on the choice of drink or dish, even if their plates contain exactly what you want to order.

You can attract the attention of the waiter with a wave of your hand or a nod. It is tactless to call the waiter by shouting, snapping your finger, and even more so by knocking the cutlery on the plate.

Talking on the phone at a table is bad manners. If possible, do not be distracted by calls or, after apologizing to those present, ask to call you back later. If this is an urgent call, you should leave the table, apologizing again.

Before heading from the table to the bathroom, apologize to your companion and let them know that you will be back quickly: “Sorry, I won’t be long.” If there are several people at the table, permission is conditionally asked from all those present: “With your permission, I will be absent for a while.” At the same time, neither the owners nor other guests are required to give permission.

During a date, you can ask your partner where the toilet is: “I would like to powder my nose, do you know where?” Asking others is not accepted - it is better to check with the staff.

If you are sick, then accepting an invitation is not always tactful. If you have a cold and cough, you should retire from the table. Running out of the table each time is inconvenient, so sneeze and cough as inconspicuously as possible. But blowing your nose at the table is indecent, even as an exception. It doesn't hurt to apologize to your neighbors, tactfully adding that you didn't mean to miss the event. Covering your mouth with a napkin, as well as blowing your nose into it, bad manners.

It is not customary to use toothpicks at the table, even if they are on the table - it is better to use them by taking them to the toilet room.

If you met acquaintances in a restaurant, it is enough to greet each other with a nod. If a friend comes to your table to shake hands or have a short conversation, both the man and the woman should stand up. You should introduce the approached person to your companions only if you invite him to sit at your table. It is tactless to sit down at a table without an invitation - as well as to ask for an introduction or introduce yourself until you are invited and introduced.

At a business meeting, using communication tools like a tablet is acceptable, but not during a meal. It is not supposed to place a laptop on the table while waiting for the dishes to be served.

The behavior of the company should not annoy others. It is not supposed to speak loudly, shouting over each other, as well as frivolously getting to know each other and distracting people at the next table.

Particular attention should be paid to children. Do not teach your child to use a knife and fork if he has not learned it at home, or publicly scold the child for mistakes, dirty mouth or clothes. A child is the same restaurant visitor as an adult. If his napkin or fork has fallen, the waiter will serve a new one - do not climb under the table for them.

If you are the target of harassment, ask the waiter to handle the incident.

The first person to offer to leave the restaurant is the one who invited. On a date, the initiative belongs to the man, but this does not mean that the woman cannot offer to finish the dinner.

men

Men should not forget about the rules of gallantry: move a chair to the lady, monitor the filling of her glass, transfer the lady’s order and her questions to the waiter, offer dishes, conduct and maintain a conversation.

Men are not supposed to take their places at the table until the ladies are seated.

In the presence of women, men should carefully monitor vocabulary and topics of conversation. Do not get carried away with male topics, the conversation should be interesting to everyone.

If a man smokes, he should apologize by going to the smoking room. Smoking at the table is not worth it, even if you were offered an ashtray.

Many establishments do not allow smoking, so you should check with the lady if she agrees to visit a restaurant that allows smoking.

Yes mom

Pomade leaves marks on the glass or cutlery. Before starting a meal, it is recommended to blot your mouth with a paper napkin and put it aside. Scrubbing your lips is not worth it, just like using a woven napkin that is placed on your knees. It is not supposed to take out a mirror at the table - in which case you can visit the toilet room.

Bracelets, especially large ones, often interfere during the meal. It is better to raise them higher so as not to rattle on the table.

Handbag regardless of size, it is better to place it on the back of the chair, on a special hook on the edge of the table or on the back of the chair seat. On the table, for its part, it is permissible to put only a small clutch bag. On evening reception take a miniature suede or leather handbag or clutch. For an informal meeting, you can take a small handbag with short handles or a short strap.

Diet is considered a tactful reason for refusing a private invitation to a restaurant, and there is no need to explain the reason. On celebratory banquet a lady on a diet should choose for herself available meals. You can order vegetarian food.

Hair, makeup, lipstick And powder corrected in the restroom. It is not customary to take out a mirror at the table and look at yourself in the mirrors of the interior or in the wardrobe.

Bill payment

Bill payment - important point. Doubts about the size of the tip, lack of agreement about who will pay for the party will spoil the impression.

To avoid embarrassment, it is convenient if everyone knows in advance who exactly pays.

Usually the host pays. The girl has the right to count on the payment of the bill by the man who invited her on a date, but you can clarify the plans of the young man.

If a girl does not agree to be paid for, she should openly declare: "I will pay for myself." If there are friendly relations between a young man and a girl, the bill can be paid "in a friendly way", that is, equally or each separately for his order.

It is tactless to ask who will pay at the time of familiarization with the menu and the choice of dishes.

Colleagues and business partners should not take part in paying the bill, it is better to make a return invitation.

Lunch with colleagues assumes that everyone pays for himself.

If those present pay separately, you should warn the waiter about this - he will write out several bills.

Usually the waiter hands the bill to the man or person who made the order. Only in case of financial difficulties of a man, a woman can take over the payment of the bill.

If the bill is paid by a woman, the man can either receive the required amount from her in advance, or give her the bill brought by the waiter. You can also warn the waiter, and he will immediately give the bill to the lady.

Various forms of behavior of waiters are practiced. Some, having offered a bill, leave and return for payment, while others wait at the table. If there is a need for customers to discuss who pays, it is acceptable to tell the waiter that you will call him later.

Tips

Should I pay the waiter a tip - a small amount over the bill, as a token of gratitude for the quality service?

Tips are voluntary gratitude from the client, and the decision to leave them is your own business.

It is worth leaving a tip only if you are satisfied with the service and cuisine. The waiter is worthy of gratitude if he quickly completed the order, patiently and politely answered questions, quickly responded and you are satisfied with his service.

The expression “to tip” appeared in Russia in the 19th century, when the expression “they go to drink tea together” meant good, friendly relations between people and was more significant than, for example, “to give for vodka”. The explanatory dictionary of Dmitry Ushakov interprets the expression "for tea" as "a reward for small services in excess of salary."

In Europe, a tip is called tips. According to legend, in the 30s of the 18th century, the high society of England often spent their afternoons in the so-called "tea gardens". There were boxes on the tables with the inscription "T.I.P.S." ("To Insure Prompt Service") - "for quick service". Dropping a coin, the visitor quickly received hot tea.

Tipping should be given special attention. Too small a tip will upset a helpful waiter, too much will surprise. We are unlikely to refuse large tips, but in most European countries a larger amount than is customary is inappropriate and may even offend.

In European institutions, visitors leave about 10% of the bill - as in modern Russia. However, the size of the tip often depends on the type of establishment and the unwritten rules that have developed among frequent visitors.

In a restaurant where the average bill is about 1000 rubles, a tip of 10% is accepted, if more than 3000 rubles, then most guests leave a tip of 500 rubles for two guests.

When paying off a bill of 300-350 rubles, it is enough to leave 20-30 rubles or nothing. It will not be a mistake to bring the invoice amount to the nearest "round number". In an evening institution with a bill of 900 rubles, the waiter will most likely get 100 rubles.

In our country, service personnel receive the largest tips in Moscow. If you like the service, then wherever you are, leave 10% of the bill.

If you don't like the service, leave a few small coins on the saucer to express your dissatisfaction.

In some establishments, tips may be included in the bill. In this case, an entry will appear in the menu: “tips included in the cost of service” (Eng. tips included, fr. service compris, German trinkgeld inberifen). In this case, you do not need to leave something extra. When ordering a banquet, service tips are often included in the bill.

Sometimes on the bill you can see the phrase: "Reward to the waiter is welcome, but always at your discretion." Act on your own!

If the inscription on the bill calls to evaluate the work of waiters with a tip or the client is ready to thank for good service, but pays with a credit card, the tip is left in cash after the payment is made or the check is signed.

The tip is decided by the client. In a friendly company, it is permissible to discuss the issue of tips, but it is not customary to clarify the opinion of business partners, as well as the invited lady.

Friends or colleagues who pay the bill equally discuss and share tips. In the case of paying separate bills, everyone decides for himself.

It is tactless to flaunt an excessive tip in front of a lady. Leaving a large amount on a tip in front of a lady, be prepared to spend money on her, otherwise you will cause resentment.

Cocktail

"Cocktail" - the most common form of reception. A cocktail is organized during meetings with prominent foreign statesmen or cultural figures, on the days of conferences or symposiums, when meeting and seeing off delegations, etc. A cocktail is sometimes held before an official lunch or dinner.

A cocktail can be organized in honor of a birthday or in honor of an important event, for example, the launch of a new product line, the opening of a branch, an award, etc.

The purpose of the cocktail is informal communication with partners, establishing contacts and connections.

At a cocktail party, it is not necessary to get to know and communicate with everyone, but you should greet the hosts of the reception. The conversation is not supposed to touch on personal or secret topics so that everyone present can join the conversation.

It is permissible to introduce yourself, but you should not introduce yourself to persons of a higher rank, of advanced age.

The cocktail lasts about two hours. In invitations to a cocktail, the time is often indicated not only for the beginning, but also for the end. Guests can come and go from the cocktail party at any time. A business or official reception is supposed to leave according to subordination, not earlier than honorary and higher-ranking guests.

It is also not supposed to leave a corporate cocktail before the management - just like appearing after the bosses.

This type of reception takes its name from the main drink served that evening, but other alcoholic drinks may also be served.

The cocktail starts between 17 and 19 hours, is an evening, but not officially solemn. A cocktail is often chosen with a large number of guests. High (due to the fact that the event is held standing) tables are placed near the walls, columns. Guests may be offered several tables to sit at.

Snacks that are easy to take with wooden or plastic skewers, mini-forks or chopsticks are served by waiters or displayed on a cocktail table and are small "one bite" dishes: canapé sandwiches, small sandwiches, tartlets with salads or caviar, nuts and fruits .

Hot snacks can also be served, for example, small meatballs, kebabs.

For dessert, cookies or cakes are served. Coffee is offered at the end of the reception.

Drinks are served by waiters. They can also be ordered from the buffet bar. A napkin served with a cocktail should be wrapped around the glass. In the first 15 minutes, guests can be offered soft drinks, juices, mineral water, then - strong and at the end of the reception - again non-alcoholic.

The dress code is set in the invitation by the word "cocktail". Clothing for men - a suit of both dark and light colors. For women - a cocktail dress, a light trouser suit. Cocktail dress - short to medium length, often plain, but for less formal events, a bright and elegant dress in silk, satin and chiffon with short sleeves or sleeveless is acceptable. In the latter case, the dress is often complemented by a shawl or jacket.

The restaurant has a separate room for cocktails.

The cocktail is served with a straw. It is not supposed to strain the drink from the glass to the last drop - it is better to take a new glass. However, it should not be abused alcoholic cocktails. During the reception, it is important to maintain the reputation and appearance. The classic norm is one cocktail per evening.

buffet

Buffet - evening reception, which is held from 17.00 to 19.00.

The name of the technique comes from the French word fourchette(fork). Dishes are placed on the table, and guests scoop snacks into their plates with forks.

Guests are met by the hosts or organizers of the event. Greeters do not have to be near the entrance. You can come to the buffet at any time, it is enough to meet the guests at the entrance to the hall at the indicated start time of the reception - then the guests themselves will greet the hosts during the evening. It is convenient if the head waiter or a restaurant employee will indicate the hall to the guests.

Unlike a cocktail, a buffet usually serves fewer drinks, but more snacks.

Plates are placed at the beginning of the buffet table. The food is first transferred to a plate and only then eaten. Used dishes are left on the table or put on special trays. The number of approaches to the table is not limited. Each time you should take a new plate.

Cold and hot appetizers are served at the buffet. The menu usually offers 12-16 items of cold appetizers and dishes and 1-3 items of hot appetizers. Hot appetizers are brought in on trays by waiters approximately 30 minutes after the start of the banquet. Near the tray with hot snacks, plates and cutlery are placed: forks or skewers.

Cheeses are served before dessert. At the end of the reception - champagne, ice cream and coffee. Dessert and champagne are carried by the waiters, offering each guest. Dessert is brought into the hall 15 minutes after hot appetizers.

You should not put on a plate and mix meat and fish snacks, especially dessert. Even small snacks are supposed to be taken with a device located on a dish, but not with your hand.

Hot snacks are transferred to a plate, which is held in the left hand. Each new piece is taken new skewer not worth saving.

You should not put a glass on a plate - neither when you go to the table, nor when you take the dishes.

If mushrooms are served in cocotte makers, you should take the cocotte maker by the handle with a papillot put on it with your left hand so as not to burn yourself, and with your right hand - a spoon and bread.

You should not rush to take champagne at the same time as dessert. The glass should be taken after the empty bowl or dessert plate is removed.

The dress code for the event is specified on the invitation and is usually the same as for the cocktail party.

Buffet

Buffet (or buffet) is one of the most democratic ways of serving. Dishes are placed on the table, and guests collect portions on their plates - as if the ancestors of modern Scandinavians were treating themselves. Drinks are served by waiters to order.

The buffet is good for informal receptions. To make it festive, you can decorate the table with flowers.

Usually the buffet is not specified in the invitation. The dress code specified in the invitation is determined by the occasion of the event.

Some restaurants offer a buffet not only to order, but also on certain days.

When choosing food, it is not supposed to mix cold and hot food. The number of approaches and portions is usually not limited. For the first approach to the table, an invitation follows, for example, after a short welcoming speech.

Each time, approaching the table for food, you should take a new plate, napkin and cutlery. Do not dial too much, it is better to approach again.

It is customary to place the sauce or seasoning at the top right of the plate, and leave the upper left corner for the bones from olives or fish.

The used plate and cutlery stacked on it in parallel should be left on the table - the waiter will remove them.

It is worth distinguishing between a buffet as a form of serving guests in the evening and breakfast at a hotel. During breakfast, one plate is often used.

Service Rules

Serving meals

The waiter will undoubtedly take care of the serving of dishes in the restaurant. However, knowing the rules of submission will help you feel confident and avoid any kind of embarrassment.

If at the time of seating the table is already served, you should not touch the cutlery ahead of time, straighten the napkin or rearrange the glasses.

Usually, dishes are served on the table in the order they are offered on the menu and the order in which they are ordered. Having chosen several dishes of the same category, you should tell the waiter when it is best to serve them.

It is acceptable to ask for the children's menu to be brought faster, especially if the establishment has a play corner.

In a friendly company or family circle, you can change the serving sequence by warning the waiter.

During the banquet, it is not supposed to change the sequence of serving on an individual order. On a date, especially on the first one, it is also better to stick to the established rules.

If for some personal reasons you still decide to change the order of serving, inform the waiter about it.

A guest can skip serving a particular dish. You cannot return to a missed dish, but you can make an additional order in a friendly company.

There are three main methods of serving dishes: French (carry-out), English (using a serving table) and Russian (on a common table).

Most establishments use the French method. In this case, the waiter brings ready meal. Ready, portioned dishes are served on the right. During a banquet with seating in a circle, some dishes are laid out on plates of guests from big dish waiter. The dishes laid out on plates are served from the left side.

Sometimes guests collect their portion themselves from the dish brought by the waiter. At the same time, the waiter approaches the guest on the left and holds the dish in his left hand. If a salad or other garnish sticks to the indentation of the spoon, it is enough to scrape the spoon with a sliding motion of the fork.

When serving food, the following must be observed. temperature regime. It is advisable to serve hot dishes on heated plates, caviar - in a caviar bowl, in which a glass rosette and ice are placed. Temperature of cold appetizers - up to 14 °C, hot - 75 °C, soups - 75–90 °C, hot meat and fish dishes- 65-75°C.

Hot appetizers are usually served in the container they were cooked in, such as a cocotte maker. Cocotte makers are placed on a pie plate.

Most restaurants of European cuisine offer a wide range of second courses of fish, meat, poultry, vegetables in boiled, fried, stewed, baked and other types.

The order of serving second courses: fish, then meat and poultry dishes, then vegetable, egg, dairy.

Most often, 3-4 dishes are ordered: cold or hot snack, first course, hot fish or meat dish and dessert. Usually a cold appetizer is served before the soup, and a hot appetizer is served after it, but variations are also possible.

A dinner of five or more courses is served on special occasions. At the same time, after hot meat goes vegetable dish or both cold and hot appetizers are ordered.

The English method involves serving dishes on a serving table and portioning in front of visitors. The dish is conveniently located on the left side of the serving table, and the plates are on the right. The waiters put the food on the plates in the following order: main product, side dish, sauce, greens. The plate is served from the right side and with the right hand.

The waiters tend to make the portions the same; if someone gets a little more side dish or a smaller piece, it is not supposed to be indicated.

The Russian serving method is convenient for a group of friends. Cold and hot snacks and dishes are arranged on common table and guests serve themselves. It is not supposed to take food from a common dish with your fork. It is customary to take a portion from a common dish from above or from the edge, and not to choose better pieces.

Sauces can be served individually for each guest. They are placed on the left hand of the guest.

At the time of serving dishes, drinks, changing appliances, guests should not help the waiter. If it is inconvenient for the waiter to approach the guest from the left, he can also approach from the right. The main task of service is the convenience and comfort of guests.

Some restaurants bring bread and butter before serving.

For fish snacks include caviar (granular, pressed, chum salmon), fish (salted, aspic, boiled, stuffed, marinated, smoked, fish salads), seafood (crabs, lobsters, shrimps, crayfish, oysters, etc.).

Meat snacks: meat (boiled, aspic), sausages, smoked meats, meat salads, boiled and aspic poultry, game and poultry salads.

Vegetable snacks: vegetable and mushroom salads, pickles, olives or olives.

Soups: transparent, puree-like, milky, cold.

Hot dishes often offered in sections: fish, meat, Domestic bird, vegetables.

Often the menu is served by a sommelier to immediately offer an aperitif and help in choosing drinks.

The menu is served to the guest open on the first page. It's not worth reaching out to him. If there are several equal guests at the table, then the menu will be served first to the one who is sitting farthest from the waiter. In another case, the rule is used: children - women - men - by seniority. In the women's team, no distinction is made between women by age.

Noticing cigarettes or a lighter on the table, the waiter brings an ashtray along with the menu or explains where you can smoke.

During an official event, dishes are served "by rank": first, more important, honored guests, then women and the owner of the table.

Snacks are served on the table within 10 minutes after ordering. The first and second hot dishes appear on the table within 15 minutes after the order, if the time was not specified additionally. Desserts, coffee and tea - within 10 minutes after ordering.

Do not rush to start the meal as soon as you have a plate of food in front of you - you should wait until the plates appear in front of all the guests.

Immediately after serving, you can start eating only soup.

The next dish is not served until all participants in the meal have finished the previous one. It is not worth delaying the meal and holding up the entire table.

Used dishes are removed from the right side, as soon as the guests are ready, regardless of rank.

The end of the meal is indicated by the arrangement of the cutlery: the knife and fork are placed on the plate with their handles parallel, even if there is still food left on the plate. The soup spoon is left in the bowl.

In no case should you help the waiter clear the table, even if you came to the restaurant with your family and children.

You should not put plates one into another, especially glasses on an empty plate or move plates to the edge of the table, demonstrating the end of the meal.

Do not put used paper napkins in a glass or glass.

The waiter should ask the guest if it's time to clear something from the table. If you have not finished your meal, and the waiter has started cleaning, you should stop him.

When clearing the dishes, the waiter usually moves around the table in a clockwise direction. Glasses and glasses are removed with the right hand to the right of the guest.

Do not call the waiter who is cleaning the dishes from the next table. Taking dirty plates from the table, the waiter must immediately take them away so as not to stop and put them on someone else's table dirty dishes. It is enough to give a sign, and the waiter will return to your table.

A dessert card is served when all guests have finished their meal and the plates are removed after the hot dish.

The waiter should clarify whether it is time / whether the dish can be served. Sometimes the waiter warns the guest that the dish will be served when ready.

From time to time, the waiter asks the visitors if they like everything, if they want something else. A short “yes, thank you” answer is enough. Admire or criticize the kitchen is not worth it.

It is permissible to ask for a replacement dish only if the cooking standards are not met or the dish is served half-baked or sloppy. If the dish did not like the taste, it is not supposed to demand a replacement.

If the dish is not served with sauce, do not ask for mustard, ketchup or mayonnaise. Even if visitors are accustomed to such food at home, it is better to eat the proposed menu in a restaurant.

If smoking is still allowed, then in the case when one person smokes at the table, the ashtray is changed after each cigarette. There are two ashtrays for four or more guests. Cigarettes and matches are served to visitors on the left.

The serving of coffee announces the end of the meal. Coffee and tea are served with sugar, sometimes with lemon. After stirring the sugar, the spoon should be removed and put on a saucer.

The account is served on the left side.

Serving drinks

Drinks are an important part of a meal. If the restaurant has a sommelier, he will be the first to approach visitors, present a card and offer to help with the choice. The waiter can also offer the most suitable drink for the selected dish.

Glasses must match the chosen drink. A red wine glass is more rounded than a white glass, and a champagne glass should be narrow. The shape of the glass emphasizes the taste. So, in a more rounded glass, the visitor will feel the aroma of red wine better, and a champagne glass narrowed to the top contributes to the formation of bubbles.

Sometimes, in addition to the main price list, a wine list can be served, dividing them into white table wines, red table wines, sparkling and dessert wines, or a cocktail list.

Before the arrival of visitors, waiters are allowed to carry glasses in their hands, turning them upside down. However, in the presence of guests, glasses are always served on a tray. When serving a glass to guests, the waiter holds it at the main or by the leg.

If the table is served with one glass, it is located 2.5 cm above the table knife. Several glasses are placed in one line in the order of their use, starting from the right.

There is a rule for coordinating the serving of dishes and drinks. Working together, the sommelier and the waiter coordinate the serving.

Before serving the menu, visitors are offered an aperitif - a drink that stimulates the appetite.

If guests have not expressed any special wishes, then aperitifs are served within 4-5 minutes after their order. Drinks must be served within 5 minutes of ordering.

In the case of serving an aperitif before the invitation to the banquet hall, first bring hot drinks, then cold soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. Wine glasses and glasses are placed on a tray on a napkin. It will be convenient for guests if the glasses are located at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Tall glasses are placed in the center of the tray, low glasses are placed closer to the edge.

Most often, juices, vermouth with ice, cocktails, and wines are served as an aperitif. The most popular aperitif is champagne.

Etiquette rules suggest no more than one glass of aperitif.

Do not pounce on nuts and snacks served with an aperitif - other dishes will soon follow.

Non-alcoholic drinks can be served with all meals except ice cream and fruit.

Since wine is an accompaniment to the meal, the sommelier offers a wine list after the order is accepted.

Wines are served before the corresponding dish: white before red, dry before sweet, young before old. However, the visitor can choose his own sequence and combination of wines.

An exception may be the serving of certain wines to dishes presented in advance as part of the program of the evening. The degree of drinks during the meal goes up.

Drinks are served poured into glasses, or they are poured at the table. Pouring in advance fizzy drink e.g. champagne is not allowed.

For each new drink, a clean glass is served. Each guest is offered a glass for soft drinks, it is placed on the right.

The next drink is served after the used glasses are removed.

To remove glasses and bottles from the table is supposed to be on the right side of the client with the right hand. But glasses for soft drinks in a jug or bottle are not removed until the end of the meal.

The visitor making the order is the first to taste the drink. If he approved the drink and did not ask someone else at the table to try, such as his lady, the drink is poured to the others.

Carbonated drinks and aperitifs are not tasted.

Glasses for the last drink are removed after the bill is paid and the visitors leave. Therefore, after finishing the meal and not intending to make the next order, you should ask for the bill, but do not wait until the glasses are removed.

When seating guests in a circle, the waiter pours wine and other drinks in a circle - on the right side of each seated person. It is not supposed to help the waiter, leaning to the side, to raise and bring the glass to the bottle.

A bottle of wine or champagne is uncorked by a waiter. However, a man in the company of a lady or a male company can take the initiative of bottling. In this case, the first round is poured by the waiter, and then it must be said that then you serve yourself. Not having received such instructions, the waiter will monitor whether the glasses are filled.

If drinks are served in glasses, they are placed on the right hand of the guest, at an angle of 45 °, in descending order of the height of the glasses.

Before the dessert, the sommelier or the waiter can remind you about the possibility of ordering dessert wines. Dessert wines belong to the category of sweet and serve as an addition to a sweet dish.

Digestives, i.e. alcoholic drinks served after a meal: liquor, cognac, whiskey, are ordered before coffee is served. The digestif is served with coffee.

It is not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks to the restaurant. The exception is "Bring Your Own Liquors" (i.e. "Bring Your Own Liquor") restaurants that do not have a license to sell alcoholic beverages.

Water for washing hands

Some restaurants serve a bowl of water for hand washing at the beginning of the meal. Water is also served with shrimp, crayfish and some other dishes, such as chicken or seafood.

Asking for water to wash your hands is not supposed to: if this is not accepted in the institution, you will be refused.

A vase filled with water by a third or half is served on a flat plate to each visitor.

A slice of lemon, a few rose petals or flower buds, and flavored oil can be added to the water.

In water, slightly moisten your fingers by rubbing them together. Dipping the entire brush into the vase or washing the whole hand is not supposed to.

A napkin is provided for drying your hands, do not use your table napkin!

hot towel

In restaurants of national cuisine, a towel is often served before meals. If the towel is hot, do not throw it on the table, blow it - just unfold it and it will cool down.

National cuisines

Knowledge of the peculiarities of the use of certain dishes and their combinations, the ability to use cutlery and awareness of the rules of conduct will make visiting a national restaurant pleasant and the meal more delicious.

Japanese food

Japanese cuisine is known for a wide range of numerous seafood, special rules decoration, serving and serving dishes, traditional ceremonies.

Feed features

Japanese cuisine is characterized by the seasonality of the use of products. During cooking, it is preferable minimal processing products, their naturalness. Particular attention is paid to fresh products. Raw fish is often offered in Japanese cuisine. If you don't like it, feel free to ask if fish is used in the preparation of the dish.

By tradition, all ordered dishes are served at the same time, alternate serving is not accepted.

European restaurants often offer menu cards with pictures depicting the food. If you are not sure that you will pronounce the name correctly, it is permissible to place an order by the number of the dish or by pointing to the picture.

Most Japanese food is eaten with hashi sticks. For soup and some dishes, spoons are used. Visitors who do not own hashi can ask for familiar appliances. Learn to work hashi better at home and not on a date and a business meeting.

Khashi come in different shapes and sizes, distinguish between female, male and children's forms. Khasi is made from various types of trees, bones. In restaurants, visitors are offered disposable wooden or less often plastic hashi. It is not supposed to give hashi to another.

Before eating, Japanese restaurants often serve a wet towel - oshibori - to wipe the face and hands. It can be served hot in winter and chilled in summer.

Usually oshibori is served on a special stand or plate. In some restaurants, the waiter waits for the customers to wipe their hands and return the oshibori, in others, the oshibori is served for the entire meal, and it remains on the plate.

During a business or formal lunch, assorted snacks: sushi, rolls, pieces of fish or meat - can be served on a common dish. The guests put the hashi snacks on their plate. Eating from a common dish, as well as taking a common dish in hand to choose snacks, is not allowed.

At the end of the meal, black or green tea is served with desserts, most of which are made from rice or bean dough and are low in calories.

The traditional Japanese table is lower than the European one; people sit on the floor behind it: in an official position on their heels, straightening the body, or - in the case of an informal meeting - legs crossed in front of them.

Rules of conduct at the table

Eating in Japan is closely surrounded by ceremonies and traditions. So, before the start of the meal, I must say itadakimas!, i.e. I accept with gratitude or I will taste it with pleasure.

Since all dishes are served at the same time, it is permissible to taste different dishes first and then proceed to eat.

Sushi can be eaten in turn by variety and interspersed. However, it is better to start with those wrapped in nori seaweed. Wet rice softens the seaweed, and the roll can fall apart.

It is not worth inviting a partner to a Japanese restaurant for a business conversation - the atmosphere is not conducive to work, but for closer communication, the development of contacts - it is quite acceptable.

Should I invite a girl on a first date to a Japanese restaurant? If both of you are not fans of this particular cuisine, you should not: it is difficult to make a choice, and the inability to use hashi will confuse the girl.

Speaking of hashi. During a break in food, hashi is placed across the plate opposite the plate, on a special narrow stand, with sharp ends to the left. It is not worth putting them on a plate either during a pause in food or at the end of a meal. After finishing the meal, the hashi is left on the stand. Hasi is not supposed to wave, point them, call the waiter. Hashi, clenched in a fist, is perceived by the Japanese as a threat. Hasi is not supposed to be licked. It is also not customary to prick food on them.

After eating a dish served in a bowl with a lid, the bowl is closed with a lid, which is a sign for the waiter.

Japanese restaurants offer a wide selection of familiar drinks, but it is traditional to order green tea or sake with Japanese dishes.

It is customary to drink tea in small sips between sushi, and sake - warm, before the start of the meal.

You are not supposed to pour your own drinks. It is better if the table neighbors fill each other's glasses. However, the younger must pour to the elder if the elder has an empty glass or glass. If the drink is poured for you, move the glass to the pourer, expressing respect.

The Japanese feast does not involve toasting, but you can touch glasses and say "kampai!" (to the dregs!).

Rice in Japan is treated with the same respect as bread. They eat rice from a cup, without shifting it to another plate as a side dish. In this case, the cup should be held in the left hand at chest level.

IN Japanese traditions it is customary to raise a cup of soup, rice or sauce, tea during the tea ceremony to chest level, demonstrating in this way what you feel with your heart.

Lunch often begins with a small portion of rice, followed by soup. If the soup is not served with a spoon, then you should drink the broth and eat the dressing with the help of hashi. A cup of broth is raised to chest level. However, it is permissible to ask for a spoon.

Sushi is eaten whole; it is acceptable to separate them with hashi, but do not bite into pieces.

A plate with sauce, in which each piece is dipped, is supposed to be held with the left hand in weight. Soy sauce is poured on a plate for dipping sushi, but not in rice, even if it is unleavened.

Traditionally, the guest continues to eat until his bowl runs out of rice. Rice is supposed to be eaten to the last grain.

The tea ceremony (“tyanoyu”) is special way tea leaves and a stylized custom of drinking tea. Taking part in the tea ceremony, you should follow all the proposed customs. The ceremony may take a long time, but it is not customary to interrupt or shorten it.

The conversation during the ceremony does not touch on the topics of money, politics and illness. Better to talk about poetry and philosophy.

At the end of the meal, you should express gratitude for the delicious treat.

Dishes and condiments

Sushi (sushi)

Sushi - an appetizer of rice and fish or seafood - is the most popular of Japanese dishes. There are several types of sushi: nigiri and rolls or maki.

Sushi is served with pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce.

Rolls

Rolls - small rolls twisted in a nori sheet - consist of a filling (vegetables, a small piece of fish or other seafood) and rice. Rolls are usually rolled upside down. If the leaf is twisted in rice, then such rolls are called nori-maki.

Rolls vary in size. Futomaki - big rolls and hosomaki are small.

Rolls are not bitten off, but put in the mouth as a whole. If you can't eat hashi rolls, ask for a fork. Women are not allowed to take sushi with their hands. Men can take sushi by hand, but it is better to use the device. It is not supposed to prick rolls on hashi - it is better to ask for a fork.

Do not dip the whole roll into the sauce - it is enough to moisten it without touching the sauce with rice.

Sashimi (sashimi)

Sashimi is pieces of raw sea fish fillet. Because thick or thin slices fish will not allow you to enjoy the taste of fish, cut the fish into slices is better for a professional.

Nigiri

Nigiri is a rice ball or ball topped with a piece of fish.

Wasabi

Wasabi - spicy green seasoning. Wasabi is also called "Japanese horseradish". Both horseradish and wasabi belong to the same family. The rhizomes of the plant are used to make the spice.

Wasabi has a special taste, so be careful: try it with food first and decide whether to take more.

Ginger

Pickled ginger is used with sushi to spice up and refresh the taste, and as a disinfectant for raw fish.

Ginger is served with sushi along with other seasonings such as wasabi and soy sauce. A small piece is enough. Ginger can also be consumed with rice.

Nori

"Nori" refers to various types of red edible algae, as well as products made from them. Nori is slightly paper-like and is considered the most popular sea vegetable in Japan, containing many beneficial elements.

When making sushi, the culinary product is wrapped in nori.

European cuisine

General rules

Classic Rules behavior at the European table: everything that can be eaten with a knife and fork is not supposed to be touched; if the dish can be eaten with a fork, do not pick up a spoon. Leaving food half-eaten is not forbidden.

If the guest does not want to take the dish a second time, it is enough to put the knife and fork nearby, on the right, with sharp ends inside the plate, and the waiter will replace the cutlery for the next dish.

European cuisine dishes are served not only in European restaurants, but also often in national cuisine establishments - in case the guest prefers more familiar food. In the menu card, such dishes in national cuisine restaurants are located at the end of the list or are served in a separate menu. The waiter will help clarify this issue.

Dishes and use

Sandwich

Sandwiches, sandwiches with bread, baguette, Italian ciabatta bread are served for lunch, breakfast. At a breakfast buffet, sandwiches are eaten with a knife and fork, cutting off small pieces. At the buffet table, butter is spread on bread lying on a plate, and not in the palm of your hand, holding the bread with two fingers of your left hand. Sausage or cheese is put with a fork. From finished sandwich cut off in pieces.

Kokot

Kokot (from fr. cocotte- chicken) is cooked in a metal ladle with a long handle - a cocotte maker. Many people know this dish as julienne.

This type of snack is served warm, in a cocotte bowl, on a plate or placed on a napkin.

The handle of the cocotte maker is directed to the left. A hot handle is wrapped with a napkin. They eat coconut with a small spoon.

Meat

Meat is eaten in different ways depending on the method of preparation. For a piece of pork or beef, a medium-sized sharp, serrated knife is served.

It is supposed to cut off small parts from a piece, holding the cut piece with a fork.

It is not customary to cut meat for the future - only a piece for eating. However, according to American etiquette, the entire piece of meat is immediately cut into pieces.

Minced meat: cutlets, zrazy, small pieces of goulash or roast - eat with a fork without a knife.

Pieces of barbecue are removed one by one from the skewer with a knife and fork.

Meat on the bone is served with a paper papillot put on the bone. Holding a piece by the bone, you should cut the meat. A plate for bones can be served on the table on the left side.

Usually meat is eaten with a fork and knife, however smoked ribs in a friendly company, it is permissible to eat with your hands.

Bird

The bird is eaten with a fork and knife. Do not pick up and gnaw the bone - it is better to leave some meat on it.

The exception is smoked wings and game (partridges and hazel grouse): in this case, a vase with water for rinsing hands and napkins is served.

The legs of the bird should be wrapped in a napkin. If the legs are not wrapped, it is acceptable to use a paper napkin.

Fish

The waiter serves the fish with a fish utensil consisting of a wide spatula-shaped knife and a fish fork with short prongs.

Rarely, if there is no fish knife, two regular or fish forks will be served. The fork in the right hand will act as a knife.

It is also permissible to eat fish with one fork, while the fork is taken in the right hand.

Cutting fish, regardless of the method of preparation - fried, baked, boiled or smoked - is not supposed to. A special fish knife is convenient for separating the fillet from the bones.

When ordering soft, baked and boiled fish portioned pieces hold with the tip of a knife and separate with a fork. If the fillet is too soft and crumbles, it is permissible to turn the fork with the prongs up and place the fillet pieces on it with a knife.

If the fish is served whole, then the upper part of the skin is first removed, the fillet is separated from the skeleton and eaten, then the bones are removed and the lower part of the fillet is eaten.

A circle or slice of lemon on a plate with fish is not only a decoration. Fish can be splashed lemon juice. Lemon juice is squeezed with the convex side of the fork, not by hand.

Smoked fish in public should not be cleaned by hand (at home - please!) - only with a knife and fork. First, the skin is separated, then the flesh is removed from the bones piece by piece.

The bones should be placed with a fork on the edge of the plate or on a special plate.

Salad

Salad is a cold appetizer. On the table, the salad is served in portions in deep or shallow dishes or in a common salad bowl. In this case, the salad is transferred to a plate with a special spoon.

Portion salad eat from a serving plate. However, in the case of a banquet and a more complex serving, when the salad plate was placed not on the snack plate, but in front and to the right of it, it is supposed to transfer the portion to the snack plate.

Green salad

A green salad served with the main course on a serving plate should be eaten from this plate, and not transferred to the main one.

It is not customary to cut large leaves of leafy green lettuce with a knife. Once upon a time, salads were always taken only with a fork, as knives blackened from contact with vegetables. Today, cutlery is made of stainless steel, so feel free to use a knife. Hold the fork in your left hand with the convex side up. Eating from the concave side of the fork, if the fork is in the left hand, is not accepted.

If the salad is eaten only with a fork, then it should be held in the right hand. In this case, use the concave side of the fork.

Sauce

The sauce can be part of the dish or ordered separately. When choosing a sauce, experts recommend paying attention to the spices in its composition.

Some dishes are seasoned with sauce before serving. The unseasoned sauce is served in a special gravy boat.

The gravy boat is often served on a special tray or on a saucer covered with a napkin. It is not supposed to be placed on a tablecloth.

More often sauces are served for each guest individually. The gravy boat is located to the left of the bread plate. The spout of the gravy boat is directed to the right side. A sauce spoon is also served on a saucer or tray.

Guests dispose of individual gravy boats on their own. The sauce from the common gravy boat is poured by the waiter - do not rush to take the gravy boat and pass it to the companions in a circle.

It is believed that the sauce should be eaten with the main course. If there is still too much sauce, it is not supposed to be used as a side dish, eat up with a spoon, dip bread into it - you will have to leave the excess on the plate.

The sauce spilled on the tablecloth is enough to get wet with a napkin.

Potato

Potatoes, vegetables, as well as any soft food, should not be cut with a knife, it is enough to divide into pieces with a fork. It is permissible to slightly trim the fried potato crust.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a popular cold appetizer. The term of its use and submission in fresh from the second half of April to the first days of June.

Cut the asparagus from the bottom. Asparagus is a fibrous product and difficult to cut across. Therefore, the asparagus is cut lengthwise into strips and wrapped around a fork.

Usually, asparagus is served with a knife and fork, although it can be eaten with one fork. In England, it is customary to eat asparagus by holding the firm tip of the plant and dipping it into the sauce.

Soup

Soups are hot and cold, and according to the method of preparation they are divided into broth, soup with dressing and puree soup.

Soup is the only dish that, even at a dinner party, is allowed to be eaten immediately after serving, without waiting for all the guests to be served. You don't have to apologize to your neighbors.

It is not supposed to blow on the soup so that it cools down faster, it is permissible to stir slightly with a spoon.

You should not tilt the plate either towards you or away from you. Leave some soup half-eaten.

Do not fill the spoon to the brim, especially wipe the bottom of the spoon with a piece of bread.

If served in soup big piece meat or chicken, it should be eaten with the help of appliances after the broth and dressing.

Meatballs, dumplings and pieces of meat should be eaten whole or cut into pieces with a spoon, not a knife.

It is believed that if the broth is served in a cup with handles, then the spoon is used only to eat pieces of meat or toast, while the broth is drunk like tea. In practice, this rule is often neglected, using a more familiar spoon.

At the end of the meal, the spoon remains in the plate.

Cheese

Cheeses are served at the end of a complex lunch or as an independent second course between appetizers and dessert. During a festive or gala dinner, cheese may be served before coffee instead of dessert. Cheese can also be served as snack to blame.

Cheese is served with wine, cognac, champagne and beer. When choosing a wine to pair with cheese, keep in mind that white wines go better with cheese than red ones. Aged wines go well with mature cheeses. It is also known the rule of combining wine and cheese according to their place of origin. So, french cheese Pairs best with French wine.

In a restaurant, advice on pairing cheese with drinks should be given by the sommelier. During a date or festive feast it is better to order drinks by the glass so that everyone can choose their own drink to go with the cheese.

As an appetizer for drinks, cheese can be served with bread or in the form of mini-sandwiches with a special skewer stuck into a piece.

At banquets, cheese is most often served as a cheese plate (or cheese plate) formed from five or more types of cheese. A round hardwood board is often used as a plate. On the plate, the cheeses are arranged clockwise, starting with cheeses with tender and mild taste(curd and soft varieties) to harder and sharper. The softest variety of cheese is on the plate at the 6 o'clock position.

As a main dish, the cheese plate consists of large pieces different varieties, and each independently cuts off for himself from one or another piece.

Take cheese with your hands cheese plate and from one's own is unacceptable - cheese is taken with a fork.

It is customary to decorate cheese platter with fruits. Each variety is combined with "its" fruit. The best combination for blue cheese - grapes, for soft cheeses- pears. Walnuts and almonds are served with any kind of cheese, they are often placed near hard varieties on a plate.

06.09.2016 useful entertainment 7352

Today more and more wecelebrating children's holidays V where you can useservices of animatorsand not worry about the preparation of the festive table.

However, one concern still falls on our shoulders, namely, teaching our child behavior in public places.Etiquette for childrenvisiting a cafe includes several important rules: the rules of behavior at the table, communication with peers and elders, cultural behavior in an unfamiliar place.

At the table

A child under 7-10 years old should not at all understand which knife cuts meat and which one cuts fish. Our goal is simple rules:

Need to	It is forbidden
- sit down at the table neat and clean;	- champ while eating;
- wash your hands before eating;	- lick fingers
- use a napkin;	- picking food with your hands;
- eat in small pieces;	- fill your mouth with food;
- start a meal with everyone;	- put your elbows on the table;
- be silent while chewing food;	- spit out food
- ask to pass the dish you like;	- swing on a chair;
- to thank after the meal the cooks, the owners of the house.	- fall apart at the table.

Among the people

Exist general rules behaviors that the baby should be able to observe, regardless of where he is. In a crowded place, like a cafe, disregard for these rules can cause unpleasant embarrassment. And although society is usually condescending about the mistakes of children, it can be very uncomfortable for the child himself to become the cause of laughter or condemnation.

So you can't:

- fight;

- throw tantrums;

- play with food

- combing at the table;

- to correct things on yourself in front of all people;

- blow your nose loudly, itch, touch wounds, etc .;

- loudly asking to go to the toilet;

- bring your own toys to the cafe, especially large ones;

- stare at the people at the neighboring tables.

When and how to study?

Children are taught the rules not in the “field conditions”, when the guests have already gathered and the holiday has begun. It is best to do this at home using the form of the game. Children really like to work out various moments of behavior with the help of dolls, watch themed cartoons, read poems and fairy tales, play with their peers “in adults”, “princesses and princes”.

Get involved in the process and develop the appropriate skills. And if the kid makes some kind of mistake at the holiday, it is better to tactfully tell him about it in his ear. Or calmly talk about mistakes when you get home.Etiquette for childrenwill become something important only when he is convinced of its significance by your example. Respect the little man - and he will learn to respect others.

Behavior needs to be taught from an early age. The sooner the baby learns to behave, the easier it will be for him to express himself in society, make friends and find a common language with the older generation. And then unfortunate misunderstandings will not overshadow his holidays and weekdays. Subscribe to our blog updates and receive new articles directly to your email.

A restaurant in the old days was a place where people came exclusively to eat. This main function of visiting a restaurant remains today, but others have also been added. Nowadays, a restaurant is a place where friendly meetings take place, established business relations are consolidated, celebrations (anniversaries, weddings, etc.) are celebrated. The etiquette of visiting a restaurant has been developed over the centuries and is the same both in Russia and abroad.

The person who issued the invitation to the restaurant should arrive a little earlier and wait for the invitee at the table. If you have arrived at the appointed time, but the invitee has not yet arrived, you can go to the bar and have an aperitif or sit down at a table and order, for example, mineral water, juice, coffee. A person who arrives late must apologize and explain the reason for his delay. She must be respectful.

Some women prefer to meet outside the restaurant so they don't have to go in alone. In this case, they arrange a meeting in a place convenient for the woman. They do the same if it is a closed club restaurant or a restaurant that is difficult to find.

If a company gathers in a restaurant, then those who come on time wait for the rest for about a quarter of an hour, after which you can go to the tables. Latecomers join them, after apologizing (for this, in Russia there are “penalty” glasses).
If you are invited to a country restaurant, and you are driving, think about how you will get back.

Upon entering the lobby, a man must take off his hat, and when leaving, put it on only at the door. Before entering the restaurant hall, you must leave outerwear in the cloakroom. As a rule, only her companion helps a woman take off her coat or raincoat. After that, he can take off his coat. Leaving the restaurant, the man first helps the woman get dressed, and then takes his coat from the cloakroom attendant.

Umbrellas, bags, and preferably cases (if there is nothing extremely valuable for the owner) are also left in the wardrobe, but in no case ladies' handbags! It is believed that near the mirror in front of the entrance to the hall you can only straighten your hair, but you can not comb your hair, touch up, tie a tie. This must be done in the toilet.

If there is no wardrobe in a cafe or bistro, then outerwear is hung on hangers placed inside the hall. In some countries, it is allowed for a woman to sit in a raincoat in a cafe (this indulgence does not apply to men). In this case, the ladies sit on the cloak without lifting it.

At the table, the most convenient place is considered to be facing the hall. If the table is in the center of the hall, the most honorable place is facing the entrance.

If a man came with a woman, then he should let her into the restaurant hall first, but on the way to the table, get ahead of her and help her sit down: move the chair, and then move it forward. Only then can he sit down himself.

The man sits to the left of the woman, and if the table is small, then opposite her. You should not take places located on one side of the table - it will be inconvenient to communicate.

It has become a tradition that the woman does not come into direct contact with the waiter, and all the instructions are carried out by the man accompanying her. Although not mandatory, this rule reminds that a man should be attentive to his lady and prevent her desires.

In restaurants, it is not customary to sit down at a table at which someone is already sitting (unless the person sitting at the table himself invited you to do this). In a cafe, and even more so in a bistro, this is quite acceptable, but you must first ask the consent of those sitting at the table.

In restaurants, cafes, they sit at ease, but you should not talk loudly, laugh, put your elbows on the table (as long as you and your guests are sober enough to pay attention to this).

They start eating when everyone has received the ordered dishes. But if there are long intervals between serving them and the food can get cold, then those who are waiting invite others to start eating. At the table, in no case do they use a comb, do not wipe their face with a napkin, do not blow on food and do not sniff it. Women can use lipstick after dinner, but not after every meal.

If a friend is met in a restaurant, they greet him with a smile and a nod of the head. If they decide to invite him to their table, then they must introduce him to a companion or companion.

If you are inviting strangers to a restaurant, it is best to introduce them to each other before everyone has sat down at the table. This happens in the following order: the younger ones are introduced to the elders, the men to the ladies. If there is an honored guest at the table, then first the guests are introduced to him.

At large receptions, at the entrance to the hall, a seating chart is laid out with the names of the guests, and a card with the name is placed on the table (or on a plate), respectively, for each device.

If the guest is late for the meeting and he has to join those sitting at the table, then he approaches the invitee and apologizes for being late. If the inviter did not introduce the newly arrived guest, then, having taken his place, he introduces himself to unfamiliar neighbors (first, to the lady sitting on the right). In a more relaxed company, sitting at a small table, you can introduce yourself to everyone at once. At the same time, it is important to ensure that you do not interrupt someone's speech or toast.

However, if the head waiter put you in a free seat, then it is not at all necessary to get acquainted with the neighbors on the table. It is enough to nod kindly to them and wish them bon appetit.

Leaving the table, at which there were people, wish them a good appetite and say goodbye. This, of course, does not apply to a large reception from which you needed to leave ahead of time. In this case, it is enough, apologizing, to say goodbye only to the neighbors.

Menu and ordering dishes

There are two types of restaurant menu: custom-made (a la carte), when the visitor is given a wide choice, and complex, when a choice of 2-3 options for a set of dishes is provided (this is most often found in Chinese and Japanese restaurants). Good restaurants always have a custom menu.

The initiator of the invitation can order one or another dish for everyone, warning that he is inviting, for example, to a barbecue.

The waiter in the restaurant is obliged to offer the menu to all those present. If there is only one menu card per table, it is offered to the woman first. If the restaurant has a business lunch for men, then the guest orders first.

In case you do not know what is hidden behind this or that name on the menu, it is quite appropriate to ask the waiter with a question. You can also ask him to recommend this or that dish, wine.

In a number expensive restaurants prices of dishes may not be indicated at all, in others prices are indicated only for special specialties.

When invited to a restaurant, avoid two extremes: order a large number of the most expensive dishes and be excessively modest, limiting your choice to a minimum.

Sometimes ordered dishes are additionally served with sauce or salads, which are placed in the middle of the table. In this case, you yourself put part of the proposed dish on your plate.

All good Russian restaurants are required to have on the menu the names of dishes not only in the language of the country whose cuisine they represent, but also in Russian. Thus, the visitor will not have a question about what this or that dish is. If the menu is written in a language unknown to you, then invite the waiter to the table and ask him a series of questions about the future dinner.

How to use cutlery

According to the rules, it is not necessary to tilt the head to the plate, but to bring the hand with a spoon or fork to the mouth. When eating, never leave a knife and fork on the tablecloth. They are placed on a plate crosswise. After finishing eating, they need to be put on a plate parallel to each other (knife to the right of the fork).

If salads, snacks and side dishes are served on the table on a common dish, they are put on their plate only with a device specially designed for this, after which it must be put in place. In no case should you take your appliances from a common dish. It should also not be forgotten that it is better to serve one or another dish twice than to fill the plate to the brim.

There is a right way and a wrong way to hold knives and forks: your index finger should point away from you, along the cutlery. This is not easy to imagine, so if you are not sure, it is best to quietly observe someone who knows how to properly behave at the table and take an example from him. Hold the fork so that its curved back (the convex one that usually rests on the table) is directed towards you. This means that the food is usually pierced on the tines or rests on the back of the fork; however, by the rules, you must not turn it over and use it like a spoon or spatula. However, the rules of behavior at the table have now become much softer, and it is unlikely that anyone will seriously reproach you if, for example, in the American manner, you begin to eat holding a fork in your right hand. When you have finished eating, you should put the knife and fork across the plate - the 6 o'clock position.

For other dishes, the rules are not so specific. If, for example, soup or pudding is served on a plate, you can leave cutlery on the plate or in the soup bowl. Start with common sense. If the cup is too light and unstable to tip over, place the spoon on a plate. Just make sure everything looks tidy, and if you've used two items, then they lie together.

Eating courtesy rules

You should not start eating until it has been served to everyone sitting at the table, or until the owner has begun to eat. In a restaurant, if everyone is served at the same time, you should wait until all the waiters have moved away from the table. However, if, as is often the case, first courses or pudding are served rather unevenly, then you will behave politely by saying: “I will start if no one objects,” especially if the dish is hot and should be eaten immediately, or if, for example, ice cream starts to melt.

When you finish your soup, you tilt the cup away from you, and you don't slosh as you finish it.

According to the rules, the elbows should not lie on the table - at least at the beginning of dinner; now it is not considered a serious offense and in a friendly company is quite acceptable. Older people may frown about this, but as the dinner progresses, everyone gradually relaxes, and between meals and during coffee, elbows on the table will look natural.

Never speak with your mouth full; it is very uncultured and, besides, it looks very unattractive. Of course, you may be approached with a question while you are chewing, but even in this case, it is better to mutter “Excuse me” with your mouth closed and chew, than to try to answer and eat at the same time.

While eating, do not slurp, grimace, swallow quickly and greedily. You need to eat with your mouth closed, completely silently, putting small pieces in your mouth and chewing them carefully and calmly. Bones, bones from fruits, and in general, all leftovers from food are not allowed to be placed on the tablecloth. They are left on the edge on the plate on which they ate.

If a man is dining with a lady, it is correct for the lady to start eating first and finish last. This makes it possible for the man accompanying her to eat in peace. It is never necessary to persistently force a companion to eat something that he clearly does not like or that he refuses, because he is already full. Limit yourself to just one polite sentence.

When visiting a restaurant, you should not disturb other visitors excessively. Loud laughter, loud conversations, increased gesticulation produce a very unpleasant impression. In a restaurant, as in other public places, one should not make scenes, quarrel with acquaintances and strangers, or indulge in excessive intimacy.

Bill payment

A man, going to a restaurant to meet with a partner, must have enough money in his wallet to pay for orders - his and his partner. Although it is often not necessary to make such broad gestures, and yet ... There is an interesting breed of people who give the impression of quite wealthy and wealthy gentlemen, who at the table communicate with you in an interesting and businesslike manner, charming, refined, but ... by the time paying for the order avert their eyes and begin to lament that today they are out of money and that temporary life difficulties prevent them from paying the bill on an equal basis with you. Such people are found among our compatriots, even sometimes wealthy people, but accustomed to living for free. In this case, there is only one way out of the stupid situation: pay the bill for two and do not spoil your mood. Just imagine for a moment that you could trust this person with a serious business or a decent amount of money, and you will immediately realize that you won by getting rid of this type with just some kind of dinner in a restaurant. Well, yes, these are the realities of our Russian life.

In the West (in Europe and the USA), those who dine together in a restaurant pay each for themselves, regardless of gender, whether they are friends, colleagues or business partners. There, the Russian or Caucasian habit of “I cry for everyone!” may seem wild. Moreover, if you try to pay for a business partner, then a man may regard this as a bribe, and a woman as a hint of an intimate continuation of dinner.

In Russia, usually the bill is paid by the one who invites to the restaurant. Many women in Russia cannot even think of paying for their rim, even if the offer to go to a restaurant came from them. But even if the lady makes a timid attempt to pay for herself, the man will always prevent this with the grand gesture that is expected of him.

If a man has lunch with a female colleague, then she can pay her own share of the expenses.

If you agreed with a colleague that you will share the costs, then you pay half the amount, including tips (tips in a restaurant are paid in the amount of 10-20% of the order value). As a rule, the difference in the cost of the dishes ordered by you and your companion is not taken into account. This does not apply if your colleague made a minimum order (for example, a cup of coffee) while you ordered a full meal.

Sometimes restaurants bring separate bills for what you drink and what you eat. In this case, one participant in the dinner can pay the first bill, and the other - the second. However, the subtleties of paying for dinner are discussed in the absence of the waiter, and a decision is reached by mutual agreement.
The waiter brings the bill to the person who placed the order. The invoice is submitted so that the amount is not visible. If you pay for a meeting in a restaurant, then you should not demonstrate how much was spent on it.

When paying by credit card, a tip must be added to the indicated amount, which can also be given in cash.

The rules of etiquette are necessary for all people without exception. Without knowing them, you are unlikely to be known as a polite person. The rules of etiquette in a restaurant are especially important. Our article will tell you how to behave for girls and guys at the table. Do you want to know how to behave in a restaurant at the highest level? Read, memorize and tell your friends!

Etiquette rules for girls in a restaurant: 11 top tips

The girl has the right to be the first to order the desired dish to the waiter. If this is your first time in this establishment and you don’t know what the chef cooks best, ask your companion to make an order instead of you.
Table etiquette in a restaurant says that you should not leave a small bag in the dressing room, along with outerwear. A clutch is allowed to be placed next to you on a table, a larger bag should be placed on a special chair.
Restaurant etiquette allows girls to keep their hats on. But gloves are best left in the wardrobe or put on the edge of the table next to you.
If a girl needs to fix her makeup, you should not do it at the table. Politely apologize to those present at the table and leave for the restroom.
If you are going to dinner with a man for the first time, be sure to bring enough money with you to pay your share of the bill if necessary. Equal payment will not oblige you to anything if the man has other intentions. If you and your companion have agreed in advance that he pays the bill, try not to order too much. expensive meals a lot.
Don't laugh too loud - it's bad manners in a public place, cover yourself while laughing.
Take your phone off the table and put it in your purse. It’s not beautiful when it lies on the table, and if you also correspond with someone in viber, then even more so.
Don't let the amount of utensils on the table intimidate you. It is important to take them in the following order: first the farthest from the plate, and then with each new dish you take those that are closer to the plate itself.
When you eat the first thing, it is important that the spoon is always in the plate, do not put it on the table or saucer.
When you eat vegetables or salad, take a fork and help yourself with a knife - this is considered proper etiquette.

Never wear old jeans, T-shirts and sneakers to the restaurant. If you are going to a restaurant for the first time, it is not necessary to buy a tuxedo specifically, it will be enough to wear dress pants with a shirt and jacket.
If you invite a girl to a restaurant, sit either in front of her or to her left.
Having met acquaintances in a restaurant, greet them without getting up from your seat. You should only get up if they join you for a meal. If you want to invite them to your table, ask permission from those present.
If you do not remember all the rules of etiquette in a restaurant, it is important to hold cutlery as follows: a knife in your right hand, and a fork in your left. If you are left-handed, do the opposite. If it is not very convenient to eat like this, at least cut the dishes in this way, and then you can feast on them, holding the device in your right hand.
Do not put your phone on the table - this is bad manners, which is now neglected by many, it is better to hide it in your pocket or bag.
Do not slurp and splash - eat quietly 🙂
A man can place an order only after consulting with a girl.
At the end of lunch or dinner, when the waiter brings the bill, the man must take it first, and if he is ready to pay in full, then he does so, and tells the girl that I treat you. If you are unfamiliar or always pay 50/50, then tell the girl your amount and hers, consult on the topic of what tips to leave to the waiter.
Never start eating first if your lady has not yet been served dishes. It is important to start at the same time.
Never tilt a bowl of soup towards you in order to scoop out the whole soup with a spoon - you can do this at home)
While you are waiting for the main course, invite the girl to drink juice or a glass of light wine with you.
Address the waiter only by name, if you don’t remember, specify it. It’s not nice to shout: a girl, a young man, a waiter, etc.

Remember that the girl is the first to start the meal and the last to finish, men should not rush to eat everything in 5 minutes. The girl is also the first to get up from the table, while the man should be a little ahead of her, while turning a little towards her in order to open the restaurant door or help put on a coat in the wardrobe.

Knowing all these rules of etiquette in a restaurant at the table, you will not hesitate to go to even the most expensive restaurant!

Etiquette in a restaurant refers to a variety of rules of conduct in public places, while it has its own specific norms that are characteristic of this institution.

When you go to a restaurant, you must have an impeccable appearance. In general, this place involves evening attire. If the invitation took you by surprise, it is enough to look neat, clean and well-groomed.

Restaurant entrance

At the entrance to the institution, visitors are usually met by the maitre d', who also escorts you to a free or booked table.

If you accidentally break a plate or glass during dinner, do not fuss - the cost of broken dishes will simply be included in the bill.

When visiting, instead of a fork, they will bring you chopsticks. If you are using them for the first time and are in doubt, then you have the right to ask the waiter to bring you a fork. You will be treated with understanding.

Do not reach for the pepper shaker or salt shaker across the table. Just ask a neighbor with poison or a waiter to serve you an item. The conversation at the table should not be loud and disturb other visitors. According to etiquette, you can’t bend low over a plate, fall apart in a chair, put your elbows on the table. Eat slowly, savoring every bite, enjoy the aroma. Do not blow on a hot dish. Wait until it cools down a bit.

Pull fish and fruit bones out of your mouth with a fork, and do not spit them out. If you absolutely did not like the dish, spit it out discreetly into a napkin held tightly to your mouth.

If suddenly you got a call, apologize to the audience, move away if the question is urgent. In all other non-urgent cases, tell the caller that you will call him back later. According to the rules, to leave for a couple of minutes, you need to ask permission from your friends. It is considered indecent to talk to acquaintances sitting at another table. If you need to talk, either you sit down with them, or together go out into the hall for a conversation.

In the case when your acquaintances enter the restaurant, greet them while sitting. The men stand up if the arrivals join their table. Women don't have to get up.

At the end of the meal

Ask the waiter for the bill. He will bring it to you, enclosed in a folder. You put the money there and give it to the waiter.

The question that causes a lot of stumbling is who pays for whom. Domestic etiquette suggests that the gentleman pays for the lady. Western feminists vehemently oppose this and often pay for themselves.

If the dinner is friendly, then the bill is usually divided in half or asked to be counted separately for each.

Restaurant etiquette prohibits:

Loudly call the waiter and snap your fingers.
Knock the device on a glass or plate for the same purpose. The attention of the waiter is attracted by a nod of the head or a wave of the hand.
Tell the bartender how to prepare drinks.
Find out who will pay in the presence of the waiter. Agree on this in advance.
Express dissatisfaction with the waiter and make a scandal if something went wrong. Quietly and politely state your thoughts to the head waiter. Most issues can be resolved calmly and quietly.
Slurping, eating untidy, crumbling bread or dangling legs is bad form. Just like sipping and licking your fingers.

What can you do in a restaurant. Bill and tip

Introduction

Behavior rules

Restaurant selection and table reservation

General rules

Business lunch

Date

Friends

Holiday

Banquet

Corporate

Rout

Dress code

Invitation

Wardrobe

Greetings

Performance

seating arrangement

Menu

Beverages

Choice

Tasting

Toast

Order

Devices

Napkin

Conversation

Basics of Behavior

men

Yes mom

Bill payment

Tips

Cocktail

buffet

Buffet

Service Rules

Serving meals

Serving drinks

Water for washing hands

hot towel

National cuisines

Japanese food

Feed features

Rules of conduct at the table

Dishes and condiments

Sushi (sushi)

Rolls

Sashimi (sashimi)

Nigiri

Wasabi

Ginger

Nori

European cuisine

General rules

Dishes and use

Sandwich

Kokot

Meat

Bird

Fish

Salad

Green salad

Sauce

Potato

Asparagus

Soup

Cheese

At the table

Among the people

When and how to study?

Menu and ordering dishes

How to use cutlery

Eating courtesy rules

Bill payment

Etiquette rules for girls in a restaurant: 11 top tips

Restaurant entrance

At the end of the meal

Restaurant etiquette prohibits:

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