Chapter I Etiquette of Western Food Section I General Etiquette of Western Food There are often many differences in food etiquette between different countries or cultures. What you think is polite behavior, such as serving food to customers and persuading them to drink, may make Europeans feel impolite; Although there are many differences, there are still many rules that are common etiquette in most countries. There is a saying that if you don't know the etiquette of eating western food, you are not an authentic modern person. 1. Book a restaurant or accept an invitation to eat and book a restaurant in advance. The more upscale the hotel, the more you need to make an appointment in advance. When making an appointment, you should indicate not only the number and time, but also whether you want a smoking area or a seat with a good view. If it is a birthday or other special day, you can tell the purpose and budget of the banquet. It is basic courtesy to arrive within the scheduled time. When accepting an invitation from others, you should reply as soon as possible. After receiving the invitation, you should reply as soon as possible. This is the minimum etiquette, especially for banquets with designated seats. If you are not informed in advance that you will be absent, it will be too late for the organizer to replenish the staff, resulting in vacancies, which is impolite and wasteful. Now it's usually a telephone reply, which is simple and quick. It is better to euphemistically explain the reasons for not attending in the form of letters. Second, it is common sense for Europeans and Americans to dress appropriately and neatly when eating. To go to high-end restaurants, men should wear neat tops and leather shoes; A lady should wear a suit and shoes with heels. If formal clothes are required, men must wear ties. No matter how expensive casual clothes are, you can't just wear them to the restaurant. In addition, the most important thing is to keep your hands clean and your nails neatly trimmed. Don't unbutton or undress in public during meals. If the host invites the guest to take off his coat, the male guest can take off his coat and put it on the back of the chair. Don't put his coat or things on the dining table. Third, after entering the western restaurant, you should be led by the waiter and not be presumptuous. The most suitable sitting position is to sit from the left. When the chair is opened, the body will stand up straight at a distance that almost touches the table. The leader pushes the chair in, and the legs bend and touch the chair behind, so you can sit down. Don't put your elbows on the table or cross your legs. Don't leave your seat while eating. If you really need to leave, you should whisper hello to the guests around you. When eating, sit up straight, keep your back straight and stretch your neck. The upper arm and back should lean on the back of the chair, and the abdomen should keep a fist distance from the table. It is best to avoid sitting with your feet crossed. Remember to eat with your head up. When you put the food in front of you in your mouth, you should eat it with your mouth instead of bending down. Fourth, napkins Western-style napkins are generally made of cloth, and the napkin cloth is square and flat, and the color is elegant. Always put it on your legs, on your chest for ceremonial occasions, and on the table for leisure occasions. The corner of the napkin is facing your chest, pressing the plate. Napkin cloth can be used to wipe your mouth or hands, overlapping diagonally into a triangle, or overlapping in parallel into a rectangle. When wiping, face down and gently press the corner of napkin several times. All stains should be wiped inside, and the appearance always looks neat. If the napkin is badly dirty, please ask the waiter to change it. When you leave your seat, even if you leave temporarily, you should take off your napkin cloth, fold it into a square or triangle at will and put it on your seat. It is suggested that after the meal, you can put napkins on the table. You must pay attention to this aspect, otherwise you will put your napkin on the table when you go to the toilet halfway, and the waiter may have taken away your unfinished food when you come back! In the process of using napkins, be careful not to make the following rude moves: 1. Don't put it on the collar or trousers like a bib. Don't wipe the tableware and table with napkins, which will look down on the host's house. Don't use napkins to wipe lipstick, nose and saliva, don't use napkins to wipe glasses and sweat, use handkerchiefs instead. Don't drop the napkin cloth when you leave the table. 5. Don't dirty or wrinkle the napkin cloth. 6. Don't put the leftover food on the napkin cloth. Don't stand when eating, and ask others to pass the food you can't get while sitting. Sometimes the host will advise the guests to add some food. If they have an appetite, it is not rude to add meals. On the contrary, the host will be proud. You should also put some food you don't want to eat on the plate to show politeness. When attending a western-style buffet, don't pile food all over the plate at once. The food on the plate makes people think you are greedy. Take less at a time, not enough to go again. 6. Say hello to the waiter in a first-class restaurant. In addition to eating, guests should also ask the waiter to pour wine, clean up the tableware, and clean up the knives and forks that have fallen on the ground. The waiter will always pay attention to the needs of guests. If you need service, you can look at him or raise your hand slightly, and the waiter will come right away. In foreign countries, when eating, the waiter will ask, "Is everything all right?" If there is no problem, you can use "good" to express your satisfaction. If you are satisfied with the service and want to tip, you can pay by debit card, that is, write down the total amount including the tip on the bill and then sign it. Finally, don't forget to thank you verbally. 7. Others should enjoy food and social fun while eating in restaurants. It would be strange to eat separately in silence. Therefore, when eating, talk to the guests around you, not just a few acquaintances. If you don't know the guests around you, you can introduce yourself first. Don't interrupt when others are talking. The volume should be carefully kept at the level that the other party can hear, so as not to affect the adjacent table. Don't make any noise. Don't use mobile phones in high-end restaurants. Make a long story short if necessary, otherwise you should stay outside for a while. Ladies should remember to make up in the dressing room, and don't comb their hair or make up at the dinner table. That's very rude. Don't smoke before the end of the meal until the coffee is served to indicate the end of the meal. If there are female guests around, you should politely ask "Do you mind?" Don't pick up the plate when eating, even it is impolite to hold it in your hand when eating. Remember not to push the plate away after eating the food in front of you. Don't spit on the table. When you have to spit out bad food, don't spit it on the plate. It's best to throw up on a napkin and ask for a new tablecloth when others are not looking. Burping while eating is the biggest taboo. If this happens, you should apologize to the people around you immediately. Don't wolf down your meal. You shouldn't eat too much food every time. When chewing food, remember to keep your mouth shut and don't talk. In most cultures, it is considered very vulgar for the other person to see your mouth full of food. When sneezing, turn your face, cover your mouth with a napkin and say "I'm sorry". When going to a family dinner, guests are not allowed to eat any food until the hostess picks up the spoon or fork. The hostess usually starts after each guest gets the food. She won't invite you to dinner first, as China is used to. When she picks up a spoon or fork, it means that everyone can do it. Eating western food is largely about eating emotional appeal: ordinary western restaurants are chic and elegant, and even small restaurants have their own characteristics, either classical or modern, or avant-garde and eclectic. The green plants, artistic wall tiles and wall lamps in the hall make people feel like they are in a foreign country, comfortable and warm, and make people feel relaxed and intoxicated. High-end hotels have gorgeous marble fireplaces, glittering crystal lamps, silver candlesticks, beautiful flowers, colorful wines, lyrical saxophones, and people's elegant and charming manners, which in itself is a touching oil painting. In order to master your manners more skillfully when you taste western food for the first time, it is worthwhile to spend some time familiarizing yourself with these dining etiquette. —— Excerpted from other websites for reference only.