It is not enough to set your table according to the rules of the art to master the conventions. It's all about behavior. We will have heard this phrase “straight up”, “elbows, not on the table” when we were children; or that embarrassing moment when the waiter didn't know where to place the plate while our napkin and phone were still in the center of the table; when he thought the dish was finished but we were just taking a break. So many little problems that are easy to avoid, by following these rules for good table manners.
Adopt the correct position in your chair
Don't lean on the back of your chair, stay straight, otherwise you will look nonchalant or simply bored. Not ideal if your interlocutor confides on a subject that is close to their heart. Only when the meal is finished, then you can lean back, as a sign of “relaxation”. If you want to move closer to the table, lift the chair and don't let it scrape the floor. This would make noise and damage the parquet, tiles or carpet.
Elbows on the table
Elbows are placed on the table only before the meal. As soon as the dishes are served, elbows on the table, it's over. So, how to position your arms? Quite simply with your elbows in the air (not on the armrests if your chair has them), hands holding the cutlery and the latter never under the table. Once the dishes are no longer on the table, you can, if you wish, put your elbows back on them. As with leaning against the chair, these overly “relaxed” postures are reserved for the beginning and end of a meal.
Eat correctly
Start eating when everyone is served and ready to start the meal. The bites come to you and not the other way around, since leaning towards the plate will cause you to slouch. Don't talk with your mouth full either and to avoid being inconvenienced, opt for small bites.
The correct use of napkins at the table
The towel on your knees! In this way, you will protect your clothes on which some food may fall discreetly. (The napkin around the neck is reserved for children, who, while still young, have difficulty bringing the fork close to their mouth). The napkin is removed from the table to be placed on the knees when the dishes arrive, and thus make way for the plate and prepare for tasting. When tasting, the napkin approaches the lips before drinking and after a few mouthfuls.
Cutlery, from the outside to the inside
You are at a meal where three forks, knives and spoons are set out on the table, don't panic: the cutlery is dedicated to each part of the meal. Those located on the outside are reserved for the starter, those in the middle for the main course and those next to the plate for dessert. So start with the cutlery located on the outside, and as the meal progresses, use the cutlery that comes closer to the plate.
Communicating with the server: a whole language
The key to interacting correctly with a server at a restaurant is discretion. To call him, a gesture of the hand and a look are enough, we don't call him “waiter” in front of everyone. To signal that you are ready to pay the bill, remove the napkin from your lap and place it to the right of the plate, without folding it. This will mean that you are getting ready to get up. If you wish to leave a tip, the rule recommends leaving 5 to 10% of the price of the bill. Avoid leaving your yellow pieces that you want to get rid of… that would be humiliating, and, in this case, it is better not to leave anything. As you leave the restaurant, give him one last nod.
Another form of language with the server exists. It is essential and is none other than the language of cutlery. Depending on how you position them on the plate signifies whether or not you're taking a break, finished, or even whether or not you enjoyed the meal. A discreet way to communicate with the server and avoid any confusion. It would be embarrassing if, upon seeing that you no longer touched your dish, the waiter came to take it away even though you had not finished. In this kind of situation, if you take a break, place your cutlery in a triangle on the plate: handle of the fork and knife towards the ends of the plate, one towards the left, the other towards the right , and the heads of the two cutlery joined together in a point towards the top of the plate. If you have finished your meal, the famous placement of cutlery in parallel, horizontally on the plate is sufficient. The waiter will understand that it's time to get rid of you.
