Bad table manners, how many are you guilty of? | The Times of India (2024)

Be it dining out with friends at a restaurant or eating with close pals/family at home, one must maintain dignity at the dining table. Table manners can make the eating experience a memorable one and when you share a meal with someone, it forms a bond between two people, which can lead to great connections. Be it social or professional, these table manners are something that one must pay close attention to! Here are some of the table manners which can hamper the whole dining experience.

There are several instances of dining out when you don’t know your mouth has been open while chewing food. This is something that must be avoided when eating with someone. This is something that many people do unintentionally and is something one must pay attention to!

Whether you are starving or are too eager to try out the food, never hurry when eating food. Always, eat at a medium pace so that the other diners can finish their meals at the same time. Once you are done, align your cutlery in the way you would make 11 with them.

Has anyone ever told you that you have been eating with too many noises? Well, this is one of the important table manners which one must keep in mind. When eating with other people, always eat as quietly as possible as the crunchy & smacking bites can be cringy for other diners or make them feel irritated.

When you’re eating with friends or family, the one thing that no one can avoid is having a conversation. While a conversation can be the nicest thing when spending time, make sure that you are not eating at the same time. If someone is talking to you and trying to make a conversation when you have food inside your mouth, always smile and gesture that you’ll answer in a minute when you’re done with your food in the mouth.

Be it a family dinner or at a restaurant, always serve the food to others using designated serving spoons rather than your own spoon or fork. This is something that many of us do while eating out unknowingly and is something that must be avoided.

Heard the term finger-licking food? Well, despite the deliciousness of food that’s right there in front of you, never ever lick your fingers when sitting with other diners. It’s a very rude table manner to lick your fingers at a table. If there is any food on your fingers such as sauce, curry or dip, always wipe it with your napkin discreetly or excuse yourself to wash your hands and then come back.

It’s very rude to talk with cutlery in your hand or to even gesture something. This is considered an inappropriate table manner and must be avoided at all.

Many times it must have happened that we place a piece of bread aside to sop up the leftover sauces. However, make sure that when you are going to do this, the bread is speared by the tines of your fork, else it will look quite rude when you do it with your hands.