Many table manners are common knowledge, but did you know that placing your napkin on the table can attract stares of disapproval from people around you? There are many examples like this, so we’ve compiled 18 things people consider poor table manners.
Using Your Phone On The Table
One table manners mistake everyone commits is using a phone while eating. This is a harmless habit when you’re alone, but it’s regarded as rude when you’re having a meal with others. Your phone shouldn’t even be in sight, and you should only use it for emergencies.
Reaching Across The Table
If something is too far for you to reach, don’t stand up or stretch across the table to get it for yourself; just ask someone to pass it. Reaching across the table is frowned upon because you may spill something or mistakenly have your cloth dipped in someone else’s food.
Eating Quickly
You should always moderate your eating speed so that you finish your food at the same time as others–that’s just polite. However, eating quickly is also bad for your health. An American Heart Association study, discussed in The Guardian, links eating quickly to higher risks of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Passing The Food To The Left
When you’re at a table sharing food, you are expected to pass your food counterclockwise. This rule exists to prevent conflicts or confusion. However, if the person who needs food is only a couple of chairs away, it doesn’t hurt anyone to go against the norm.
Chewing With Your Mouth Open
You may do it unintentionally, and research may show that it allows you to enjoy food more, but no one likes to see others eat with an open mouth. Many people consider it disgusting and have rebuked it as bad table etiquette for centuries.
Talking While Eating
Eating with your mouth open is one thing, but talking while doing so is even worse. Talk only when you aren’t chewing anything, and gesture for patience if someone is trying to converse. Some even claim it’s wrong to talk at the table at all, but that seems overly strict to us.
Placing Your Elbows On The Table
The consensus against elbows on the table generally has to do with posture. On the one hand, it’s said to come with a bad posture that promotes slouching, and on the other hand, for centuries, it has been seen as a form of threat or rude, aggressive claim of space.
Moving Utensils Outwardly
When eating your meal, you don’t want to move your spoon or fork from the inside to the outside of your plate, and it’s easy to see why! Doing this only leads to more mess on the table, and the rule applies whether you’re eating from a flat plate or a high bowl.
Neglecting Fork And Knife Positions
You’re expected to place your cutlery in specific positions when eating your meal. During pauses, place it in a “Ʌ” position with the knife on the left and the fork’s tines up. When you’re done with your meal, you must place both side by side with the fork’s tines, either up or down.
Double-Dipping
Many consider double-dipping rude, while others see it as disgusting, and their concerns aren’t far-fetched. Research by the University of Queensland concludes that it’s actually filthy behavior, as already-bitten snacks contain higher amounts of bacteria, putting everyone at risk of cross-contaminating infections.
Slurping Soup
Another thing people consider poor table manners is slurping soup or any other liquid. The sounds are disgusting and can easily be avoided using a spoon correctly. So don’t be that guy unless you’re visiting Japan, where slurping is seen as polite!
Eating Before The Host Is Seated
Unless you’re at a buffet where there’s really no scheduled time for everyone to eat, you shouldn’t dive into your meal before your host has settled down. Some even consider it rude when you eat before the host does, and worse, when you eat before everyone is served their meal.
Placing Your Napkins On The Table
Discussing napkin ettiqiettes, Forbes clearly states the basic rule: “Put the napkin in your lap and don’t leave it on the table”. It’s that simple. You also place the napkin on the left side of your plate only when you’re done eating.
Blowing Your Nose At The Table
Everyone has to sneeze occasionally at the dinner table; that’s unavoidable. However, when you blow your nose loudly, you’ll make others uncomfortable and disgusted. Even sniffing inward is frowned upon. Just excuse yourself from the table and go into the restroom to take care of it.
Waving Utensils Around
Sharing tips on business-related dining etiquette, Reuters says it’s bad manners when you gesture with your utensils, unnecessarily moving them around. There are also opinions against scraping utensils noisily on plates, clanking them on your teeth, or clattering them noisily against each other.
Licking Fingers
Many people consider licking utensils at the table to be rude behavior. However, licking your fingers is frowned upon even more—and for good reason. When you’re in a group setting, licking your finger and placing the same finger on shared food causes others to be, understandably, grossed out. Use a napkin instead.
Interrupting Others
Interrupting others during a mealtime conversation is plain rude. This includes talking to someone when they have a mouthful of food, as you’re pressuring this person into talking while eating. Chipping into a conversation while someone is in mid-sentence is also rude, just as it would be anywhere else.
Cutting Your Food All At Once
Finally, people consider it to be rude to cut all of your food at the same time before digging into it. Unless you’re helping a child or someone with mobility issues, the proper etiquette is to cut food one bite at a time—with the fork on the left hand and knife on the right hand, of course.
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