Hello, I’m Nancy Mitchell the owner of the Etiquette Advocate, and today we’re talking about dining etiquette. We will now talk about what are some of the things you do not want to do, when you are seated at a dining room table. First and foremost, when you arrive at the table and you have found your place it is extremely rude to change place cards. The host/hostess has worked very, very hard on finding an arrangement at the table that will facilitate conversation. There is mixing and mingling of people and corporations and agendas, don’t make the mistake of moving a place card. Find your place and sit where you are assigned. Other things not to do at the table are taking medications. It makes other people very uncomfortable to see you taking a medication even if you need to do that before a meal, it should be very, very unobtrusive. It should be something that you do not do when other people are watching. 

Hygiene, don’t assume that after a meal you can apply lipstick. You cannot use a toothpick at the table you cannot use your finger to get something out of your teeth at the table. All of those things are very offensive and will disturb the other diners.

Using your cell phone, the cell phone should be under the table, it can be in a briefcase, it can be in a handbag. If it rings, reach down, turn it off, say to your dining companions, I’m so sorry, I thought I had turned that off. Don’t look at the display, don’t answer the call to say I’m sorry I can’t talk right now; I’ll call you back. You are saying to your dining companions, that whoever is calling you is more important than they are, this should be out of the picture.

Other things to remember are; it’s your responsibility to talk to your guest on your left and your right. If you’ve come to the event with someone from your business, from your family, it’s your responsibility to talk to other people at the table and not just to the person with whom you’ve come. Other things to avoid are, taking away doggy bags, if you’re at a business event or any event where you care about your image, don’t ask for a doggy bag, don’t share bites of your food with other people at the table, don’t ask for a taste of someone else’s. These things reflect very poorly on you. Next, we’re going to be talking about how to navigate the place setting.