only found hope that works~American table manners[edit] Table Layout * Bread plates are to the left of the main plate, beverage glasses are to the * Salad fork, knife and soup spoon are further from the main plate than the main course knife, fork and Dessert utensils are either placed above the main plate or served with [edit] General Behavior * Chew with your mouth * Do not talk at an excessively loud * Refrain from coughing, sneezing or blowing nose at the * Never tilt back your chair while at the table, or at any other * Do not make unbecoming noises while * Do not play with food or table * Do not single out or chastise someone who has shown poor table * Do not put your elbows on the table or * Always ask the host or hostess to be excused before leaving the * Do not stare at anyone while he or she is * Never talk on your phone at the If urgent, ask host or hostess to be excused, and go Apologize when [edit] Utensils * Do not eat food with your fingers unless you are eating foods customarily eaten with fingers, such as bread, french fries, chicken wings, pizza, * The fork may be used either in the American (use the fork in your left hand while cutting; switch to right hand to pick up and eat a piece) or the Continental (fork remains in the left hand) fashion -- either is now (See Fork etiquette) * The fork is used to convey any solid food to the * The knife blade should be placed on the edge of your plate when not in The blade should always face * When you have finished eating soup, the spoon should be placed to the side of the saucer, not left in the * Keep your napkin on your At more formal occasions all diners will wait to place their napkins on their laps until the host or hostess places his or her napkin on his or her lap * When eating barbecue or some other messy foods such as cracked crab, a 'bib' napkin may be provided for and used by Usually these foods are also eaten by hand, and wet wipes or paper napkins should be used to clean the * When using paper napkins, never ball them up or allow stains to * Use your silverware from the outside moving inward toward the main (Salad fork, knife and soup spoon are further from the main plate than the main course knife, fork and Dessert utensils are either placed above the main plate or served with )[edit] Dining * A prayer or 'blessing' may be customary in some families, and the guests should join in even if they are not religious or do not follow the same Most prayers are made by the host before the meal is Instead or in addition, a 'toast' may be offered [1] * Do not start eating until (a) every person is served or (b) those who have not been served request that you begin without At more formal occasions all diners will wait to begin until the hostess or host lifts a fork or * When a dish is presented 'family style', the food is served to one's plate and then passed on to the next put the food on your left, take some and pass to the person next to * When serving, serve from the left and pick up the dish from the Beverages are both served and removed from the * Eat soup noiselessly and with the side of the * Tea or coffee should never be poured into the saucer to cool but should be sipped from the Alternatively, ice may be used to cool * Seasoning ones meal prior to tasting can be considered rude and may insult the [edit] At the end of the meal * It is acceptable in most places to not finish all of the food on your * When finished with your meal, place your knife and fork with handles at the 4 o'clock position and the tines of the fork down to signal to the server you are * Except in a public restaurant, do not ask to take some of your uneaten food away from the meal after it ends, especially when having a formal [edit] British table manners * The fork is held in your left hand and the knife is held in your * You should hold your knife with the handle in your palm and your fork in the other hand with the prongs pointing * If you’re eating a dessert, your fork (if you have one) should be held in the left hand and the spoon in the * When eating soup, you should hold your spoon in your right hand and tip the bowl away from you, scooping the soup in movements away from * It is not acceptable to use your fingers at the table to eat or push food onto your You may, however, eat some foods such as fruit, sandwiches, hamburgers, crisps, chips or pizza with your * If there are a number of knives or forks, then you should start from the outside set working your way in as each course is * Drinks should always be to the right of your plate with the bread roll to the * When eating bread rolls, break off a piece before Use your knife only to butter the bread, not to cut * You should not start eating before your host does or instructs you to do At larger meals, it is considered okay to start eating once others have been * When you’re finished, place your knife and fork together at five o’clock with your fork on the left (tines facing up) and knife on the right, with the knife blade facing This signals that you are * Your napkin should never be screwed Nor should it be folded neatly as that would suggest that your host might plan to use it again without washing it - just leave is neatly but * Never blow your nose on your Place it on your lap and use it to dab your mouth if you make a * It is considered rude to answer the telephone at the If you need to take an urgent call, excuse yourself and go * Always ask for permission from the host and excuse yourself if you need to leave the You should place your napkin on your seat until you * If you must leave the table or are resting, your fork should be at eight o’clock and your knife at four o’clock (with the blade inwards) Once an item of cutlery has been used, it should not touch the table * The food should be brought to your mouth on the fork; you should sit straight and not lean towards your * Dishes should be served from the right, and taken away from the Unless the food is placed on your plate at the table, then it should arrive from the * Drinks should be served from the * Never lean across somebody else’s If you need something to be passed, ask the person closest to If you have to pass something, only pass it if you are closest to it and pass it directly to them if you * Salt & pepper should be passed * Do not take food from a neighbour’s plate and don’t ask to do * You must not put your elbows on the * If pouring a drink for yourself, offer to pour a drink for your neighbours before serving * If extra food is on the table, ask others first if they would like it before taking it * When chewing food, close your mouth and only talk when you have swallowed * Swallow all food before eating more or having a * Do not slurp your food or eat Burping or sneezing at the table should be avoided, * Never pick food out of your teeth with your * Try to eat all the food you are * Glasses served in a wine glass or other stemmed-glass should be held at the * Always remember “regular” Remember to say "please" and "thank you"[edit] Chinese table mannersThese are mostly concerned with the use of Otherwise generally Chinese table manners are rather more informal, what would be considered rude in other cultures such as talking with the mouth full may be acceptable but better not to do * Chopsticks must always be held in the correct It should be held between the thumb and fingers of the right hand, * Chopsticks are traditionally held in the right hand only, even by the left- Although chopsticks may now be found in either hand, a few still consider left-handed chopstick use improper One explanation for the treatment of such usage as improper is that this can symbolise argument, as the chopsticks may collide between the left-handed and right-handed * When communal chopsticks are supplied with shared plates of food, it is considered impolite to use your own chopsticks to pick up the food from the shared plate or eat using the communal An exception to this rule is made in intimate family dinners where family members may not mind the use of one's own chopsticks to transfer * It is considered impolite to use the blunt end of the chopsticks to transfer food from a common dish to your own plate or Use the communal chopsticks * Never wave your chopsticks around as if they were an extension of your hand gestures, bang them like drumsticks, or use them to move bowls or * Decide what to pick up before reaching with Do not hover around or poke looking for special After you have picked up an item, do not put it back in the * When picking up a piece of food, never use the tips of your chopsticks to poke through the food as if you were using a Exceptions include tearing larger items apart such as In informal use, small, difficult to pick-up items such as cherry tomatoes or fishballs may be stabbed but this use is frowned upon by * Chopsticks can be rested horizontally on one's plate or bowl to keep them off the table A chopstick rest can also be used to keep the points off the * Never stab chopsticks into a bowl of rice, leaving them standing Any stick-like object facing upward resembles the incense sticks that some Asians use as offerings to deceased family This is considered the ultimate faux pas on the dining * Chinese traditionally eat rice from a small bowl held in the left The rice bowl is raised to the mouth and the rice pushed into the mouth using the Some Chinese find it offensive to scoop rice from the bowl using a If rice is served on a plate, as is more common in the West, it is acceptable and more practical to eat it with a fork or The thumb must always be above the edge of the * It is acceptable to transfer food to people who have a close relation with you ( parents, grandparents, children or significant others) if you notice they are having difficulty picking up the Also it is a sign of respect to pass food to the elderly first before the dinner starts (part of the Confucian tradition of respecting seniors) * Traditionally, it is polite for the youngest members of the table to address each and everyone of the elderly members of the table before a meal starts and literally tell them to "eat rice", which means "go ahead and start the meal", to show * The host should always make sure the guests drinks are sufficiently One should not pour for ones self, but should (if thirsty) offer to pour for a When your drink is being poured, you should say "thank you" and/or tap your fingers on the table to show * When people wish to clink drinks together in the form of a cheer, it is important to observe that younger members should clink the edge of their drink below the edge of an elder to show * When eating food that contains bones, it is customary that the bones be spit out onto the table to the right of the dining plate in a neat