Below is a selection of useful etiquette rules that will help you behave correctly in a variety of life situations.
1. When you come to a restaurant and see a cloth napkin on your plate, don’t immediately put it on your lap. First, place your order. Then you can safely start drinking, and only when the waiter serves you the first course, fold the napkin in half, and then place it on your lap with the fold facing you. This small piece of cloth is designed for only three things: it protects your clothes from drops and crumbs, you can wipe dirty fingers on it, and also wet your lips before you are about to take a drink from a glass. After finishing the meal, remove the napkin from your lap and leave it to the left of the plate.
And what to do with a napkin if you need to go away, for example to the restroom? Don't leave the napkin on the chair – it's unhygienic, put it down by the plate, without folding it completely, but just slightly crumpling it. This shows that you will be back.
If the establishment has paper napkins, they can be used immediately; after use, they are placed on the edge of the plate if you have already finished eating or left on the left.
2. If you finish your soup, it is better to do so by tilting the plate away from you so as not to accidentally dirty yourself or the people sitting nearby. Sipping the soup is also unacceptable – eat quietly and slowly.
3. If during a meal you have something stuck in your teeth, and there are toothpicks on the table, do not rush to open your mouth and pull out the stuck food. Such things should only be done in the toilet. As, however, other procedures: taking pills, combing your hair, applying eye drops, using lipstick, etc. Because such actions are perceived as unhygienic and unpleasant for other visitors and staff. Remember – the table is for eating and drinking and for communication, personal hygiene procedures – only in the toilet.
4. When it's raining and inclement weather outside, the office usually turns into a place to dry wet umbrellas. But drying your accessory in an open state at work or when you're away is bad form. You can only do such things at home. In all other places, you should use a special stand or simply hang the umbrella. If there is no place for an umbrella, leave it near the wall or in a corner so that it doesn't bother anyone.
An open umbrella takes up a lot of space and sometimes hinders movement, and water also drips onto the floor, which can damage the surface or cause someone to slip.
5. Walking to your seats in a theater or cinema should only be done facing people who are already seated. In this case, a woman should follow a man, because it is he who apologizes for the inconvenience caused. Walking with your back to him is a sign of disrespect to those who are already seated, demonstrating that you do not notice them. Walking facing you allows you to establish brief eye contact, smile, and apologize, which minimizes discomfort for others.
6. If you are accompanied to your table by an administrator when visiting a restaurant, you should go in this order: maitre d', woman, man. When the manager is absent, it is better for the man to enter the hall first, and only then his companion.
7. If your companion greets a stranger while out for a walk or in a public place, you should greet them as well. This will show your respect for your companion's social connections and will not make you appear impolite or arrogant.
8. The bathrobe, which many of our women love to wear at home, to their great disappointment, is not home clothes in the full sense of the word. It is considered an item of underwear or bath linen and symbolizes intimacy. First of all, it is intended for the bedroom and bathroom. It is unacceptable to meet guests or anyone else in it.
9. Today, many of us live in high-rise buildings, so few people know not only all the residents of the building, but sometimes even the neighbors on the floor. Nevertheless, according to the rules of etiquette, being within the entrance, you should greet your neighbors. This is a sign of good neighborliness, respect for the common space. On the street, you have the right not to do this, although if you know the person by sight, it is better to still greet them.
10. When coming to a restaurant, many women literally cannot part with their handbag – even after sitting down at the table, they put it on their knees, or at best next to them on a chair. However, this is wrong. If the ladies' accessory is small (for example, a clutch), it is best to put it directly on the table. A bulky bag should be hung on the back of a chair (make sure that in this position it does not interfere with waiters and other visitors), placed on the floor (but not at the feet, so that it does not interfere with the passage) or a special stool designed for these purposes. You cannot put a bag on an empty chair – it takes up space that may be needed by other guests or staff.
11. If you decide to leave a tip, do not leave small coins lying around in your wallet, and especially crumpled bills – this is a sign of disrespect for the waiter. Tips should be neat and have a decent appearance. In our country, you can still leave a tip in most establishments, or you can not – at your discretion, but in many Western countries (for example, the USA and Canada) 15-20% of the check is the norm for good service, while 10% can be perceived as an insult (not enough). However, in some European countries, especially Eastern ones, 10% is a completely acceptable tip.
Джерело: ukr.media
