#275: Let's Eat! (Friday, April 6)

I'm a self-proclaimed foodie and I LOOOVE eating out. It's one of my favorite things to do. But there are a few things that can ruin a dining out experience: poor table manners, obnoxious dinner companions, the division of the bill and just general inconsideration and rudeness. Here are some etiquette tips to remember when dining out:

• Remember your table manners. It may seem so simple but you'd be surprised how many people don't do the basic things. Chew your food, don't speak with your mouth full, don't reach over others' food, use your napkin and don't blow your nose at the table.
• Be a good dinner companion. Don't monopolize the conversation, be kind to the waiters and staff, arrive on time, don't complain excessively and don't rewrite the menu. If you have special dietary needs, you can mention them, but understand that the restaurant may not be able to accommodate them. If you are very late and others have finished eating or on the dessert course, do not order a meal (or do so on a separate check) to be considerate of everyone else's time.
• Paying the bill doesn't have to be a spectacle if you remember the following: 
• It is customary to leave a tip for good service.
• If all parties have had approximately the same amount (within $5-$10), it's customary to split the bill. The bill should not be divided equally if there are guests who have markedly less (i.e. only an appetizer, or someone who doesn't drink when the table orders a bottle of wine).
• If you prefer to pay separately, request a separate check BEFORE dinner.
• If you have been invited out to eat at restaurant that is outside of your budget, it is acceptable to decline the invitation.
• If you have to leave before dinner is over, make sure you have left enough to cover your portion of the bill.
• It is customary to split the cost of the mea of the person celebrating a birthday.

Happy dining!