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Table Manner DO'S

Sit properly (and straight) in your chair
Talk about pleasant things
Place your napkin on your lap
Wait until everyone is seated before starting to eat
Watch others, or ask, if you're not sure how to eat something
Ask someone to pass the food, rather than reach across the table
Chew with your mouth closed
Don't talk with your mouth full
Use a knife and fork to cut your meat
Say "excuse me" or "I'm sorry" if you burp
Say "no thank you" if you don't want a certain dish or are full
Say "may I please be excused" before leaving the table
Table Manner DON'TS

Don't talk about gross things
Don't ask for seconds before others have had firsts
Don't take more than your fair share
Don't overload your fork or plate
Don't gobble your food
Don't chew with your mouth open
Don't talk with your mouth full
Don't play at the table
Don't hum or sing at the table
Don't tip your chair or lean on the table
Don't eat with or lick your fingers
Don't push your plate away when you're finished

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general advice

Simple, Good Manners
Always respond to an invitation within a week of receiving it.

Dress according to the recommended (if any) dress code.
Never attempt to "out dress" the hostess!

Be punctual - never more than 10 minutes late.

If you wish to bring a guest as your partner, good dinner table etiquette demands that you should always check with the host first.

If you are the one hosting the party and a guest of yours arrives with an unexpected friend, be polite & courteous with them, and speak with your inconsiderate guest at another time!

It is considered polite to take along a small gift for your host and hostess. Flowers, chocolates or champagne are always appreciated.

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The 10 Do's!

1. Once seated, unfold your napkin and use it for occasionally wiping your lips or fingers. At the end of dinner, leave the napkin tidily on the place setting.

2. It is good dinner table etiquette to serve the lady sitting to the right of the host first, then the other ladies in a clockwise direction, and lastly the gentlemen.

3. Hold the knife and fork with the handles in the palm of the hand, forefinger on top, and thumb underneath.

4. While eating, you may if you wish rest the knife and fork on either side of the plate between mouthfuls. When you have finished eating, place them side by side in the center of the plate.

5. If the food presented to you is not to your liking, it is polite to at least make some attempt to eat a small amount of it. Or at the very least, cut it up a little, and move it around the plate!

6. It is quite acceptable to leave some food to one side of your plate if you feel as though you have eaten enough. On the other hand, don't attempt to leave your plate so clean that it looks as though you haven't eaten in days!

7. Desserts may be eaten with both a spoon and fork, or alternatively a fork alone if it is a cake or pastry style sweet.

8. Should a lady wish to be excused for the bathroom, it is polite for the gentlemen to stand up as she leaves the table, sit down again, and then stand once more when she returns.

9. Always make a point of thanking the host and hostess for their hospitality before leaving.

10. It is good dinner table etiquette to send a personal thank you note to the host and hostess shortly afterwards.

The 10 Don'ts!

1. Never start eating before a signal from the host to do so.

2. Forks should not be turned over unless being used for eating peas, sweetcorn kernels, rice or other similar foods. In which case, it should be transferred to the right hand. However, at a casual buffet,or barbecue it is quite acceptable to eat with just a fork.

3. It is not generally regarded as good dinner table etiquette to use one's bread for dipping into soups or mopping up sauces.

4. Loud eating noises such as slurping and burping are very impolite. The number one sin of dinner table etiquette!

5. Talking with one's mouth full. is not only unpleasant to watch, but could also lead to choking! Definitely not a good idea!

6. Don't stretch across the table crossing other guests to reach food, wine or condiments. Instead ask a guest sitting close to pass the item to you.

7. Good dinner table etiquette sometimes involves a degree of diplomacy when it comes to the host's choice of food and wine! Even if you feel that you can do better, don't ever offer your criticism. If you feel unable to pay any compliments, at least remain silent on the subject.

8. Picking teeth (unless toothpicks are provided) or licking fingers are very unattractive! The only exception to the latter is when eating meat or poultry on the bone (such as chicken legs or ribs). In which case, a finger bowl should be provided.

9. Drinking too much wine can be very embarrassing! Where a different wine is served with each course, it is quite acceptable to not finish each glass.

10. Don't forget to make polite conversation with those guests around you. Dinner parties are not just about the food, they are intended to be a sociable occasion.

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Why is dining etiquette important?
It plays an important role in our lives and it would also influence other people's impression of us.
How do we have good dining etiquette?
1. Don't chew with our mouth open
2. Be punctual
3. If you don't like the food, be polite and at least eat a small amount of it
4. Never start eating the food before the host signals to start.
5. Loud eating sounds like burping and slurping
6. If something is caught between our teeth that annoys you, you should wait to remove it privately.
7. Use utensils properly
8. Cover your mouth when you yawn

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Why is etiquette important?
Etiquette is important because it implies polite behaviour and helps to build relationships with people whether it is in the workplace or at a party. Etiquette is one way to show respect for other people and to request respect from other people.

What is dining etiquette?
Dining etiquette is an area of etiquette which pertains to dining, whether at home or out in a restaurant.

What is social etiquette?
They are certain accepted behaviours in all social situations that you need to learn.

What are the dos and don'ts of dining etiquette?

Dos
Sit properly (and straight) in your chair

Talk about pleasant things

Place your napkin on your lap

Wait until everyone is seated before starting to eat

Watch others, or ask, if you're not sure how to eat something

Ask someone to pass the food, rather than reach across the table

Chew with your mouth closed

Don't talk with your mouth full

Use a knife and fork to cut your meat

Say "excuse me" or "I'm sorry" if you burp

Say "no thank you" if you don't want a certain dish or are full

Say "may I please be excused" before leaving the table

Don'ts
Don't talk about gross things

Don't ask for seconds before others have had firsts

Don't take more than your fair share

Don't overload your fork or plate

Don't gobble your food

Don't chew with your mouth open

Don't talk with your mouth full

Don't play at the table

Don't hum or sing at the table

Don't tip your chair or lean on the table

Don't eat with or lick your fingers

Don't push your plate away when you're finished

Chinese dining etiquette

1. Do not rest chopsticks vertically in rice

While it may minimize the transition time between the voracious gobbling of food and intermittent sipping of a Tsingtao or cup of cha, stowing chopsticks in this way is neither prudent nor polite.

Meaning: It’s a harbinger of death.

Just as the number four, si (四), is considered inauspicious for its homophonous relation to the word si (死), meaning death, the sight of two upright chopsticks in a bowl is reminiscent of the incense sticks that the Chinese traditionally burn in veneration of deceased loved ones.
In restaurants there are always chopstick stands, so it’s natural to put your chopsticks there.

2. Never turn over the fish

In Chinese restaurants, the standard is for a fish to be served whole.

After working your way through the tender top side, it may seem logical to simply flip the fish and continue. Unfortunately, doing so has an unforeseen consequence.

Meaning: You’ve capsized the boat.

This is of more concern in regions that rely strongly on fishing or are located along the coast.

The fish symbolizes the boat, by turning it over, you’re casting the hapless fishermen into Davy Jones’ locker.

But you don’t have to resign yourself to picking and prodding.

Using your chopsticks, pick up the backbone at a point near the tail and gently pull upward until you’ve dislodged the bone from the meat beneath. Then simply slide the “boat” to the side of the plate, and continue eating.

3. Birthday noodles

Chinese tradition calls for a birthday girl or boy to slurp a bowl of noodles as a celebration of the many years ahead. And as “Lady and the Tramp” so aptly demonstrated, that one long noodle can be a great thing.

Meaning: It symbolizes longevity.

In this case, that long strip of noodle is a metaphor for the long walk of life. Yet this tradition comes with an addendum: do not cut the noodles.

That symbolizes cutting your life off, it's not a very positive message on the day of one’s birth.

Thankfully, cutting applies mainly to severing with a knife or with chopsticks. Biting is a practical and, Lo says, acceptable way of ensuring you don't look like a hamster with filled cheek pouches.

You should slurp your noodles, that means it tastes good. It’s like swishing wine in your mouth so that it mixes with oxygen -- it’s the same idea.

4. Tea tapping is a must

A tea cup should never be allowed to run dry.

Your host, or members of your dinner party, will regularly refill the cups of those around them, who tap the table in response. Go ahead and follow suit.

Meaning: It’s a show of thanks.

According to legend, there was once an emperor who regularly impersonated a commoner in order to get acquainted with his people.

One night, while at a teahouse, the emperor poured tea for his accompanying servant.

“Traditionally, the servant would have kneeled down to show respect, but that would have betrayed the emperor’s identity,” explains Lo. “So he tapped the table instead.”

Two fingers, two knees.

“There’s a stronger tea-drinking culture in southeast China,” says Lo, adding that the habit may be more prevalent in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Regardless, saying “thank you” is just as permissible, so don’t fret if this custom isn’t second nature to you.

For the first round, play it safe and opt for even.

5. Always order an even number of dishes

When out with a sizable crowd, you want to ensure you order enough food. A rule of thumb is to order dishes equivalent to the number of people in your party, plus one. But if you’re an even-numbered crowd, this will put you at odds -- in numbers and in fortune.

Meaning: Odd number of dishes symbolizes death (again).

For regular meals, you’d always order an even number of dishes, because an odd number is usually only ordered at a funeral meal.

This has nothing to do with homonyms, but rather with qi.

According to Chinese belief, odd numbers are associated with yin qi rather than yang. In the yin-yang equation of balance, yin is cold, yang is hot -- dark and light, death and life, respectively.

This applies more to banquets and formal events, and is mostly related to the first-round order. You can add dishes as you need them afterward.

Malay dining etiquette
1. Each grain of rice is sacred, you must clean your place. Hence, you only scoop enough rice for your own consumption and not too much.

2.Do not chew and talk at the same time. Take each morsel in small bites and do not swallow in big bites.

3.If there were two guests suddenly reaching out for the same dish, the elder would be given the honor to go first.

4.If you tasted something and did not like it, do not place it back in the communal dish. Put it aside your own plate.

5.Bones, shells and inedible residue may be placed on a special platter provided. Failing which, you put on the side of your plate.

6.Food cannot be placed on its own on the floor as a sign of respect for the provision that God provides. Also, you must never point at the food (or anyone) using your foot.

7.Even though the drinks are offered simultaneously, it is better to drink only after you clean your plate.

8.Burping or belching is okay for men (they must cover their mouths while doing so) but farting is a big no-no.

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Why is dining etiquette important?
Dining etiquette is important as it plays a role in our everyday lives,  affects peoples' first impression of you and it portrays either a positive or a negative image of yourself. If you do not have good dining etiquette, you might end up embarrassing yourself in front of others.

What is dining etiquette?
Dining etiquette applies before you ever take your seat and continue after you excuse yourself from the table. It consists of Table Manners, Table Setting, Restaurant Etiquette, Business Dining Etiquette, Wine Etiquette and International Dining Etiquette.

What is Social Etiquette?
Social etiquette is some accepted behaviors in all social situations that you need to learn. With few exceptions, putting them into practice can make a big difference in your social life. They apply to when you are communicating with others, dining and doing business.

The Dos and Don'ts of Dining Etiquette
Dos
1. Once seated, unfold your napkin and use it for occasionally wiping your lips or fingers. At the end of dinner, leave the napkin tidily on the place setting.
2. Once seated, unfold your napkin and use it for occasionally wiping your lips or fingers. At the end of dinner, leave the napkin tidily on the place setting.
3. Hold the knife and fork with the handles in the palm of the hand, forefinger on top, and thumb underneath.
4. While eating, you may if you wish to rest the knife and fork on either side of the plate between mouthfuls. When you have finished eating, place them side by side in the center of the plate.
5. If the food presented to you is not to your liking, it is polite to at least make some attempt to eat a small amount of it. Or at the very least, cut it up a little, and move it around the plate.
Don'ts
1. Never start eating before a signal from the host to do so.
2. Forks should not be turned over unless being used for eating peas, sweetcorn kernels, rice or other similar foods. In which case, it should be transferred to the right hand. However, at a casual buffet, or barbecue it is quite acceptable to eat with just a fork.
3. It is not generally regarded as good dinner table etiquette to use one's bread for dipping into soups or mopping up sauces.
4. Talking with one's mouth full. is not only unpleasant to watch, but could also lead to choking.
5. Don't stretch across the table crossing other guests to reach food, wine or condiments. Instead ask a guest sitting close to pass the item to you.

For the Asian Culture, the hosts are friendly. You will be expected to eat with chopsticks. Try to use them if you can. A few guidelines will help you cope with chopsticks:

Ask for help if you need it. Your hosts will probably be flattered and pleased to help.

Use chopsticks as a scoop if you cannot manage more intricate movements. (think about practicing at home for a week or two before you leave.)

Use the small end of a chopstick as your eating utensil, and the large end to serve others.

Rest chopsticks on your plate or a chopstick rest when not using them. never rest them in or across a rice bowl.

You may use your rice bowl as a safety net, holding it close to your mouth as you eat.

For African culture, Africans are also friendly and are  famous for the pleasure they take in eating and entertaining and for their generosity. If you're invited to someone's home almost anywhere in Africa be prepared to be impressed by your host's generosity. In many countries, you will find no utensils of any kind and will be expected to eat with your hands. Remember, in Muslim countries, not to eat with your left hand. Watch your hosts in other countries for similar taboos and follow their lead.

The differences are the use of cutlery and how you eat the food, but the similarity is that everyone has to be friendly.

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Rules for social etiquette:

Don't point - it's rude

Don't smoke or eat in the street - it looks 'common'

Don't talk with your mouth full - disgustingly, you may spit some of it out!

Don't shout - Keep your voice down

Don't interrupt - it's selfish and ill-mannered

Don't swear - it impresses nobody (it's the language of low lives and those with a limited vocabulary)

Open doors for the elderly and for women

Hold doors open for whoever is following you in (or out)- don't let it slam in their face

Use please and thank you

Don't gang up on anybody anywhere

Don't talk behind other's backs

Turn away from people, food and the phone when you cough or sneeze

Show respect for those older and wiser than yourself

Without respect and consideration for others, we are nothing but savages.