by Jayna Nickert

Created on: May 07, 2010

Have you ever been to a restaurant where you felt out of place? Maybe it was a fancy restaurant which was new to you, or you simply felt like everything you did made the staff dislike you. Ever wondered if your food has been tampered with because you did or said something that upset the staff? Believe it or not, there are several items of etiquette to dining which any restaurant employee and affluent diner can spot. If you aren’t a well-versed diner you may quite easily stick out like a sore thumb. If this is you, rest assured; if you follow the instructions listed henceforth not only will you impress your dinner company and server when out to eat, but you can also ensure that if your server seems upset, its not about you and you don’t have to worry about reliving any horror you may have feared such as in the movie Waiting when a rude woman’s food is spit in (among other things).

The first thing an affluent diner is aware of is the fact that when they are out to eat, they are as guests in a person’s home. Being a guest in a person’s home entails many assumptions and unwritten laws. First of all, when entering a person’s home you should expect a warm greet. Now, lets be realistic for a moment. Just because we have ideals that we would like to have about our dining experiences, all humans are imperfect and life, well, just sorta happens sometimes. When entering the home of a host you may not always get the kind of warm greet one may expect. It could be more of a "Hey, come party!", or "Hey, its been a crazy day, but come on in, let’s eat!" Sometimes the party may be so busy that the host is busy attending to someone else, and in such a situation one would respectfully be patient until they get a chance to greet the host. The same rules apply in the restaurant. While your work day may be ending, and theirs appears to just be beginning, think again. They may have been in school all day or at a full-time job, fighting the busy traffic just like yourself. When entering a restaurant it is important to be mindful of these natural life situations and not look at the staff as if they are just starting their jobs; and if they in fact are, think about how you like to be treated by those you encounter at work at 8 am. Treat them with the same respect you yourself are anticipating for the evening and you are off to a great start.

Once you have been greeted the host will then lead you to the party to

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