Formal etiquette (Dinner Related)

[Locutus of Bored]

Was there a time constraint on the length of the meal? Not anything formal, like you have to finish in a set period of time, but were there events taking place afterward that people were in a hurry to get to, or were they in a rush to go home?

I'm a fairly slow eater, and I inevitably always end up still eating while everyone else has finished, so sometimes my meal gets taken back unfinished if we have to move on to something different. Maybe you just eat faster than most other people.

Or you just had a better appetite than the others that night. Either way, you didn't do anything wrong or embarrassing, so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Jan]

I'm in the hotel/restaurant industry where there are a lot of catered functions and I can assure you that there's no rule of etiquette that meals should only be half-eaten. I agree with the poster who said that many of the attendees were likely to be on a new diet for the new year and for others the food may not have been to their taste. If you enjoyed it then you did just as you should have.

 

[JonathonWally]

There's no rule of etiquette reguarding how much of your food you eat. If you enjoy it, eat it, that's what it's there for. As long as you had good manners and didn't shovel it in it's all good.

Hey man, it's food, if you enjoy it, eat it, that's the whole point.

 

[Maestro]

Please, take all you want, but eat all you take.

 

[nx1701g]

Ironically (or coincidentally - I can never get those two right) I had to just attend a mock formal reception as part of my graduation requirements. We were told NOT to clear our plates by the instructor. The instructor formerly trained Ambassadors on proper etiquette so I trust her comments.

 

[An Officer]

I always clear my plate if it's good. I'm not a very fussy eater. Even if I hate it, I always eat at least half, as long as it isn't off food. If someone has taken the trouble to cook for me, then I'm going to make an attempt to eat it.

Any rule that says you shouldn't finish perfectly good food is stupid and should be ignored anyway.

I have a friend who loves to eat out as often as she can, and I've never once seen her clean her plate... the level of waste and food astounds me! She's only tiny however, so guess the actual size of her belly limits her...

 

[CaptainStoner]

Ironically (or coincidentally - I can never get those two right) I had to just attend a mock formal reception as part of my graduation requirements. We were told NOT to clear our plates by the instructor. The instructor formerly trained Ambassadors on proper etiquette so I trust her comments.

Maybe you can ask her: if you're going to fart - lift leg, or no lift leg?

 

[Tim]

When I was in England, the college dean held a Thanksgiving dinner for all the American ex-pats (a very nice gesture). We were invited to take seconds, but when I availed myself of that option, I got a "my, you must be hungry" comment in that seemingly-polite-but-actually-disapproving tone that the English do so well.

It was Oxford, so perhaps it was just a bit of the "old don" attitude creeping in.

Hey, it was yummy eatin', so I was going to take more.

 

[Maestro]

Ironically (or coincidentally - I can never get those two right) I had to just attend a mock formal reception as part of my graduation requirements. We were told NOT to clear our plates by the instructor. The instructor formerly trained Ambassadors on proper etiquette so I trust her comments.

You'll be safe if you always choose the word "incidentally."

 

[Spot's Meow]

I have a friend who loves to eat out as often as she can, and I've never once seen her clean her plate... the level of waste and food astounds me! She's only tiny however, so guess the actual size of her belly limits her...

I have the same problem. Portion sizes are usually way too large. I feel a little guilty afterwards because I can't eat it all and I look wasteful. What's even worse is when the entree comes with a soup or salad and you tell the waitress/waiter that you want neither. "Really? Are you sure??" It's like they can't believe that someone wouldn't want as much as food as possible. But it would be wasteful of me to take a salad and then not be able to finish it or my meal.