Keep These Etiquette Tips In Mind When Dining Out With A Large Group Of People To Prevent Any Faux Pas
I think it’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected how people carry themselves in certain situations.
Although it’s been three years since Americans had to be on strict lockdowns, the pandemic and the isolation that came with it still affect how people act and behave. Something that people are getting used to experiencing again is dining out with a large group of people, which requires a specific kind of etiquette.
If you have a fancy dinner with a large party coming up and are feeling anxious, here are some etiquette reminders to get you feeling more confident.
Don’t save the bill situation until the end of the meal
When eating out with a large party, there must be a game plan for when it’s time to pay the bill. It’s the worst when you have a great, big meal and make some fun memories, only to have the vibe squashed when the check shows up because you don’t know how you want to go about paying it.
Ideally, the person who hosted the meal or brought everyone together would pay and have everyone reimburse them. But if you want to approach the situation differently, speak to your server beforehand to make things easier for everyone.
Avoid hogging any shared plates
Sometimes, when a large party orders appetizers, people at the table forget they’re meant to be shared.
Yes, if you were the main person who really wanted a specific appetizer, you should have a little extra to yourself. But don’t forget to offer some up to everyone else! A shared plate is meant to be shared.
Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Watch your volume
It’s easy to get loud and rowdy amongst a large party; I get it! It’s very tempting to push your voice and yell across the table to chat with everyone there, but it’s rude to other diners and comes across as obnoxious.
If there’s someone on the other end of the table you want to talk to, see if you can temporarily switch seats with someone in between courses so you get a chance to speak to everyone.
You don’t have to be stuck in one seat the whole night! As long as you get back to your original seat when the courses come out, you’ll be fine.
Stay off your phone
Some people see big dinners as an excuse to go on their phones since everyone will still have someone to talk to or listen to if they tune out.
However, people can still see you scrolling your phone, and it’s incredibly rude. Unless you have an emergency call or text coming in, put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ and stay off it.
Leave a good tip
Servers who take care of large parties work especially hard. They have to juggle all sorts of requests, and serving a large group of people can be stressful. So, be sure to show your server some proper appreciation and give them a decent tip.
Remember, if each person can’t afford to tip their great server at least 20% of the bill, they shouldn’t be eating out!
If you follow all these etiquette rules during a big dinner, you’ll do just fine. Just remember to be polite, be yourself, and have fun.
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