13 Rules About Eating At Fancy Restaurants You Probably Had No Idea About

Let's just clear this up right now: that napkin belongs in your lap, not tucked into your chin like a bib.

These etiquette rules are taken from and inspired by this Quora thread.

1. Pat your lips with your napkin, don't wipe them.

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Just a dab should do.

2. Pat (remember, don't wipe!) your mouth before sipping your drink.

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And thoroughly wipe your hands after handling any finger foods. Otherwise, you'll leave greasy smears on your glassware. Unsightly!

3. Don't put your phone, purse, or keys on the table.

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It's unhygienic and takes up valuable table space. (It's also apparently bad luck to put keys on a table 🤷)

4. When in doubt about what silverware to use, work your way from the outside in towards your plate.

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It's actually not that confusing!

5. Don't substitute food ingredients unless you have a serious allergy.

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If you're dining at a high quality fine dining establishment, a lot of thought went into the menu. Squander the opportunity and you might miss out on the meal of a lifetime.

6. Don't salt the dish before tasting it first.

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Especially if you're at a fancy dinner party. It may offend the host and/or chef.

7. Always order the same number of courses as whoever you're dining with.

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Avoid the awkwardness of anyone sitting with idle hands, watching you eat. I love me some soup but usually avoid ordering it because it's the one appetizer that isn't shareable.

8. Place your napkin to the left of your plate at the end of your meal.

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And always neatly fold your napkin and place it back on the table if you have to get up. Don't just throw it on your chair like a g-d slob!

9. Don't split the check based on what was ordered instead of splitting evenly.

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Not sure who does this but just...don't.

10. Don't return the wine if you don't like it.

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Unless it's legitimately gone bad, but chances are, your palate wouldn't be able to tell anyway (apparently, bad wine tastes like vinegar and burns your nostrils).

11. Always ask if you don't understand a menu item.

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Don't be that person who sends a dish back because they had no idea what they were ordering.

12. Don’t yell to get your waiter's attention.

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Attempt to make eye contact. If that fails, raise your hand with your index finger pointed as they're passing by.

13. Place your utensils on your plate — not the tablecloth — when you're done eating.

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Put them back on your plate neatly. There are actually different "silverware positions" in different regions, and you can read more about them here if you're curious.

OK, well I'm done pretending like any of this is actually important!

Just enjoy yourself and don't wear flip-flops, OK??