Food etiquette

[Dimplenose]

Absolutely agree with all of your comments on this!

It's something that we have been bewildered by. Normally we have found the manners of the average American to be so much better than the average Brit - with the exception of table manners.

Do they really get taught that that is the way to use a knife and fork?

Possibly, most seem to eat this way. I don't think they consider that it is bad manners just different to the way we eat.

That said - I work lunchtimes at a primary school and it is shocking how many children (even the 10 year olds) eat with just their fork. When I suggest they use their knife as well they just can't!

 

[disneyholic family]

This one has bugged me for many years, we have been brought up to use our knife and fork,when not eating place at 20past and 20to on the plate and when finished, place both at half past(so server knows were finished eating).
We have always observed our american cousins cut everything up into small bits. Then they place the knife at the side of plate,then continue to eat using the fork only(have even seen people eat there steak with a toothpick)
Anyone else noticed this
Paul

you're describing american etiquette vs european etiquette..

though i'm an american and grew up in america, i was taught and followed european etiquette....
people always looked at me funny when i ate....good thing i don't live there anymore!!

 

[darthtatty]

I really hate when they take plates away, before everyone has finished.
we're a group of 3 and they keep coming back and disturbing us to take 1 persons plate away.
Sadly it seems to have caught on over here now.

 

[Beep]

It amuses me to see Americans cutting food too.

Take fork already in right hand
Transfer to left hand
Stab food with fork in left hand
Pick up knife in right hand
Awkwardly cut food as if sawing a tree log
Put knife down
Take fork out of food
Transfer fork to right hand
Pick up food (just held with fork in left hand now in right hand)
Eat
Repeat

My Mom became quite fascinated with this on our last trip and we had to stop her staring and commenting!

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

It amuses me to see Americans cutting food too.

Take fork already in right hand
Transfer to left hand
Stab food with fork in left hand
Pick up knife in right hand
Awkwardly cut food as if sawing a tree log
Put knife down
Take fork out of food
Transfer fork to right hand
Pick up food (just held with fork in left hand now in right hand)
Eat
Repeat

My Mom became quite fascinated with this on our last trip and we had to stop her staring and commenting!

Completely and totally agree ...... we had the same problems with our youngest staring

 

[Stefjp]

I've never paid much attention so haven't noticed before - now its all I'm going to be able to see! Totally agree with these comments. I used to do some 'Silver Service' waitressing as a 2nd job and it depended which manager was working to how we cleared. Ie one did things the proper way and waited until everyone had finished, and other other used to make us wander the room and clear plates as they became clear. The latter is sooooooo rude IMO

 

[queendisney]

thanks for this people because I hadn't really noticed before but NOW I WILL and we go in 7 days so its going to be implanted in my brain

The other thing I find rude at the table is people and their mobile phones! Heavens sake can't you really go an hour without constantly picking it up and checking..what did everybody do before mob's

 

[DISWolves]

This is a standing joke with us
Looking around the various restaurants you call pick out the Brits by their use of the cutlery.
With American people, once the food is cut up, the fork tends to change over to the right hand!

My wife reckons the US government officials must be 'groomed' before coming over the pond to dine with our Royalty

 

[paulh]

think there introduced how to eat this way in kindergarten.along with the moves to YMCA and the Macarena
Paul

 

[RDP]

vive la différence!

 

[KayTom]

How funny, i'm definitely going to be watching out for this when we go over.

I have pretty good table manners, but the one thing that is strange about my eating habits, is i use my cutlery as if i'm left-handed even though i'm right-handed. So my knife stays in my left hand and fork in my right. I have no idea why...my Mum is left-handed but she eats the "normal" way, but perhaps when she was teaching me she put them in the wrong hands, lol

 

[starrysky]

This one has bugged me for many years, we have been brought up to use our knife and fork,when not eating place at 20past and 20to on the plate and when finished, place both at half past(so server knows were finished eating).
We have always observed our american cousins cut everything up into small bits. Then they place the knife at the side of plate,then continue to eat using the fork only(have even seen people eat there steak with a toothpick)
Anyone else noticed this
Paul

This drives my DH up the wall. He just sits and stares at people cutting up all their food and shovelling it into their mouth. I used to live with a couple of Americans and they used to sit a watch me eat they could not work out how I managed to eat my meal using both utensils.

 

[TORIMS]

Table manners are a big thing in our house too. We are constantly telling our DS6 how to eat properly and the good thing is that he is always telling people its bad manners to put elbows on e table etc so it must be working!!!
I hate eating anything with my fingers so eat pizza with a knife & fork, and have been known to eat KFC with a knife & fork too!!!!
I does make me feel a little big ill when i see people just eating with a fork and shovelling the food in! However its each to their own I guess!

 

[torsie24]

While I agree about how children should have table manners (I always had to ask "may I leav the table" and always waited for everyone to start etc.) and I will teach my Holden that too.

I also know how to eat correctly should the need arise if I'm at a nice restaurant or someone's house for dinner (not like a friends for pizza or Mexican etc) - and I'll make sure my kids can use a knife and fork correctly and know about finishing a meal etc.

It really doesn't bother me AT ALL what someone chooses to do with their cutlery. Loads of meals we have at home (pasta, rice based meals, Mexican, pizza) we don't even get knives out of the drawer.

Now I am VERY fussy about eating with your mouth open or talking with your mouth full though. Urgh. Disgusting.

 

[2Tiggies]

While I agree about how children should have table manners (I always had to ask "may I leav the table" and always waited for everyone to start etc.) and I will teach my Holden that too.

I also know how to eat correctly should the need arise if I'm at a nice restaurant or someone's house for dinner (not like a friends for pizza or Mexican etc) - and I'll make sure my kids can use a knife and fork correctly and know about finishing a meal etc.

It really doesn't bother me AT ALL what someone chooses to do with their cutlery. Loads of meals we have at home (pasta, rice based meals, Mexican, pizza) we don't even get knives out of the drawer.

Now I am VERY fussy about eating with your mouth open or talking with your mouth full though. Urgh. Disgusting.

This! Down to the last detail, I share your sentiments exactly

 

[tinkerpea]

It has no bearing on me how people eat their meals as long as they are not dining with me,As i dont have to look


We teach our 3 boys all the basics like asking to leave the table and no elbows,DO NOT SPEAK WITH FOOD IN YOUR MOUTH.& DO NOT CHEW WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN are my pet hates"i cant stand seeing people im dining with eat like that. They know how to place the cutlery when finished etc BUT if there is a meal that does not require the need for a knife then im not going to use one or make them.

I have no need to cut up rice or pasta so i will only use a fork I can then save on the washing up

I have eaten at many expensive and nice restaurents and at those places i will use both the knife and fork just like i would use the starter fork for a starter etc..............However just because somebody only uses a knife doesnt mean they have bad table manners it just means they have different ones! I dont believe i shovel my food in when only using a fork!! I like to think im still doing it quite nicely

 

[baylie666]

How funny, i'm definitely going to be watching out for this when we go over.

I have pretty good table manners, but the one thing that is strange about my eating habits, is i use my cutlery as if i'm left-handed even though i'm right-handed. So my knife stays in my left hand and fork in my right. I have no idea why...my Mum is left-handed but she eats the "normal" way, but perhaps when she was teaching me she put them in the wrong hands, lol

I do this!!!! I am the odd one out amongst everyone I know!

 

[Chilly]

I do both the British way and the American way, depends what i'm eating and the situation.

 

[ben1993]

I do both the British way and the American way, depends what i'm eating and the situation.

Same here, I use a knife and fork properly when eating out, but earlier I had pasta bake, and didn't use a knife for that, for example.

 

[paulh]

we have only got ourselves to blame

Fork etiquette
Dinner Fork
When used in conjunction with a knife to cut and consume food in Western social settings, two forms of fork etiquette are common. In the European style, the diner keeps the fork in his or her left hand, while in the American style the fork is shifted between the left and right hands. The American style is most common in the United States.[3] but the European style is considered proper in other countries.[4][5]
Originally, the traditional European method, once the fork was adopted as a utensil, was to transfer the fork to the right hand after cutting food, as it had been considered proper for all utensils to be used with the right hand only. This tradition was brought to America by British colonists and is still in use in the United States. Europe adopted the more rapid style of eating in relatively modern times.[6]

Paul