Top Ten Tips - Eating At A Fancy Restaurant
By Tip Diva | Feb 11, 2008
Categories: Adult, Alcohol, Behavior, Clothes, Clothing, Drinking, Drinks, Eating, Etiquette, Fashion, Food, Google, Manners, Restaurants, Services, Tips, Web Search, Websites
Understand that The Tavern On The Green or The Four Seasons is not your local McDonald’s or Applebee’s. The fancier the restaurant, the more you have to know before going to eat there. Here’s how to eat at fancy restaurant, and the proper etiquette you should use while dining there:
- Dress Appropriately - Many fancy or upscale restaurants have dress codes, so this is not time to break out ratty jeans or flip-flops. You may have to wear a suit, a jacket and tie or a dress.
- Make Reservations - It is proper to make reservations, especially at in-demand restaurants, so make sure you call ahead of time to nab a table.
- Consult Zagat Guide Or Other Sources On Restaurant - Before you go, consult a Zagat Guide, Yelp, the restaurant’s website, a friend or other sources to find out more about the restaurant.
- Look At Menu Beforehand - If you can, look at the restaurant’s menu ahead of time, either on the restaurant’s website or on a site like MenuPages.com. Therefore, if there are foreign dishes or ingredients, you can Google them ahead of time so you’re in the know.
- Understand Table Setup - You’re not eating at a diner, so you might have more than one plate, multiple silverware and even different glasses in front of you. Learn ahead of time what each fork, plate and glass is for. You don’t want to eat your salad with a dessert fork! Here’s a diagram of a common formal table setup.
- Be Mindful Of Your Manners - Presentation is everything, especially if you are dining with a business associate or a VIP. Here’s a guide on restaurant etiquette. And no elbows on the table, chewing with your mouth open, burping or talking loudly!
- Ask Your Waiter - Your waiter will be glad to help explain foreign dishes or ingredients or suggest a certain meal.
- Consult a Sommelier - If you’re going to have wine with your meal, consult the wine steward or sommelier. This person is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, and knows what wines go well with certain dishes.
- Compliment The Chef - Sometimes, you’ll see the chef walking around the restaurant. If you have an exceptional meal, make sure to compliment him or her. If you do not see the chef, make sure to let the waiter know you enjoyed the meal and would like to send compliments to the chef. It is important for the chef to receive feedback on the meals he or she cooked, and who knows - the chef may treat you very well the next time you return.
- Tip Appropriately - You’ll probably be dealing with more that just a waiter; you also have to tip coat check attendants, bartenders, wine stewards, restroom attendants and possibly the maitre d’ for exceptional service. Here’s a guide to tipping at fancy restaurants.
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gooooood..
Thanks for the tips! I don’t get to too many fancy restaurants, but when I do, I’m a little bit “fish out of water”. This just makes it nice and simple. I always want to make sure that the chef knows if a meal was to my satisfaction or not. When it’s really amazing, I make sure that he/she knows!
Kat
Kat - you’re not the only one! I always here my mom at the back of my head saying, “Napkin on lap! Elbows off the table! Chew with your mouth closed!”
Good basic info.
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