Expert Reveals: This Common Table Manner Mistake is a Huge Faux Pas!

While it’s common knowledge not to put our elbows on the table, slouch in our chairs, or slurp our soup loudly in a restaurant, there are other seemingly harmless actions that can be just as misplaced in social settings. One such bad habit we often develop from childhood is particularly rude, according to an etiquette expert!

Last time you dined out, you ordered your favorite dish: spaghetti bolognese. Dressed in white and prone to staining, you didn’t want to take any chances. Without a second thought, you rolled up your sleeves and tied your napkin around your neck, just like when you were a kid. While this move might have amused your partner, the waiter gave you a disapproving look. You’re certain you’ve seen many people – including public figures – wear their napkins this way… Yes, perhaps, but they were not setting a good example, would retort Florence Cane, a manners expert and consultant for hospitality leaders. In her book The Magic of Politeness, How Good Manners Create Happiness, published by Hachette Pratique, she discusses the importance of proper table manners, whether in private or at a restaurant. Among the key rules she emphasizes is this: “Gently take your napkin and unfold it onto your lap; never, ever tie it around your neck, even if you’re facing – in a white shirt – a plate of bolognaise spaghetti,” she insists. Indeed, fabric napkins tied around the neck like a bib are only acceptable for children or individuals with special needs, a professional from the industry reminds us.

As an adult fully capable of managing, your napkin has no place around your neck but should rather be placed on your lap. This is, after all, where you’re most likely to get stained!