Food and Drink: Dining Etiquette

Even at less formal gatherings, politeness and neatness are valued.

Only a few foods, such as sandwiches or pizza, are acceptable to eat by hand.

Dining etiquette in the United Kingdom can be quite formal.

Table Etiquette

Dining etiquette in the United Kingdom can be quite formal, with multi-course meals and specific social rules about table settings and seating arrangements. Nearly all foods in the UK are eaten with utensils. Finger foods include pizza, sandwiches, and, in circumstances like a barbecue, chicken. Only clear consommé is drunk directly from the bowl. All other soups are eaten with a spoon, the bowl tipped away and the spoon held sideways. The knife is held in the right hand and the fork in the left, and knives and forks are not switched while eating. Food is sometimes eaten scooped onto the back of the fork, especially potatoes and peas. The knife and fork are laid parallel on the right side of the plate after eating.

Bread or rolls eaten with meals are broken with fingers, not cut with a knife. Pieces of bread can be used to soak up sauce or gravy, or they can be buttered—but the entire roll shouldn't be buttered at once. Instead, prepare each bite directly before eating.

In formal place settings, the butter knife, dessert spoon, and dessert fork are placed above the plate, and other cutlery is placed on the sides, working in by order of courses. Forks will be placed on the left side of the plate, and knives and spoons will be placed on the right. A napkin is used to cover one's lap while eating.

Social Dimension of Dining

At a formal dinner, manners in the UK dictate that the most honored guest be placed at the head of the table, with the other guests placed in order of declining importance, first to the left and then to the right of the table. Couples are not traditionally seated together; if a couple hosts, they will be seated at opposite ends of the table.

Foods are passed to the right, with handles turned toward the recipient, and are circulated even by individuals who don't wish to partake of a certain dish. Even at less formal gatherings, politeness and neatness are valued. When eating out, it is traditional for the extender of the invitation to offer to pay the bill.