Dining etiquette reflects your manners and social grace during meals. From the correct use of utensils to how you interact with your dining companions, table manners are essential in both personal and professional settings.
Are you confident navigating multi-course dinners and formal meals, or do you worry about making dining mistakes? Test your knowledge with this quiz to see if you have mastered the art of dining or if a refresher is in order.
1) When dining in the UK, how should you hold your fork and knife when cutting food?
A) Fork in the right hand, knife in the left hand
B) Fork in the left hand, knife in the right hand
C) Both in the right hand, switch as needed
D) Fork only, no knife used
2) If your meal arrives but others at the table haven’t been served yet, what
should you do?
A) Start eating immediately
B) Politely wait for everyone’s food to arrive
C) Take one small bite to taste the dish and wait
D) Inform the waiter to bring everyone’s food
3) When you need to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, what should you say?
A) "I’m going to the bathroom."
B) "Excuse me for a moment."
C) "I’ll be back soon."
D) "I need to leave the table."
4) How should you eat soup?
A) Scoop it directly toward you
B) Use a teaspoon instead of a soup spoon
C) Scoop it away from you
D) Sip it straight from the bowl
5) If you drop your fork on the floor, what should you do?
A) Pick it up and continue using it
B) Leave it on the floor and ask for a new one
C) Clean it with a napkin and keep eating
D) Ask someone else to retrieve it
6) What should you do if a piece of food is too hot to eat?
A) Spit it out discreetly into your napkin
B) Swallow it quickly
C) Let it cool in your mouth without making noise
D) Avoid eating it altogether
7) When ordering at a restaurant, what is considered polite?
A) Snapping your fingers to call the waiter
B) Raising your hand slightly and making eye contact with the waiter
C) Calling out to the waiter loudly
D) Ignoring the waiter until they come to you
8) How should bread rolls be eaten?
A) Tear off a piece and butter it as you go
B) Butter the whole roll at once and eat
C) Cut it with a knife and butter each half
D) Eat it plain
9) If someone passes you a dish you didn’t ask for, what should you do?
A) Pass it along without taking any
B) Take a small portion out of politeness
C) Ignore it entirely
D) Refuse it directly
10) How should you signal to the waiter that you’re ready to order?
A) Close your menu and place it on the table
B) Wave your menu in the air
C) Place your knife and fork together
D) Tap your glass with a spoon
11) What is the correct way to eat peas?
A) Scoop them with your fork
B) Use a spoon for easier handling
C) Use the back of your fork to gather them
D) Avoid eating peas
12) How should you respond if someone else at the table has food in their teeth?
A) Ignore it completely
B) Discreetly inform them
C) Point it out loudly for their awareness
D) Laugh and make a joke
13) When eating fish with small bones, what should you do if you encounter a bone?
A) Spit it onto your plate immediately
B) Remove it with your fingers and place it on the side of your plate
C) Discreetly remove it with your fork or fingers
D) Swallow it to avoid embarrassment
14) If your phone rings during dinner, what is the proper action?
A) Ignore it entirely
B) Answer it quietly at the table
C) Excuse yourself to answer it elsewhere
D) Turn it off immediately without saying anything
15) When is it appropriate to talk about the cost of the meal during dinner?
A) Before placing your order
B) While eating
C) After the bill arrives
D) Never
16) If you accidentally burp during the meal, what should you do?
A) Ignore it completely
B) Apologise softly
C) Make a joke about it
D) Excuse yourself from the table
17) How do you handle a dish you don’t like?
A) Push it aside and leave it untouched
B) Eat as much as you can to avoid offending anyone
C) Politely leave it and say nothing
D) Complain to the waiter
18) If the waiter brings the wrong dish, what is the best course of action?
A) Eat it anyway to avoid making a scene
B) Politely inform the waiter of the mistake
C) Demand a replacement angrily
D) Send it back without explanation
19) How should you pay the bill when dining with friends?
A) Assume the host will pay for everyone
B) Split the bill evenly unless agreed otherwise
C) Only pay for what you ordered
D) Let the restaurant decide
20) When sharing a dessert, how should it be divided?
A) Let everyone serve themselves
B) Divide it equally with the utensils provided
C) Use your personal utensils to divide it
D) Avoid sharing desserts
21) What should you do if you dislike the meal, but the host asks for your opinion?
A) Lie and say it’s excellent
B) Compliment specific parts of the meal
C) Be honest and express your dissatisfaction
D) Refuse to answer
22) Where should you place your cutlery after finishing your meal?
A) Cross them on the plate
B) Leave them on the table
C) Place them together at the 6 o’clock position on the plate
D) Lay them side by side at the edge of the plate
23) How should asparagus be eaten in a formal setting?
A) Pick it up with your fingers
B) Use a fork and knife
C) Use a spoon
D) Avoid eating asparagus
24) If you accidentally knock over a glass of water, what should you do?
A) Pretend it didn’t happen
B) Apologise and ask for help
C) Clean it up yourself
D) Wait for the waiter to handle it
25) When should you start eating at a formal dinner?
A) As soon as your plate is served
B) When the host begins
C) After the eldest person at the table begins
D) Immediately after giving thanks
26) If a waiter asks how your meal is, what is the appropriate response?
A) Offer an honest critique
B) Politely say it’s fine, even if it’s not
C) Ignore the waiter
D) Complain directly
27) How should you handle unfamiliar cutlery at a formal dinner?
A) Start from the outside and work your way in
B) Use the smallest utensils first
C) Ask the waiter for guidance
D) Wait to see what others do
28) If a dish is served family-style, how should you serve yourself?
A) Take as much as you want in one go
B) Serve yourself small portions, allowing others to take some
C) Pass the dish without taking any
D) Wait for someone else to serve you
29) What should you do if a dish you’re sharing runs out before everyone gets some?
A) Take it anyway if you’re quick enough
B) Apologise and offer to share your portion
C) Pretend not to notice
D) Let someone else handle it
30) What is the polite way to cut spaghetti?
A) Cut it with your knife and fork
B) Use your fork to twirl it against a spoon
C) Twirl it directly on your fork
D) Ask for scissors
31) If a guest spills food on their clothes, what should you do?
A) Offer them your napkin
B) Pretend not to notice
C) Laugh politely to ease their embarrassment
D) Hand them a cloth immediately
32) How should you handle eating chips (fries) in a casual but polite setting?
A) Eat them with your hands
B) Use a fork and knife
C) Dip them one at a time using your fingers
D) Avoid eating chips altogether
33) If you’re offered a dish you have dietary restrictions for, what should you do?
A) Accept it and eat around the restricted ingredient
B) Politely decline and explain the restriction
C) Refuse it without explanation
D) Take it and secretly dispose of it later
34) How should you deal with noisy chewing from someone else at the table?
A) Ignore it and focus on your meal
B) Politely ask them to chew quietly
C) Mimic the noise jokingly
D) Complain to the host
35) If the table is crowded with dishes and there’s no room for your glass, what should you do?
A) Place it in front of you regardless
B) Wait for someone to move a dish
C) Politely ask for the table to be rearranged
D) Keep it in your hand
36) What is the correct way to eat a small pastry in a formal setting?
A) Pick it up with your fingers
B) Cut it into small pieces with a knife and fork
C) Tear it apart using both hands
D) Eat it in one bite
37) How should you respond to a toast made in your honour?
A) Stand and make your own toast
B) Nod and remain silent
C) Raise your glass and say thank you
D) Ignore the toast and continue eating
38) If you accidentally drop food onto someone else’s plate, what should you do?
A) Apologise and offer to replace the dish
B) Remove the food from their plate
C) Ignore it unless they notice
D) Joke about it to lighten the mood
39) When dining at someone’s home, how should you handle a dish you’re unfamiliar with?
A) Take a small portion and try it
B) Refuse it outright
C) Ask detailed questions about the dish before trying it
D) Wait until others eat it first
Correct Answers:
- B – Fork in the left hand, knife in the right hand
- B – Politely wait for everyone’s food to arrive
- B – "Excuse me for a moment."
- C – Scoop it away from you
- B – Leave it on the floor and ask for a new one
- C – Let it cool in your mouth without making noise
- B – Raising your hand slightly and making eye contact with the waiter
- A – Tear off a piece and butter it as you go
- A – Pass it along without taking any
- A – Close your menu and place it on the table
- C – Use the back of your fork to gather them
- B – Discreetly inform them
- C – Discreetly remove it with your fork or fingers
- C – Excuse yourself to answer it elsewhere
- C – After the bill arrives
- B – Apologize softly
- C – Politely leave it and say nothing
- B – Politely inform the waiter of the mistake
- B – Split the bill evenly unless agreed otherwise
- B – Divide it equally with the utensils provided
- B – Compliment specific parts of the meal
- C – Place them together at the 6 o’clock position on the plate
- B – Use a fork and knife
- B – Apologize and ask for help
- B – When the host begins
- B – Politely say it’s fine, even if it’s not
- A – Start from the outside and work your way in
- B – Serve yourself small portions, allowing others to take some
- B – Apologise and offer to share.
- C – Twirl it directly on your fork
- B – Pretend not to notice
- A – Eat them with your hands
- B – Politely decline and explain the restriction
- A – Ignore it and focus on your meal
- C – Politely ask for the table to be rearranged
- B – Cut it into small pieces with a knife and fork
- C – Raise your glass and say thank you
- A – Apologize and offer to replace the dish
- A – Take a small portion and try it
If you know someone who might find this helpful, don’t keep it to yourself—please share it.
Liked what you read? I'd appreciate if you bought me a coffee - it encourages me to keep writing helpful articles like this one. Just click the link below to send a small tip my way. It's quick and secure! Thank you very much!
Comments
Post a Comment