Cutlery Etiquette

[Bumfluff]

At the end of a meal do you put your cutlery together or do you just leave them on the plate fork at 8pm and the knife at 4pm so it still looks like you haven't your finished your meal ?

I don't think Im a snob of any sorts but I thought putting your cutlery together at the end of a meal was a given, current girlfriends refuses to do it, on eating with her family all 3 generations of them none of them put there cutlery together so I can see where she picked it up from. On a meal out on Saturday with my family and girlfiend I could tell the waiter couldn't workout if she had finished or not, it was a bit embarrassing.

[TykeMerc]

At the end of a meal do you put your cutlery together or do you just leave them on the plate fork at 8pm and the knife at 4pm so it still looks like you haven't your finished your meal ?

I don't think Im a snob of any sorts but I thought putting your cutlery together at the end of a meal was a given, current girlfriends refuses to do it, on eating with her family all 3 generations of them none of them put there cutlery together so I can see where she picked it up from. On a meal out on Saturday with my family and girlfiend I could tell the waiter couldn't workout if she had finished or not, it was a bit embarrassing.

Apart from the fact that you're unable to follow the etiquette of writing in English I'd agree with you.

[pacharan]

At the end of a meal do you put your cutlery together or do you just leave them on the plate fork at 8pm and the knife at 4pm so it still looks like you haven't your finished your meal ?

I don't think Im a snob of any sorts but I thought putting your cutlery together at the end of a meal was a given, current girlfriends refuses to do it, on eating with her family all 3 generations of them none of them put there cutlery together so I can see where she picked it up from. On a meal out on Saturday with my family and girlfiend I could tell the waiter couldn't workout if she had finished or not, it was a bit embarrassing.

Disgraceful. Is she an Englishwoman? Worse still if she is.

I'm no anob either but I have a thing about cutlery etiquette. Think it was bred into me. Worst transgressions include shovelling peas, putting one's knife in one's mouth and holding one's knife like a pen.

[xoggoth]

Bleeding eck. Even I can't get worked up about where people leave their cutlery and I'm the sort who gets in a panic when I find a 20mm screw in a box of 30mm screws.

[Clippy]

Eat with your hands.

Problem solved.

[OwlHoot]

At the end of a meal do you put your cutlery together or do you just leave them on the plate fork at 8pm and the knife at 4pm so it still looks like you haven't your finished your meal ?

I don't think Im a snob of any sorts but I thought putting your cutlery together at the end of a meal was a given, current girlfriends refuses to do it, on eating with her family all 3 generations of them none of them put there cutlery together so I can see where she picked it up from. On a meal out on Saturday with my family and girlfiend I could tell the waiter couldn't workout if she had finished or not, it was a bit embarrassing.

Definitely together - Putting them in a V shape pointing away from you specifically indicates you haven't finished, and you're just laying the cutlery down for a moment while reaching for some bread or something. Jeez, no wonder the waiter was confused.

[Platypus]

At the end of a meal do you put your cutlery together or do you just leave them on the plate fork at 8pm and the knife at 4pm so it still looks like you haven't your finished your meal ?

I don't think Im a snob of any sorts but I thought putting your cutlery together at the end of a meal was a given, current girlfriends refuses to do it, on eating with her family all 3 generations of them none of them put there cutlery together so I can see where she picked it up from. On a meal out on Saturday with my family and girlfiend I could tell the waiter couldn't workout if she had finished or not, it was a bit embarrassing.

It's not snobbery, just good manners, like not eating with your mouth open or licking your knife.

I like the fact that you call her your Girl Fiend ! I'm sure it was no accident

[hyperD]

Eat with your hands.

Problem solved.

Unless you wipe your arse with 'em...

The correct way is to put the cutlery in your handbag after eating.

[Pondlife]

Definitely bad form IMHO

Almost as bad as people who use just their fork as some sort of cutting/shovel-like implement - yankee style.

Also, based on my last dining out experience, elbows on the table is now accepted practise.

[norrahe]

Definitely together - Putting them in a V shape pointing away from you specifically indicates you haven't finished, and you're just laying the cutlery down for a moment while reaching for some bread or something. Jeez, no wonder the waiter was confused.

If you put them either side in Belgium, then expect to have your plate taken away as it means you have finished.