In freemasonry food and drink has long been a very key component of our fraternity. Most lodges will hold a Festive Board or a meal before or after the meeting. As masons we are often involved in work with a charity, many of which host appreciation or fund raising dinners, In being upstanding members of our community we may find yourself invited to dinners hosted by members of government, corporations or even the royalty. Here are a list of Etiquette rules that will allow you to dine an any formal occasion.

 

1. Napkin. Place your napkin in your lap immediately upon sitting down. Unfold it while it is in your lap.

2.  Utensil Etiquette. In most situations, use the "outside-in" rule to tell which knife, fork, or spoon to use at the dinner table. Use utensils on the outside first and work your way in with each new course.

3. Removing Unwanted Food from your Mouth. Food is removed from the mouth in the manner in which it is put into the mouth. Food put into the mouth with a utensil is removed with a utensil. When fingers are used to eat food, the pit or bone is removed with fingers.

4. Excusing Yourself. Simply say "excuse me, please; I'll be right back" when leaving for the restroom. Leaving without a word is rude.

5. Cutting Food. Cut your food into only one or two bite-sized pieces at a time.

6. Electronic Devices. Turn off or silence all electronic devices before entering the restaurant. If you forgot to turn off your cell phone, and it rings, immediately turn it off. Do not answer the call. Do not text and do not browse the Internet at the table.

7. Seasoning Food. When at a dinner party or restaurant, proper table manners dictate that you taste your food before seasoning it.

8. Speaking While Eating. If you have more than a few words to say, swallow your food, rest your fork on your plate, and speak before you resume eating.

9. Reaching. Items are within reach if they are within easy reach of your arm when you're leaning only slightly forward. Don't lean past the person sitting next to you

10. Don't Drink with a Full Mouth. To avoid leaving food on the rim of the vessel, make sure the mouth is free of food and blot the lips with a napkin before taking a sip of a beverage.

11. Holding a Wineglass. White wine glasses are held by the stem, not the bowl. Red wine glasses may be held by the bowl.

12. Eating Quietly. Scraping a plate or loudly chewing is unpleasant to listen to and considered impolite. Smacking and slurping food are major mistakes and a sign of bad table manners.

13. Wayward Food. In formal dining the knife is used to push food against the fork. At informal meals, a knife or a piece of bread is used as a pusher, for example, to push salad onto a fork.

14. Elbows. The "no elbows on the table" rule applies only when you are actually eating. When no utensils are being used, putting your elbows on the table is acceptable.

15. Something Caught in your Teeth. When food is caught between the teeth that is annoying or uncomfortable, wait to remove it privately.

16. Sneezing, Coughing, Blowing your Nose. When sneezing or coughing at the table is unavoidable, cover your nose or mouth with a napkin and proceed as quietly as possible. Except in an emergency, don't use a napkin to blow your nose. Leave the table and use a handkerchief instead.

17. Hot Beverages. To test the temperature of a hot beverage, take a single sip from the side of the spoon. When an extremely hot beverage is sipped, take a quick sip of water to decrease the effect of the burn.

18. Two Utensils. Food served on a plate is eaten with a fork, and food served in a bowl is taken with a spoon. When two eating utensils or two serving utensils are presented together, such as a fork and spoon, the fork is used to steady the portion, and the spoon to cut and convey the bite to the mouth.

19. Tasting Another Person's Food. Either hand your fork to the person, who can spear a bite-sized piece from her plate and hand the fork back to you, or (if the person is sitting close by) hold your plate toward her so that she can put a morsel on the edge.

20. Dropped Utensils. If you drop a utensil, pick it up yourself if you can and let the waiter know you need a new one. If you cannot reach it, inform the waiter and ask for a replacement.

21. One Thing at a Time. Do one thing at a time at the table. If you want to sip your wine, temporarily rest your fork or knife on the plate.

22. What to do with your Hands. When holding a utensil, rest your other hand in your lap. When not holding any utensils, both hands remain in the lap. Do not fidget, and always keep your hands away from your hair.

23. Eating Soup. Spoon soup away from you towards the center of the soup bowl.

24. Spilled Food. At an informal meal, the diner quietly and quickly lifts the food with a utensil and places it on the side of his plate. If food is spilled on another guest, apologize and offer to pay for cleaning (but let the other person wipe up the debris).

25. Gesturing. Do not gesture with a knife or fork in your hands.

26. Servings from a Platter. When a platter of pre-sliced food is presented, take one serving. As a courtesy to the last guest, make sure to leave enough food on the platter so he or she has a choice from several portions. Take the portion nearest to you.

27. Assisting with Service. At an informal meal, the guests assist with service by passing the dishes nearest to them. To avoid congestion, serveware is passed to the right.

28. Thanking for Service. Each time service is provided at a multi-course meal, verbal acceptance is not necessary. But to refuse service, a verbal rejection of "No, thank you," is given. At a simple meal when a serving bowl is passed upon request, say "Thank you."

29. Complementing the Food. A compliment on the cuisine is always appreciated.

30. Cocktail Glasses at the Dinner Table. A cocktail glass is not brought to the dinner table because water and several wines are served with a multi-course meal. Leave the cocktail glass in the room where cocktails are taken.

31. Guests Entering the Dining Room. At an informal dinner, the guests enter the dining room in whatever order is convenient. When seating arrangements are not designated by place cards, usually the hostess enters the dining room first to tell everyone where to sit.

32. Posture. Do not hunch your shoulders over your plate. Likewise, slouching back in your chair (which makes it look as if you're not interested in the meal) is bad table manners.

33. Place Cards. Place cards identify the places people are to sit; they are used to eliminate confusion when more than six people dine together. At formal affairs, which usually involve a large group, individual places are always designated by place cards.

34. Place of Honor. History accords the place of honor to the right side of the host because most people are right-handed.

35. When to Begin Eating at a Banquet. At a banquet, eating commences as soon as those on either side of you are served.

36. When to Begin Eating at a Buffet. At a meal served buffet style, begin eating when you are ready.

37. Eat Slowly. Savor the meal and eat slowly; it encourages conversation and conviviality.

38. Asking for a Second Helping. The circumstances determine whether or not it is acceptable to ask for a second helping. It is not proper table manners at a formal dinner but is permissible at an informal one.

39. Smoking and Vaporing. A lighted cigarette or vapor device is never taken to the table. Smoking and vaporing is offensive to nonsmokers and dulls the palate.

40. Food on Your Partner's Face. Your dining partner has food on his face? If you notice a speck of food on someone's face, you're doing them a favor by subtly calling attention to it. You might signal silently by using your index finger to lightly tap your chin or whatever part of the face is affected.

41. Soiled Utensils. In a private residence, rather than embarrass the hostess by wiping a soiled utensil clean, suffer in silence. But in a restaurant, if a soiled utensil is laid on the table, ask the waiter for a clean one.

42. Be at Ease. Being at ease at the table-whether for dinner, breakfast, or lunch-means being able to thoroughly enjoy the company and the cuisine.

43. Leaving a Spoon in Your Cup or Bowl. Don't leave your spoon in your cup, soup bowl, or stemmed glass. Rest the spoon on the saucer or soup plate between bites or when finished.

44. Sugar, Cracker, or Cream Packets. If sugar, crackers, cream, or other accompaniments to meals are served with paper wrappers or in plastic or cardboard containers, the wrappers should be crumpled up tightly and either tucked under the rim of your plate or placed on the edge of the saucer or butter plate. Lumps of sugar should not be taken from the bowl with the fingers. If tongs are not provided, a clean spoon should be used.

45. Sopping with Bread. Sop up extra gravy or sauce only with a piece of bread on the end of a fork; the soaked bread is then brought to the mouth with the fork.

46. Burps. When a burp is coming on, cover the mouth with a napkin, quietly burp, and say, "Excuse me." For an attack of hiccups, excuse yourself from the table until they have passed.

47. Yawns. In some cultures the breath is associated with man's spirit. To prevent the soul from escaping or an evil spirit from entering the body, the mouth is covered when a yawn cannot be suppressed. This custom prevails in our society today.

48. Hot Soup. If soup is too hot, stir it, don’t blow.

49. Napkin as a Signal at Meal's End. The host will signal the end of the meal by placing their napkin on the table.

50. Dunking Food. Dunked food leaves crumbs on the rim of a cup or glass, and is frowned on at a private party or in a public place.

51. Guarding Your Food. Don't encircle your plate with your arm.

52. Your Pinky. Don't crook your finger when picking up a cup or glass.

53. Being Served   the waiter serves food from you left and beverages from your right side. when the waiter offers you a platter, help yourself with the serving fork in your left hand and the serving spoon in your right  foods and beverages are passed to the right around the table.

54. When to Begin Eating. At tables with eight people or fewer, begin eating only after all the other guests are served and the host or guest of honor has started to eat. If there is no guest of honor or host, begin eating after everyone has been served. At large events begin eating only when the guests on each side of you have been served.

55. Handling Bread. If you find that the bread basket has been set close to your place setting, offer it to the table by passing it to your right. If the loaf is uncut, cut a few slices and return the loaf and slices to the basket. When slicing the bread, use the cloth in the basket to cover one end of the loaf before you grasp it.

56. Take Small Bites. Take only enough food to chew and swallow in one easy bite.

57. Sorbet. At some formal dinners, sorbet will be served after the first course or after the entrée. This is not dessert. It is a palate cleanser. Eat it before eating the next course.

58. Dropped Food. If you drop food on the tablecloth or floor, discreetly use your napkin to retrieve it and ask the waiter for a new napkin. If you spill a glass of wine or water, use your napkin to clean up the mess.

59. Dropping Your Napkin. If you drop your napkin, retrieve it yourself if you can. If retrieval of the napkin would disrupt the meal, ask the waiter for a replacement.

60. Lemons. To keep from squirting your dinner companion in the eye when squeezing a lemon wedge, follow this method. First, impale the pulp of the lemon wedge on the fork tines. Next, cup your free hand over the lemon and gently squeeze the fruit.

61. Half a Duck. When served a half duck or chicken, use your knife and fork to cut the wing and leg away from the breast before you start eating any of the meat.

62. Using a Finger Bowl. If you encounter a finger bowl (used either after eating a hands-on meal such as lobster or at a more formal meal when dessert is served), dip your fingers into the water and then dry them with your napkin.

63. Crackers in Soup. Do not put crackers in your soup during a formal meal.

64. Passing Salt and Pepper. When asked to pass the salt, pass both the salt and pepper.

65. Condiments never asks for anything that is not offered, such as butter, vinegar, catsup, as this is a reflection on the dinner

66. Toasts. When someone offers a toast to you, or if you are a guest and a toast to guests are offered do not drink to yourself.

67. Avoid raising your empty glass. Assume there will be more than one toast so don’t drink all the glass or drink before the toasts are given. It's always a good idea to have a glass filled with some type of liquid when toasts are expected. When participating in a group toast and having found yourself without any liquid, simply raise your glass if others at your table in the same position do otherwise it is considered bad luck to toast an empty glass. Stopping an entire room to refill your glass would stunt the momentum of the toast.

68. Don't feel the need to clink. While traditionally, the clinking of glasses was a custom thought to drive away evil spirits, If someone reaches towards you for a clink, don't hesitate to reciprocate, but, it's not necessary to run around the table or room clinking each and every glass. In some military establishments especially naval messes never clink glasses when making a toast. The sound is reputed to be too much like the solemn toll of the ship’s bell as the body of a sailor was committed to the deep. Thus, it is assumed that the clinking sound will herald the death of a sailor.