Keeping It Classy at the Table
Dining out with someone special should be a highlight of your week, but it’s surprisingly easy to let a few bad habits slip through the cracks and ruin the mood. Most people won't tell you to your face if a specific behavior is off-putting, so staying mindful of these common slip-ups is the best way to keep the vibes high. Avoiding these 20 social blunders will help you come across as polished, attentive, and genuinely fun to be around.
1. Treating the Staff Poorly
If you snap your fingers at someone or bark orders from across the room, your date will assume you do that to everyone. Not only that, but being impatient with the waiter shows a terrible lack of character, so make sure you wait patiently to get what you ordered. It also never hurts to thank your server for their assistance.
2. Being Glued to Your Phone
If you’re on your phone all night checking social media, your date will feel as if you find them boring. Put your phone away in your pocket or purse and leave it there until it’s time to leave. Conversation and eye contact are important parts of connecting with another person.
3. Talking With a Full Mouth
Few things are as disturbing as seeing a piece of half-chewed food bouncing around in someone’s mouth while they speak. Not only is it disgusting, but it can also be difficult to understand what your date is saying with their mouth full of food. Make sure to finish chewing before you talk.
4. Complaining About the Prices
Even if the menu is a bit more expensive than you expected, pointing out the cost of every item makes the evening feel stressful and awkward. Constantly mentioning how much a cocktail costs can make you seem stingy or uncomfortable with the setting you chose. It’s best to look at the menu beforehand so you can relax and enjoy the experience without doing mental math out loud.
5. Overindulging
While having a cocktail is perfectly acceptable on a date, having too many can ruin it quickly. Not only does it lower your inhibitions, but you might accidentally say something you’ll regret tomorrow morning. Also, your date won’t want to spend their night helping you stumble back to your car.
6. Grooming at the Table
Flossing your teeth or reapplying a full face of makeup while sitting in the middle of a dining room is generally considered a bit too much information for a public setting. If you feel a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth or need to check your hair, simply excuse yourself to the restroom for a moment. Keeping these personal maintenance tasks private helps maintain a polished image.
7. Being an Overly Picky Eater
Everyone is entitled to their preferences when it comes to food, but please don’t make a scene about it. Whether it’s asking for no tomatoes on your burger or no ranch for your salad, try to avoid asking for too many special modifications to your food.
8. Licking Your Fingers
While it may be easier to eat certain foods with your hands, restaurants are not a place to do it. Save your finger licking exploits for when you’re home eating pizza and use your utensils at the dinner table. There’s a napkin on your right in case you need it!
9. Bringing Up Taboo Topics
You should avoid heavy discussions regarding politics, exes, medical problems, etc. on a first date. While it may be important and a fruitful conversation for future dates, you should start off light with your topics. You want to appear breezy and fun on a first date, not toxic or negative.
10. Showing Up Late
You were running late because of work or traffic, but that’s no excuse to show up 20 minutes late to your date’s house. Everyone is busy, and your date will appreciate any effort you make to arrive on time or early. Give them the respect they deserve by giving them your time.
11. Not Using Your Napkin
A common mistake is leaving your napkin on the table or tucked into your collar like a bib throughout the evening. You should place it on your lap as soon as you sit down and use it frequently to keep your face clean. This small habit prevents you from looking silly in front of your date.
12. Reaching Across the Table
Instead of lunging over your date's plate to grab the salt or the bread basket, simply ask them to pass the item to you. This prevents you from accidentally dipping your sleeve in their soup or invading their personal space mid-meal. It’s a polite way to interact that keeps the table organized.
13. Double Dipping
Sharing food is a lovely act and something that many couples partake in on dates. If you’re sharing a plate of hummus and tortilla chips, make sure to only dip your chip once into the hummus. You can take some hummus and place it on a side plate next to you if you know you’ll be wanting to dip again.
14. Making a Mess With Your Utensils
Restaurants can be loud, so there’s no need to contribute to the noise. Avoid tapping your fork on the edge of your plate or waving your knife around while you talk. Place your utensils on your plate when you’re not using them, and try to eat quietly.
15. Staring at Other People
It’s natural to people-watch, but letting your eyes wander to the person at the next table for too long makes your date feel ignored. You should keep your focus primarily on the person you’re with to show them they have your full interest. If something wild is happening across the room, a quick glance is fine, but don't let it derail your conversation.
Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash
16. Arguing Over the Check
Whether you’re splitting the bill or one person is treating, having a loud back-and-forth about who pays can be embarrassing for everyone involved. It’s often best to settle the payment plan beforehand or handle the transaction quickly and quietly at the end. Making a scene over the math just leaves a sour note.
17. Leaving a Tiny Tip
Tipping is customary in American culture, and your date is watching how you react when the bill comes. If you received good service from your waiter, make sure you show it. Leaving a subpar tip makes you look cheap.
18. Chewing Ice
The loud, crunching sound of someone gnawing on ice cubes is enough to set anyone's teeth on edge during a quiet dinner. Once your drink is gone, it’s best to just let the remaining ice melt or ask for a refill instead of finishing it off. Keeping the noise level down helps maintain the ambiance.
19. Taking Too Many Photos
Taking a picture of your food to post on Instagram is okay, but don’t take five minutes posing in front of your food while it gets cold. Your date wants to spend time with you, not photograph you the entire night. Try to live in the moment as best you can and take photos at home.
20. Forgetting to Say Thank You
If your date treated you to dinner or the server went out of their way to help with a request, always voice your appreciation clearly. A lack of gratitude makes you seem entitled and can leave a very bad taste in someone’s mouth regardless of how good the food was. Ending the night on a thankful note ensures that everyone leaves the table feeling respected.
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