ARRIVAL

After the clothes have been picked out it's time to start thinking about the arrival. A good guest always arrives on time. Despite what some people believe, "There is no such thing as fashionably late"(Bryant, pg. 3). As a guest, arriving too early can also be an etiquette no-no. If the occasion is a job interview, fifteen minutes early is acceptable. For a dinner party at someone's home try to arrive as closely to the scheduled time as possible. If you accidentally arrive too early take a walk or drive around the block. Entertaining early guests is a nuisance when trying to finish up getting ready for the evening.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Alcohol has been the downfall of more than one guest and is a difficult subject to give advice on. Each person handles drinking differently. A common rule to follow would be to order a drink only if your associates are doing the same. In this case limit it to one drink per hour. Take your time and sip the drink, making it last about an hour. This will help to keep from getting inebriated. Drinking is always optional; don't feel pressured to consume alcoholic beverages just because your superior is. Wine with the meal is acceptable. The main objective is to avoid getting intoxicated. Your decision-making skills will be impaired and you will not make a very good impression on your co-workers.

SEATED

The napkin should be placed in the lap soon after sitting for a meal. In some formal settings, the waitperson may place the napkin in your lap but it is still polite to place the napkin in your own lap. When the host does so, it is your signal to also do so. There are a few napkin rules to remember. The napkin should remain in your lap until the meal is complete. From here it can be used to blot the mouth as needed. If the napkin should fall on the ground, leave it and get the attention of the waitperson for a new one. When you leave the table, put the napkin in the chair and excuse yourself. Once seated, a menu will be handed to you.

WHAT TO ORDER

When ordering, it is important to consider the nature of the food. It is smart to order foods that can be eaten with a fork and knife. Finger foods can be very messy and should be left for informal dining situations. One does not want to order foods that splash. Staying away from red sauces is recommended. Western Silver (http://westersilver.com/guestetiquette.html) says spaghetti, corn on the cob, lasagna, french fries, tacos, artichokes, pizza, and chicken legs are just some of the foods to avoid. It is safer to order foods like steak, asparagus, rice, chicken breast, and peas, among other things.

PLACE SETTINGS

After ordering, your attention will be directed to the table where a formal place setting may seem complicated and foreign. There is a rule-of-thumb to follow. When in doubt, start from the outermost pieces and work inward with each course. It is safe to assume that the host has taken precaution to ensure that each utensil corresponds with each course. The silverware used will be taken away with each course leaving only those that should be used left (http://cuisinenet.com/digest/sutom/etiquette/place_setting.shtml). Although it may seem a sea of dishes, silverware, plates, glasses and cups do have specific homes on the table. A soup bowl and plate are placed directly in front of the chair on top of the dinner plate. Forks can be found to the left of the plate and spoons to the right. The appetizer fork is the exception to the rule and may be found on the left between the knives and the soupspoon. The cups and glasses will be placed to the upper right of the plate. There will be a water glass, a red wineglass and a white wine glass. These will be arranged diagonally from left to right. In the upper left corner, the bread plate and butter knife may be found. The dessert utensils (fork and spoon) will be located directly above the dinner plate with the bowl of the spoon facing the left and the tines of the fork facing the right. If dessert utensils are not present, do not panic, dessert will still be served and the utensils will be brought then. The napkin will be placed to the far left of the forks. A brief description of the utensils may help to remember where they are and what they are used for. The soupspoon will be obvious because it will be the only spoon at the setting and the characteristic large bowl is a hint. The salad fork will most likely be the outer most fork. The tines of the salad fork are larger and sturdier to allow the user to cut a large piece without using a knife. A fish fork and knife are given. The fish fork is typically shorter than the meat fork and the fish knife is the outer most knife on the right hand side. The inner fork and knife are used for meat.

BREAD

After the utensils have been identified and the food is served, it is time to begin. The meal may begin with the service of bread. The bread should be torn or broken away. The pieces removed should only be the size of a single bite. When spreads are provided, the individual piece should be spread and then eaten before moving to the next piece. If the bread served is a dinner roll, it maybe torn in half, completely covered and left to sit. The bread item should never be cut with a knife, only torn. Bread is typically followed by soup.

SOUP

Soup may seem like an insignificant course when being served in a four-course meal. There are quite a few tricks that maybe used to remain proper, clean and still get all of the soup eaten. Start by dipping the spoon into the soup slowly moving it away from the body. When the spoon is about two-thirds full lift it and bring it back towards the mouth. This prevents sloshing the substance onto the shirt and keeps stray drips in the bowl and not on the tie or lap. Once the spoon is to the mouth, gently sip (not slurp) the substance from the side of the mouth. The last of the substance maybe difficult to get to but it is perfectly correct to tilt the bowl away from the body and scoop. If broth is served in a soup cup with a handle, it is also correct to sip it directly from the cup, even if a spoon is provided. If there are pieces of meat or vegetables in the broth, eat them with a spoon first and then sip.

MAIN COURSE

When the main course is served, one needs to follow all of the basic rules of how to eat. The usage of silverware is as important as any rule. According to CuisineNet (http://cuisinenet.com/digest.html), both the spoon and fork are held horizontally by balancing them between the first knuckle of the middle finger and the tip of the index finger. The thumb stabilizes the handle. The knife is used with the tip of the index finger lightly pressing out over the top of the knife blade to direct as you cut. Ball State University's career center (http://www.bsu.edu/careers/manners.html), says there are two ways to use a knife and fork to cut and eat your food. There is the American style and the European style. In the American style, one cuts the food by holding the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left hand with the fork holding the food in place. Cut a few small pieces, and then lay the knife across the top edge of the plate with the sharp edge of the knife facing inward. Change the fork from your left hand to the right hand to eat, with the fork tines facing up. (If you are left-handed, then it is the opposite.) The European or Continental style is very similar to the American style in that one cuts the food by holding the knife in the right hand while holding the food down with the fork in the left hand. The difference is that the fork remains in your left hand and the knife stays in your right hand. You will eat the food with your left hand.