The former royal butler claimed the only way to eat a burger is with a fork and knife, but etiquette experts say that's not always the case.
Grant Harrold, who was Charles III's butler from 2004 to 2011, said: “While it's true that most people eat hamburgers with their hands, eating them the right way with a knife and fork can enhance the culinary experience.'' It brings a sense of true sophistication to the world.” He recently spoke to Britain's Telegraph newspaper.
Mr Harold added that it was “proper etiquette” to eat burgers with cutlery, and that previous customers had done the same.
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“The use of a knife and fork is definitely a technique employed by members of the monarchy during my time at Buckingham Palace and Highgrove House, and also a technique I have used in my work around the world for many years. “It was also adopted by many high-end customers,” he said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Harold for comment.
A man who served as a butler to King Charles III said the only way to eat a hamburger was with a fork and knife. (St. Petersburg)
While it's true that you should consider using cutlery when eating burgers at fancy events, this doesn't apply to every occasion, California-based etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall told FOX News Digital told.
“Knives and forks are used for most courses at meals at high-profile royal and diplomatic events,” she says.
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This includes hamburgers, Randall added: “The rules of dining etiquette dictate that the use of a knife and fork is preferred, for example when a basic thin hamburger is served as one of the courses.” said.
But “if you have two stacks of hamburgers, it's not going to be easy to maneuver,” she says.
“It can seem strange, even awkward, to use cutlery to eat food that many people hold in their hands,” said one California-based etiquette expert. (St. Petersburg)
“Once you cut into it, the burger will definitely fall apart and become a mess.”
Foods like pizza, tacos and burgers are “generally eaten with hands and on casual occasions,” she says.
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“It may seem strange, even awkward, to use cutlery to eat food that most people eat in their hands,” says Randall.
“You can keep the conversation going by cutting out small bites.”
There are other occasions besides royal banquets where eating a hamburger with a fork and knife is considered proper etiquette.
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This includes eating at fancy restaurants as well as in practical situations such as job interviews and dates.
One etiquette expert told Fox News Digital that a job interview or a date is an appropriate time to eat a burger with cutlery. (St. Petersburg)
“By cutting out small bite marks, you can continue the conversation,” Randall said.
Additionally, you'll want to use cutlery if you don't want “sticky gunk under your fingernails” or leave fingerprints on your wine glass.
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Using cutlery can also help you eat more slowly, she said.
But if you're served a hamburger at a fancy dinner and don't know what to do, Randall says there's an easy way to solve the problem.
King Charles III attends a state dinner at Schloss Bellevue Presidential Palace in Berlin, Germany in March 2023. (Andreas Lenz/Getty Images)
If the event host is eating burgers with a fork and knife, so should the guests, she says.
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“It's polite to follow their lead,” Randall said.
