That's food for thought.
According to etiquette expert Elaine Swan, there's more to fine dining etiquette than knowing the different sizes of forks.
The Guru said Business Insider The average American makes four common mistakes when dining at a fine restaurant.
The first is that they are not giving enough attention to the restaurant staff.
“Some people say, 'don't engage with the waiter,' but I think that's wrong and quite condescending,” Swan explained, emphasizing the importance of building a trusting relationship with the waiter.
“Instead, you need to communicate effectively with staff and remember their names.”
Arriving “late” to a booked venue is also a huge disrespect, he added.
“Fine dining service assumes that everyone will arrive at the same time and on time,” she said.
“It's important to respect other people's time. If they specify a time, they expect you to get started on their schedule,” she continued. “It's very rude to be late.”
Non-adherence to the dress code has also become an issue among diners, she added.
In fact, modest dress can be seen as a form of snobbism.
“You may live in an area where dress code is more casual and shorts are acceptable, but some fine dining restaurants may not tolerate it,” Swan noted, advising customers to check a restaurant's dress code beforehand.
“Check the website or call ahead. And the other thing I would encourage people to do is look at the photos.”
Finally, when it comes to tipping, Swann said the general rule of thumb is to leave a minimum tip of 20 percent.
“You should always tip every time you dine out, whether it's a fine dining restaurant or a regular mom-and-pop place,” she explained.
