How are yours? Would you cause Emily Post or Miss Manners to faint or are you comfortable at a formal dinner? I confess I have "home game" and "away game" table manners. I don't mean I'm a slob at home but I won't worry about taking an olive pit out of my mouth with my fingers. I always chew with my mouth closed though but I have been known to rest my elbows on the table.

I'm polite at the table. I don't eat with my mouth open, talk with it full, or make a mess. But admittedly I'm not a stickler when it comes to things like utensil etiquette; where the knife and fork should be, and all that other nonsense.

LOL, when I set the table (when we have company) I still do it the way I was taught as a kid. Fork on the left. Knife and spoon on the right with the cutting edge facing to the plate.

Chris wrote:

I'm polite at the table. I don't eat with my mouth open, talk with it full, or make a mess. But admittedly I'm not a stickler when it comes to things like utensil etiquette; where the knife and fork should be, and all that other nonsense.

I don't care about all that crap. I'm eating. It's a table & chairs not some pretentious charm school. I eat with my mouth closed, use utensils & if my elbows touch the table it hasn't knocked the earth off its axis yet.

I dont burp at the table if I can help it. Thats about it! LOL

I am pretty good as far as table manners.

I avoid the whole thing by hardly ever eating with other people, except my husband. When I have to, like when he accepts dinner invitations out, or holidays at his sister's, I just eat as unobtrusively as possible.

My mom was a real bear about table manners, and pointed out everyone's transgressions, as they happened.

Chris wrote:

I'm polite at the table. I don't eat with my mouth open, talk with it full, or make a mess. But admittedly I'm not a stickler when it comes to things like utensil etiquette; where the knife and fork should be, and all that other nonsense.

I'd say I'm the same. I feel my table MANNERS are just fine. But I don't give a rat's piece of cheese about some richy-dichy etiquette that some mad woman thought up to drive guests crazy.

Chris wrote:

I'm polite at the table. I don't eat with my mouth open, talk with it full, or make a mess. But admittedly I'm not a stickler when it comes to things like utensil etiquette; where the knife and fork should be, and all that other nonsense.

same here

Chris wrote:

I'm polite at the table. I don't eat with my mouth open, talk with it full, or make a mess. But admittedly I'm not a stickler when it comes to things like utensil etiquette; where the knife and fork should be, and all that other nonsense.

Yeah what he said. The only time I'm mindful about putting my elbows on the table us if I'm eating with someone I don't know.

Let's see, I like to put my plate in my lap, lean back with my bare feet on the table and eat in a relaxed atmosphere. It that cool?

No, I actually don't put my feet on the table, but I do sometime put my elbows there. I hate having more than one fork at my place setting - was never clear on which is used for what. I'm a rather utilitarian person who likes just what is necessary (fork, knife, spoon & one plate).

At home I don't eat at the table, but sit at my desk chair by my computer, holding my plate or bowl in hand while surfing or watching TV. In many parts of the world holding your bowl while eating is acceptable good manners and utensils are not even required.

Shale wrote:

No, I actually don't put my feet on the table, but I do sometime put my elbows there. I hate having more than one fork at my place setting - was never clear on which is used for what. I'm a rather utilitarian person who likes just what is necessary (fork, knife, spoon & one plate).

I don't embarrass myself, but I probably would at a super formal dinner.

I'll never forget the time my teenager daughter semi-scolded me for having my elbows on the table. I never gave a shit about that and was surprised that SHE did.

I rarely eat at the table, though. At home I usually eat on the couch. At work I have a second private cubicle, and it's not rare for me to sit and eat with my feet propped on the desk. I drape a shawl across the opening to keep people out.

I'm more casual at home but I still follow the basic rules.

One christmas I set the table and put all the utensils on the right. My brother-in-law's aunt yelled at me, smacked my hand with a napkin and told me I better learn to do it right! wtf? I mean really, the utensils are going to wind up in whichever hand the person prefers! lol