"I will give my little lecture on manners very quickly," Thompson says. "Manners are in use twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, whether you think they are or not. People say--I use good manners when I go to a fancy restaurant, and when I go to the in-laws, or when I go for a job interview. Well you should, but you are also using them right now as we speak. You are using them when you run down to the convenience store, when you pump gas, when you make any transaction, when you are driving in your car. Manners are good habits or conversely bad habits or bad manners. So, when you are dining, no matter where you are, you should have good posture, sit still, use your napkin, pat your mouth don't wipe it, and eat slowly. Remember that dining is an art.
"Home," Thompson says, "is where children learn their social skills, and one of the best places to teach manners and social skills is over the dinner table. I really encourage parents to have evening meals together or breakfast, at least one meal a day where the family sits down without the television on or computer games and actually talk to each other. Any time you dine, talking is more important than eating. Enjoying your meal means you are not closing out your family, not talking about depressing or upsetting topics. Just try to have pleasant conversation and include everyone.
"If you are a picky eater," Thompson says, "eat what's on your plate. Don't say, 'I hate that.' Learn to eat new foods. If you go to a job interview that includes a luncheon, and you don't eat the carrots because you just don't like them, they are going to notice that more than anything you said. You can have a great background, but they will notice if you didn't eat your green beans. So, unless you are allergic to them, or your religion prevents you from eating something, eat it--that's how you learn to like new foods. It's fine to say no thank you to a second serving of something, but you should eat what's on your plate as best you can.
"Wait until everyone is served before you dig in," Thompson says. "Lift food to your mouth with your elbows in, not popped out like chicken wings. Eat slowly--you eat less that way, and you enjoy your food much more. Eat the food that is on your fork in one bite and don't bite down on your fork tangs and scrape them with your teeth--it makes a noise like nails on the blackboard. Don't gorge yourself, but on the other hand do eat something. I always have teenage boys in my classes who say I took this girl on a date and spent $9.00 on her dinner, and she only ate one bite. Don't be afraid to eat; don't be embarrassed."
Thompson says, "Don't chew with your mouth open. Don't stuff your mouth so far your cheeks bulge. Don't scrape your plate with your knife. Don't talk with your mouth full. If you find something in your food that has to be removed, do so quietly. Don't pull it out and show it to everyone. If you find a hair in your food, discretely call the waiter and tell him you need another serving. If you aren't sure whether something is a finger or fork food, opt to use your fork. Finger foods are dry and crisp like bread and potato chips and raw carrot sticks. French fries are actually a fork food, because they are fried and sometimes greasy."
