Maintaining the proper etiquette while dining at a steakhouse is important for giving a positive first impression to your partner on a special occasion. The etiquette matters a lot as it represents your seriousness and the amount of appreciation you have for your partner. The following are 7 tips for steakhouse etiquette.
Ask for Takeout If You Have Leftover
Steak is hard to chew and you may be finding yourself taking more time than needed to finish it. Your partner has already finished eating his plate and you don’t want him to wait for you. In this situation, you should ask the waiter to put the leftover steak into a takeout box for you to take home so that you can put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow. Most steakhouses in Arlington will accommodate this request.
Cut the Steak One Bite at a Time
The right way to cut the steak is to cut it one bite at a time. You should cut the steak with your index finger on the back of the knife utensil. First, you pin the fork on the meat to hold it in position. Then, you use the knife to cut the meat in a zigzag motion. Finally, you stick the fork in the meat with your right hand and take the bite.
Don’t Hold the Steak with Your Hand While Eating
It is tempting to pick up the steak bone with your fingers and chew on it but you should not do that. It is not polite to chew on the steak with your hand holding it. That is why they provide the knife and fork so that you can eat with them without getting your hands dirty.
Don’t Leave a Clean Plate
The clean plate doesn’t mean that you enjoy every bite so there’s no need to try to lick your plate clean. A clean plate can be an indication that you aren’t served enough meat. It is more appropriate to leave some leftovers on the plate. This is because you will find some pieces hard to chew.
Don’t Put Chewy Leftover Pieces on the Napkin
To practice good manners, you should remove the small pieces of meat that are hard to chew from between your teeth and put them on the upper left corner of your plate. The chewy pieces you spit out are not to be placed on the napkin. You may forget about it and use the napkin to wipe your mouth.
Loosely Fold the Napkin Before Leaving the Table
If you need to leave the table for a while, you can loosely fold the napkin and put it on the chair. People often just throw the napkin on the plate which is wrong. After finishing eating, the napkin should be loosely folded and placed to the left of the plate.
Wait Patiently for the Food
After you place the order, it is going to take some time for the waiter to serve the steak to your table. You mustn’t rush and keep asking the waiter where your food is. Instead, you should wait patiently for your order as it takes a reasonable amount of time for the chef to prepare the meat.