He teaches selected social manners in companies and individuals, and has trained Miss Czech Republic finalists on proper dining and restaurant behaviour. Once in a while he organizes dining courses. In the restaurant, he selects a three or four course menu and demonstrates proper table manners. He gives feedback to clients and suggests improvements. So we asked him how to behave properly and naturally in a restaurant so that all guests enjoy their visit.

Previously, the man was the first to enter, which was due to history, when pubs were not a safe environment and the man would enter and check the situation. Nowadays, we follow this rule for more of a symbolic reason. If the door opens outwards, then the man opens it, lets the woman in and she goes in first. Convenience is more important than order.

In better restaurants, there is usually a counter with a hostess at the entrance to welcome you. The man will say a name for a reservation or ask for a table. The hostess who shows you to your table is followed first by a woman and then a man. If you are looking for a seat yourself, the man goes first to find a suitable table, followed by the woman.

According to etiquette, the woman sits in a more comfortable position, ideally so that she has a view of the room and a wall behind her back, or a view of the front door or window. If this is not an option, the man chooses another suitable seat and asks the woman if she is comfortable. The man will move the woman's chair to help her out of her coat if it has not already been removed by the receptionist at the entrance. The woman sits on the first third of the chair and the man gently pushes her and the chair to the table. That's why chairs should be light in restaurants.
 

By sitting in the first third of the chair, the woman can fit a small handbag behind her. If this is not possible, for example because you are sitting on the terrace or there is an open space behind you and the purse is in danger of being stolen or the woman does not feel comfortable, she puts her purse on her lap and covers it with a cloth napkin. This implies that a woman takes a small handbag to a restaurant, just enough for the essentials. If she has a large handbag, she may, as a last resort, place it on the chair next to her, unless it is an important business meeting or dinner. In selected restaurants, the staff will bring a special stool for the handbag or a hook on the table to hang it on. Never place your purse on the floor.
 

The woman always folds the napkin in half and places it in her lap so that both loose ends are facing her. This way she can wipe her mouth on the inside of the napkin without it showing on the outside. For a man, there are two directions of napkin folding etiquette. One recommends folding it in half, the other allows you to leave it unfolded. Wiping the mouth is done the same way. Always wipe your mouth before you want to take a drink from your glass, so that the imprints of your oily lips are not left on it, and before you want to talk, so that others do not have to look at any crumbs, sauce residue, etc. in the corners of your mouth or in your beard.
 
 

Whatever falls off the table is handled by the staff. In the better restaurants, the wait staff keeps an eye on what's going on at the table and if anything happens, they come as soon as possible and sort it out. Bring a dropped napkin or cutlery, wipe up spilled wine, replenish pastries... If the server doesn't notice, make eye contact with her and call her over. Discreetly ask for a new one. If no one responds, do nothing, continue eating and talking and unfortunately you won't be wiping your mouth. Definitely don't pick anything off the ground.
 

Take one piece from the communal basket and place it on the plate on your left hand. Over the plate, break off bite-sized pieces of the pastry. If necessary, spread these with your pastry knife on the small plate and then eat it. If you've got a crusty baguette, don't be ashamed of the crumbs. These are natural and a sign of its quality.
 

This is the biggest vice I notice in restaurants. The bottom line is order. Take the cutlery from the edge to the plate as it's laid out. Left-handed people can switch sides, but not until they get their food. You don't rearrange anything on the table. Right-handers hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right, the blade always hidden in the palm of the hand. The tines of the fork point downwards at all times. If you are eating something that cannot be impaled, turn the fork in the palm of your hand so that it points parallel to your mouth. This is how you eat rice or peas, for example. With peas, however, the cook should have already thought about the fact that they can be squeezed and easily piled onto the fork or skewered and not jump around on the plate. Hold the knife with your thumb on the side and slightly underneath with your middle finger. The index finger is resting on the edge and you gently press it on the knife to cut. However, the shape of the cutlery also allows you to hold it correctly. The fork or knife cannot be too long so that the blade can be hidden in the palm of the hand. Therefore, they should be rounded at the end so that they fit into it and are comfortable to hold. Cutlery is not held like a pencil or a writing pen.

The wine glass is always held by the stem. Exactly where, however, depends on the type of wine or the shape of the glass resulting from the type of wine and the temperature at which it is served. Hold the red wine glass as high up on the stem as possible. Red wine is served in larger, rounder glasses at a higher temperature; it is okay to warm it slightly with your hand. Keep the white wine glass in the middle of the stem and the taller sparkling wine glass as low as possible to keep it at a cooler serving temperature for as long as possible.
 

Act like nothing happened. Don't point out your mistake. If the wine spills all over the table and drips, the attentive staff will wipe it up promptly. In some establishments, they'll replace the spilt tablecloth between the main course and dessert, but this is not the norm. If wine is spilled, the server will apologize and may offer to replace the tablecloth or table, depending on the level of soiling. However, if it's a few drops, a sincere apology should be enough.

Make eye contact with the operator, nod your head slightly and wait for him to arrive. Do not wave, snap your fingers or call out. If the service doesn't take long, approach a waiter or waitress who is passing by, even if they don't cater directly to you.

Decently call the attendant and quietly tell her that you wish to pay. If no one comes for a long time, address a passing waitress or waiter and say, "May I please pay." If you have been waiting for an unreasonable amount of time and are unable to summon anyone using the above methods, get up and go to the bar to pay. On a date or business meeting, arrange to pay off the table. This will avoid any awkwardness at the table if there is a discrepancy in the bill and guests won't know the total amount.
If you're happy with the service, tip the server. In the Czech Republic, it is customary to leave a tip of around 10% of the total spend.
In a restaurant, the man should always pay. On a date, a couple can arrange for the woman to buy, say, theatre or exhibition tickets and the man to pay for dinner. In a business meeting, the one who invites pays. If it is the woman, she can tell the attendant in advance or ask for the bill.

It can happen. If the food is prepared correctly and just doesn't match your idea, that's your problem. That's why it's a good idea to discuss the form and presentation of the dish with the staff when ordering. If the food has defects, for example, the meat is raw, the potatoes undercooked, etc., discreetly call the server immediately upon discovery and quietly tell them your complaint. She should apologise and offer a solution. Even if it is unpleasant, there is no need to get loud and spoil the experience for others at the table. It is better to be nice and respectful in all situations.

Discreetly wrap it in a paper napkin, which is usually on the table, and keep it in your lap. When you have finished eating, put it on a plate. If it falls on the floor, don't pay any attention to it.

The shells are being swallowed. However, in order to suck the entire contents into your mouth, you must first separate the whole shell from the shell. Peel the shrimp whole from the head. It can be gently pulled off, then turn the shrimp backwards and use your fingers to remove the legs and shell. Shrimp can also be peeled with a knife and fork, but it takes some practice. In either case, the attendant should also bring you a bowl of water and lemon juice or lemon slices to wash your hands in. Then you dry them in a napkin. If you have a shrimp with only the tail, cut it off with a knife.

Of course. Spaghetti is never cut, it is always wound on a fork. Personally, I find it difficult to eat spaghetti with a fork and spoon, but it's not against etiquette. Use one or two prongs of the fork to separate one or two spaghetti at the beginning and curl them onto the fork in the hollow of the plate. Bring the forked spaghetti to your mouth. It is important not to have a lot of spaghetti on the fork, which cannot be pushed into the mouth or then chewed and swallowed.