A Guide to Polite Table Manners
Good manners never go out of style and having good manners demonstrates a respect for those around you and yourself.  Here are a few tips from Jill Evans Kryston of Shavertown. a local  etiquette consultant and founder of Defining Manners, a School of Contemporary Protocol. See how many you are already following... or how many you can adopt!

Roll Etiquette – Tear off and butter only the bite-sized piece of bread you will put into your mouth. It looks tacky to bite into a whole roll.

Soup Etiquette – When eating soup, always dip your spoon away from you. If there are drips, they will fall into the bowl instead of in your lap.

Salt and Pepper – These items travel together. If someone asks to pass the salt, you should also pass the pepper. This way you only have to bother one person to get what you want.

Finished Position – In order to signal the wait staff that you’re done eating, the knife should be placed over the fork diagonally across the plate in what is commonly referred to as the “four o’clock” position.

Foreign Objects - Discreetly remove an object from your mouth exactly the way you put it into your mouth with either a utensil or your thumb and index finger, and place it on the edge of your plate.

Cell Phone, Texting and Personal Hygiene – It is inconsiderate to conduct personal business, blow your nose, and groom yourself at the table.  If you need to engage in any of these behaviors, the polite way would be to excuse yourself to a private place or rest room.