Fun Stuff > CHATTER
When in Rome, do as the Romans do
LTK:
--- Quote from: questionablydiscontent on 11 Sep 2013, 11:47 ---I'd say the proper etiquette is very similar to that, but I don't think you really need to cut everything on your plate at once. I'm no expert on refined dining, but I don't think how much of the cutting is done at once matters. Cutting a few bits-- or even just one bit-- at a time is fine.
But it is true that after cutting, you're supposed to lay down the knife and place your fork in your right hand before spearing your food onto the tines.
--- End quote ---
'Supposed to'? For a right-handed individual, doing anything else would be extremely impractical. It's difficult for me to cut food with the knife in my left hand, and also to eat it with the fork in my left hand, so obviously I'd switch the fork to my right hand after I cut my food. I imagine everyone does.
LeeC:
in the US tips are how the servers get paid, they get paid next to nothing by the restaurant because they are expected to make their actual money from tips.
ankhtahr:
From what I've heard, waiters in the US don't always get a fixed pay, so tips are their only income. In Germany that's different. Waiters or waitresses are always being paid a fixed salary by their employer, so they don't actually "need" the tip. It's still more polite to leave one, albeit a smaller one. In Germany 10% or more are typical if you were happy.
Also I was surprised when I saw photos of receipts which have a "tip" field to fill in. Here there is the normal price on the receipt, and usually you hand over the money saying either "Stimmt so" (which means something like "I gave you this sum intentionally") or the sum you want to give.
ps: And two new replies. LTK: well, in Germany you basically keep knife and fork in your hands at all times, unless you want to drink something. Like ChaoSera said, to us it seems childish to change hands for the fork.
ChaoSera:
--- Quote from: LTK on 11 Sep 2013, 12:07 ---
--- Quote from: questionablydiscontent on 11 Sep 2013, 11:47 ---I'd say the proper etiquette is very similar to that, but I don't think you really need to cut everything on your plate at once. I'm no expert on refined dining, but I don't think how much of the cutting is done at once matters. Cutting a few bits-- or even just one bit-- at a time is fine.
But it is true that after cutting, you're supposed to lay down the knife and place your fork in your right hand before spearing your food onto the tines.
--- End quote ---
'Supposed to'? For a right-handed individual, doing anything else would be extremely impractical. It's difficult for me to cut food with the knife in my left hand, and also to eat it with the fork in my left hand, so obviously I'd switch the fork to my right hand after I cut my food. I imagine everyone does.
--- End quote ---
I'm right handed and I can't cut my food with my left hand, either. But using the fork with my left hand is the easiest thing in the world, it just takes a little practice at first. After a few months of doing it, it feels as natural as the eating itself.
cesium133:
--- Quote from: ankhtahr on 11 Sep 2013, 12:13 ---From what I've heard, waiters in the US don't always get a fixed pay, so tips are their only income.
--- End quote ---
They get paid a lower minimum wage than any other job, and that minimum wage hasn't been increased in decades. I don't remember the exact amount, but it's about $2.50/hour.
--- Quote ---ps: And two new replies. LTK: well, in Germany you basically keep knife and fork in your hands at all times, unless you want to drink something. Like ChaoSera said, to us it seems childish to change hands for the fork.
--- End quote ---
The way I do it is I hold the knife with my left hand and the fork with my right hand, and I don't switch hands. I guess I'm weird, or maybe I'm unknowingly a left-handed German? :psyduck:
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