BY ANDREW KRUSZKA, STAFF WRITER
Let me set the stage for you. You’re on a date with a person that you have never met before, and you are going to an extremely fancy Italian restaurant. You are really hitting it off with this person. You’re attracted to them, and they also have an amazing personality. You two are talking about key topics like what you each do for work, what the future holds and different topics that people on a first date talk about. Let me remind you that the date is going extremely well! Congratulations, you are about to find your significant other that you will spend the rest of your life with.
The professional waiter brings the food to your table finally, and it’s time to start eating. This moment is the biggest test out of them all. All of the sudden, the person you’re on a date with starts slurping very loud the pasta they have been brought. This noise is so loud. It sounds as if each time they take a bite, they look like they’re guzzling down this pasta. Immediately, you hope the bill comes soon because this will be the first and last date that the both of you have.
I apologize if this has ever happened to you because, for some, maybe it has. If there is one thing that I can’t stand, it’s someone who chews food with their mouth open and is simply a loud eater.
If you’re by yourself, make all of the loud noises you want while eating and drinking. Eat where you feel comfortable. When you have company over, or when you’re on a date with a really nice person, have some etiquette. That is the best advice I can give to all of my loyal readers that are reading this.
Let’s walk through some proper etiquette skills that people should have while eating and news flash. This is my opinion. If you disagree, that is totally fine, but tell me why you do. For one, males should always allow the female to get their food first, or if you are at a restaurant, you should let them order first. Before you order at a restaurant, males best hold the doors for our female friends because that is absolutely the proper action to do.
After the food is established and you’re sitting at the table, males should always take their cap or hat off. I’ve gone back and forth on whether females should take them off, but males most certainly should. This is simply a sign of respect. One shouldn’t wear a hat inside in general, but sitting down to eat, a male should not wear their hat. This is only proper etiquette.
Moving on, let’s go back to our story at the beginning of this opinion piece. If you order some sort of pasta or food that could be eaten extremely loud, take that into consideration. Whether you’re trying to impress the person you’re with or simply going out with a friend to have a nice dinner night out, be considerate of how loud your eating is. Please don’t chew with your mouth open, make extra noises, or worst of all, slurp. In all seriousness, I will most likely do my best to avoid eating with someone at all if they do this while they eat.
In conclusion, I can comprehend that many aspects of American culture are not what they used to be, but we should begin to bring back proper etiquette while eating. It’ll only allow our society to honestly look and feel better. Follow these tips, and you should be on your way to having an exceptional dinner, whether it is by yourself or with someone you care about.
