TABLE MANNERS

On choosing a restaurant, ordering, behaving properly in public, handling the bill, and more.

• » Secondhand Barbecue Smoke

  Can vegetarians demand meat-free environments?

• » We’ll Just Split This

  Is it rude for two diners to halve one dish at a restaurant?

• » Bring Your Own Plastic Container

  The greenest takeout packaging.

• » Sloshed with the Boss

  Are you supposed to drink at a business meal?

• » Unemployment Benefits

  Should you pick up the tab for jobless friends?

• » Stop, Thief!

  Is it acceptable to eat off other people’s plates?

• » ’Snot Appetizing

  Is it impolite to blow your nose at the table?

• » Butter Me Up

  Modern bread-plate etiquette.

• » But I Only Drank Water!

  Do you have to split the bill?

• » Pointing the Finger at Finger Foods

  Caesar salads, sushi … where do you draw the line?

• » Done Eating, Not Dining

  When should a server take your plate?

• » Ham on Rye, Extra Sadism

  Is it OK for a restaurant to abuse its customers?

• » Keep Your Eyes Off My Dish

  Is it OK to ogle other people’s orders?

• » Turning the Tables

  Can a restaurant kick you out when it’s busy?

• » Party of One

  The dos and don’ts of dining solo.

• » I Want to Be Alone

  When solo diners aren’t looking for company.

• » Comfy Clothes and White Tablecloths

  Must you dress up for nice restaurants?

• » But I Come Here Often

  Should regulars get special treatment?

• » Ordering Off the Kids’ Menu

  Can grown-ups get little burgers?

• » Wine Whiner

  Is it OK to send vino back if you hate it?

• » Give My Table Away

  How to cancel dinner reservations.

• » Doggy Bag Dilemma

  Is saving leftovers ever a bad idea?

• » Indoor Voices, Please!

  What to do when the table next to you is noisy.

• » Sycophant on Rye

  When to stop thanking your server.

• » Cootie Call

  Is it rude not to want to share your fork?

• » Game Face

  Is it OK to apply lipstick at the table?

• » I Didn’t Order Salmonella

  Restaurant food poisoning etiquette.

• » Stealing Bar Glasses

  How bad is it to pilfer pints?

• » The Art of Criticism

  Does your server really want to know how your meal was?

• » Autograph My Dirty Napkin!

  The etiquette of approaching celebrities in restaurants.

• » I Didn’t Order That Insect

  How should a restaurant handle bugs in your dish?

• » Stop Refilling My Wineglass!

  How to tell waiters to let you drink at your own pace.

• » I Ordered Wrong

  Sending food back that you simply don’t like.

• » Bring Wine, Pay Double

  Do restaurants ever waive corkage fees?

• » But I Only Have Plastic

  How restaurants should handle "cash only."

• » Scent-Free Dining

  Whether or not to wear perfume to restaurants.

• » Advice for Despised Laptop Users

  How to avoid dirty looks in coffeehouses.

• » How Do You Say "Pho"?

  The pitfalls of pronunciation.

• » Girls Who Hate Girly Drinks

  Bad bartenders assume you're wimpy.

When to tip more, or less, or perhaps not at all.

• » Stiffing the Bartender

  How much should you tip on drinks?

• » Leaving a Massive Tip

  When should you leave more than 20 percent?

• » Bad Dinner, No Tip

  Is it ever OK to stiff the waitstaff?

• » An Espresso to Grind

  Should you tip baristas, and if so, how much?

• » Dinner with a Tightwad

  Should you augment a bad tip, and how?

• » How to Tip on Wine?

  It’s already marked up so much.

On being a gracious guest or a consummate host at everything from fancy dinner parties to casual potlucks.

• » The Dish on Ditching

  How to escape bores at parties.

• » Please Bring an Elaborate Dessert

  What’s the right answer to “Can I bring anything?”

• » Your Dish Is Unwelcome Here

  Don’t bring food to a dinner party.

• » RSVP to My Damn Invite!

  How to get your friends to tell you if they’re coming.

• » Am I Being Petty?

  Or are my friends thieves?

• » Death Warmed Over

  What to bring to a funeral.

• » Withstand Bland

  Is it wrong to ask your hostess to pass the salt?

• » You’d Better Be Anorexic

  Is eating really slowly rude to your fellow diners?

• » Not Invited Back

  Are you obliged to reciprocate dinner party invitations?

• » Didn’t You Get My Message?

  The dos and don’ts of last-minute canceling.

• » Foot Fetish

  What’s with the “shoes off” rule?

• » The Napkin Defense

  You lose cred when you use paper.

• » The Awkward Lip-Kiss Greeting

  Way beyond hugs and air smooches.

• » Strategic Guest Ejection

  How to let a lingering guest know that it’s time to leave.

• » Advice for Heathens

  What do atheists say when asked to say grace?

• » Nobody Ate My Dish

  Tips on how to host a successful potluck.

• » Boy, It’s Getting Late

  When can you leave a boring dinner party?

• » What If You Ruin the Turkey?

  Lie, confess, or order pizza?

• » Throw My Wedding

  Is it OK to ask friends to help with your reception?

• » Dude, Where’s My Drink?

  The absentee cocktail party host.

• » Surprise! I’m at Your Door

  Are ambush visits rude?

• » I’m Vegetarian but I Eat Bacon

  How much can I tell a dinner-party host about my eating habits?

• » Open My Wine First

  Are hosts required to share their gifts?

• » Gotta Go Walk the Dog

  Is it OK to leave a dinner party early?

• » Ungrateful Wretch

  When dinner guests don’t say thank you enough.

• » Mum’s the Velveeta

  Keep your secret ingredients secret.

• » Shhhh, She’s Not Invited!

  How to exclude certain coworkers from a party invitation.

• » Toasts, Not Roasts

  How to get a wedding speech right.

• » Too Poor for Drinks

  Staying home is the new going out.

• » Tea Parties Must Make a Comeback

  Economical, festive, and good for Sundays.

• » Thanksgiving-Hopping

  Is it OK to hit two dinners in one night?

• » Ditching an Annoying Guest

  She came last year, must she again?

• » I Made that Spam Pudding You Love!

  Can you undo a false food compliment?

• » Come Over for Crusty Casserole

  Can you serve leftovers to guests?

• » Greedy Gobbler

  Are you entitled to Thanksgiving leftovers? And other holiday conundrums.

• » Just Watch Me Drink

  How to deal with prissy nondrinkers.

• » Are You Coming or Not?

  Why people should always RSVP.

• » Dinner’s Getting Cold

  How to deal with the chronically late.

• » Double-Dipping on Trial

  There’s negligible contamination, but it’s still unacceptable.

• » Is Fido Invited?

  When it’s not OK to bring your dog to a party.

• » Polite Society in the Hamptons

  How to be a good weekend guest.

• » Am I Drinking Too Much?

  Keeping pace with the host.

• » Yes, We’re Still On

  How many event reminders must a person send out?

• » Drunk on Recycling

  Can you ask guests to bring their own cups?

• » Birthday Butchery

  Help! I’m not cut out for cake-cutting.

• » Dinner with Mr. and Mrs. McPerfect

  How to deal with tense dinner party hosts.

• » None of Your Business

  Is it selfish to guard a recipe?

• » Surprise Dinner Parties

  None of the planning, all of the fun.

• » Stain-Free Partying

  Is it OK for hosts to ban red wine from pale furnishings?

• » You Break It, You Replace It

  What to do if you bust your friend's china.

• » Raiders of the Lost Drink

  How to fix a dying party.

• » Downsizing Bad Friends

  What to do when invitations go unreciprocated.

• » Vegetarians at a Barbecue

  The dos and don'ts of meatless grill interaction.

• » Virgin Drink Reminder

  Party beverage advice for the holidays, or anytime.

• » How to Host a Turkey-Free Thanksgiving

  Getting the meat eaters to do without.

From iPhones to digital cameras, new technology presents new etiquette dilemmas.

• » Stop Broadcasting Your Social Life

  Twittering on your digital device.

• » Wait, Lemme Google It!

  The dreaded iPhone faux pas.

• » Gotta Take This Call

  Is it OK to answer your cell phone during dinner?

• » Put Away the Darn Camera

  How to politely photograph restaurant food.

The ins and outs of dining with your kids, parents, and in-laws.

• » Breast Practices

  The etiquette of nursing in restaurants.

• » I Don’t Care If She’s Family

  How to deal with your mother-in-law’s bad manners.

• » Adults Only

  How to politely tell guests not to bring their kids.

• » But, Mom …

  How to get your way on Mother’s Day.

• » Don’t Scream “I Hate Broccoli!”

  Which table manners your kids should mind.

• » Surprise Guest: Mom

  Can you tell a friend not to bring his parent to your party?

• » Drinking While Pregnant

  Should you go on the wagon in solidarity with your pregnant spouse?

• » Kids Gone Wild

  How should restaurants handle misbehaving children?

• » Baby on Board, Drink in Hand

  Can you tell a pregnant boozer to stop?

• » Kids Making Drinks

  Is it wrong to ask minors to mix martinis?

• » Did She Really Just Say That?

  When relatives drink and embarrass you.

On romancing, proposing, breaking up, and dealing with friends’ dates.

• » Joined at the Hip

  It’s bad manners for couples to form social units.

• » It Must Be Like

  A Valentine’s Day dinner date that doesn’t imply everlasting commitment.

• » Dumped Over Dinner

  Is it OK to break up in restaurants?

• » Get a Room

  No fondling over dinner.

• » More than Just Arm Candy

  How to stop a friend from salting your game.

• » Single White Vegan Seeks Same

  Is it shallow to consider diet when dating?

• » Must I Refuse Free Booze?

  What should you do if a stranger buys you a drink?

• » Don’t Hide the Ring in the Flan

  How to propose in a restaurant.

• » Eating While Dating

  Which foods might not get you to third base.

• » Singled Out

  The dos and don’ts of inviting the unattached.

Whether to drink before yoga class, what food to give to the homeless, which fork to use, and more.

• » Sample-itis

  How much can you try before you purchase?

• » On the Rise

  When are you supposed to stand at a meal?

• » The Right Way to Eat Noodles

  Noodle-eating etiquette according to ethnic tradition.

• » Is There Something in My Teeth?

  Oral hygiene among friends and associates.

• » Stinky Seatmate

  What not to eat on planes.

• » Is It Wrong to Play with Your Food?

  It’s a matter of respect, for your food and your company.

• » Chain Letters Aren’t Tasty

  Even when food is the subject, they still annoy.

• » Somebody Took My Lunch!

  How to stop office kitchen thieves.

• » Should You Really Be Eating That?

  Influencing an overweight friend’s eating habits.

• » Wow, You Eat a Lot

  Is it rude to admire a woman’s appetite?

• » Outing Ecoslackers

  How do you change people’s recycling habits?

• » Hiding Your Face on Facebook

  How to handle embarrassing party photos.

• » Fork Etiquette

  Does using the right utensil even matter anymore?

• » Unforbidden Fruit

  How to help yourself from your neighbors’ trees.

• » Bad Breath Intervention

  When offering gum doesn’t cut it.

• » Drunk at Yoga Class

  Is it bad form to go to happy hour first?

• » Caveman Posture

  Is it rude to put your elbows on the table?

• » Who’s Been Eating My Porridge?

  My roommate is stealing my food.

• » Leftovers: The Career Killer

  Does bringing your lunch hurt your chances for success?

• » Do Let Them Eat Cake

  What—and how—to feed the homeless.

• » How to Talk Politics Over Dinner

  The dos and don’ts of election conversations.

• » Stuff I Screwed Up

  Looking back on my bad advice.

• » Etiquette Reform School

  Can I give my seriously rude friend a talking to, or is that just rude?

• » Public Transit Picnic

  Is it rude to eat on the subway?

• » The Chillax Conundrum

  How to turn down social plans for alone time.

• » Camping Karma

  How to avoid forest faux pas.

• » Your Order Is Politically Incorrect

  How to address ethically challenged eaters.

• » Fighting Wine Snobbery

  Don't encourage the wine bores in your life.

• » Enough with the Workplace Candy!

  Is it OK to tell people to stop bringing in sweets?

• » Bailing Before the Host Notices

  The infamous "French leave."