Five Tips for Proper Prom Dinner Etiquette

As prom is getting near it is about time to start picking out your outfits and accessories and getting your date. Prom can be a very special time in the life of a teenager so it is important to know all the rules of prom. Going out to dinner is one of the many traditions people have before going to prom. If you are thinking of going to dinner with your prom date, here are some prom dinner etiquette tips that might help you out.

One great tip for proper prom dinner etiquette is to make sure you have a reservation to the place you want to go. This is a great tip because usually people will double date to prom and the dinner and you might have a large group of people. Proper prom dinner etiquette is to make sure you have reserved a seat for you and any other people that might be going with you to your prom dinner. You also want to make sure you are reserved and not very loud or annoying during your prom dinner. Being classy and acting like an adult is great prom dinner etiquette because it shows you are mature enough to handle an adult dinner as a young couple. Getting loud will only make you look foolish and will most likely result in your group being asked to leave.

You also want to make sure if you are a guy that you open the doors for your lady, this is a very good prom dinner etiquette tip. If you are a guy you want to open the car door for your date as well as the doors to the restaurant and any other doors you go through. Opening the door for your date if you are a guy is very good etiquette to use wherever you are and is a very good way to show you are a gentleman. Opening the door for your date is just a sign of respect and it shows you have manners. Also, once inside the restaurant the guy should pull the seat out for the girl as another sign of prom dinner etiquette.

Reading through the menu and asking appropriate food questions is also a sign of prom dinner etiquette. You do not want to jump on the first meal that stands out to you, you want to look reserved and like you are really thinking about your options. Even if you know what you want you should look at the menu for at least five minutes to give everyone ample time to make their dinner selections. If you go in there knowing what you want and do not even look at the menu it might make other people around you feel rushed and uncomfortable. You should also gather the menus when everyone knows what they want and stack them nicely on the table to hand to the waiter.

Allow the server to bring your food out to you and sit it down on the table which is another great prom dinner etiquette tip. Do not be grabbing the plates from the server just so you can get your food first because this is rude and shows poor manners. Allow the server time to put each plate down one at a time and also allow the server to ask you if there is anything else you need. Giving the server space and time to deliver your meal is a great way to show you have both manners and patience. Do not rush through your meal to get done first because this will make you look like a pig and shows you have no control over eating. Do not make obscene gestures or noises such as a burp because this is just not classy to do in a restaurant around other people. Make sure you use all of your dinner manners that you would do with your family.

The most important prom dinner etiquette tip is to also make sure you leave an ample tip. Since most prom dinners are in a group of four or more, your tip should reflect this. Some restaurants will automatically calculate your tip based on the price and number of people which is around 17 percent for large groups. No matter how much your meal cost or how many people you have, it is prom dinner etiquette to give at least 12 percent tip. Remember, a server generally relies on their tip money as their main source of income because their hourly wage is usually under four dollars. Think of the number of people in your group and make at least three dollars for each person go to the tip. If you are alone footing the bill for your dinner, you should take about 20 dollars and set it aside for the tip. Showing you know how to tip someone is a great way to show you have manners and is a proper way of showing dinner etiquette no matter what the situation. Also, do not complain about the amount of the bill or the amount you will need to give for a proper tip. Keep it to yourself if you feel the bill was too much or the tip is too much and it is taking away from your party money.