Let me reply to a couple of posts. 1. Learning manners. In the Baltimore Washington region there is a company called the International School of Protocol who I have worked with over the years. There classes are for the young and old, rich and poor - they have dinners through out the region. If its in Baltimore it is elsewhere. I agree those who probably need the instructions the most would not consider that their manners are lacking. 2. From the International School of Protocol, etiquette states that as long as one is dining other diners plates should not be removed. I am the slow diner and without fail at 99% of the restaurants they are always asking to clear my husband and other diners plates while I'm still dining. It was at a Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Conference that I asked the wife and front of house manager of her nationally recognized chef husband about this situation. She said "At casual restaurants it is acceptable to ask to remove the plates while others are still dining but at fine dining establishments plates should not be removed." She also stated that most customer prefer having plates removed when diners are finished even if others are dining. 3. My biggest pet peeves in restaurants - pierced lips, eyebrows and nose rings. Ooooh, pieced tongue - waitstaff can lisp and spit on you at the same time. Perfume-oye! 4. Finally, I have great respect for chefs and restaurateurs. It is a hard hard business dealing with the many quirks of the clientele, staffing issues along with equipment that can go up on the busiest day of the year.
