Dear Ms. Corporate Manners,
This may sound like a silly question, but I’m going to ask it anyway. In which direction are we supposed to pass food? My grandmother always taught us to pass to the left, but I have a friend who insists we should pass to the right. Which way is the right way?
Signed,
Directionally Impaired Diner
Dear Directionally Impaired,
As a guest at any table, the important thing to remember is to keep all food going in the same direction at the beginning of a meal. The “which-way-to-pass rule” is only meant to provide some type of order and avoid having a guest end up with two dishes at once. Old etiquette books taught us to pass to the left, but today we are taught to pass counter-clockwise to the right. This is because most people are right-handed. (Sorry, left-handed readers.) Also a guest of honor is seated to the right of the host, and if the meal is served family-style, the host always offers the first platter to the guest of honor.
If you need a food item to be passed to you after the initial pass, simply ask the person closest to the platter. Second helpings may be passed in whatever direction is most convenient and practical – right, left or even across the table.
Sincerely,
Ms. Corporate Manners
It made sense when you said that food is usually passed to the right since it starts at the head of the table and should go to the guest of honor next. My husband asked for some tips about dining etiquette since he’s looking for a seafood restaurant to meet some new clients this weekend. Thanks for taking the time to go over which way food should be passed at the table!
Thanks, Rebecca. You are absolutely right! Also, your seafood looks delicious!