"Can I get a..."

[ckelly78z]

Emily Post manners are for the elite, and not needed for the most part in everyday American dining. This doesn't mean that you can stab your food with your fork, or have to put up with "tongue eaters" (that's just gross). It does mean that you need to use a napkin properly, not reach across the table for something, and chew with your mouth closed, and not speak until it's empty.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by speeder

And GTFO my lawn, while you're at it.

[sammyg2]

Does the plastic spoon go next to the plastic fork or next to the paper plate, and are you gonna eat your cheese paper?

[KFC911]

Like a lot of Southerners, I've been watching black & white Andy Griffith reruns my whole life...still do. You can learn a lot from that show imo. I learned table manners from Briscoe Darling...

BREAD!!!

[asphaltgambler]

This thread should be titled.............................People with No Home Trainin'...............

[john70t]

^+1 cashflyer

I've been a waiter several times and I wouldn't have taken offense to that phrase. It's not conforming in the most proper of highbrow english standards but it conveys the message. And of course a 'thanks' goes a long way. Communication is 95% non-verbal anyways. Haven't you ever met those guy/gals who uses the correct verbiage but look you up and down disapprovingly with a half sneer on their face followed by a dismissive wave or a blank wall like they are a robot? I'd prefer to be around the first any day of the week.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by KC911

Like a lot of Southerners, I've been watching black & white Andy Griffith reruns my whole life...still do. You can learn a lot from that show imo. I learned table manners from Briscoe Darling...

BREAD!!!

I can take a bossy mouth, but I ain't about to be beat to death with no spoon.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by KC911

---snip---on the filthy, germ ridden seat, where thousands have been parking their asses ---snip---that's just gross....

Just think about where their hands and fingers have been........they were just at your table earlier......now those grubby filthy hands and fingers were ALL OVER everything in front of you....table....plate.....cup....glass....bowl.... ..silverware.....chair.....bar top....seat.....doorways......

Now tell me again why going out to eat is a "treat"?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Table manners have always been a pet peeve of mine. I don't know if this counts as manners but I'm put off by what I refer to as "tongue eaters". People who extend their tongue allll the way out as if they need to catch each bite of their food on it.

I see them everyday......

[Charles Freeborn]

Don't get me started on this topic.... from someone that says " please, thank you, excuse me....." and holds doors for other people, and when greeted by anyone (like a restaurant server) always asks how they are.... and actually listens to the answer.... as for when I'm in the ground I certainly hope they say I was kind and polite...

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

^^^
I had a tennis buddy who did this the first time I invited him to lunch after a match.
A talented tennis player but from that point on we only played tennis.
I almost barfed at the table.
.
Edit: What I meant is that he would eat with his mouth open...as if he wanted me to see whatever was in his mouth.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by Charles Freeborn

Don't get me started on this topic.... from someone that says " please, thank you, excuse me....." and holds doors for other people, and when greeted by anyone (like a restaurant server) always asks how they are.... and actually listens to the answer.... as for when I'm in the ground I certainly hope they say I was kind and polite...

Was thinking about something like this recently...head stone that might say, "A Generous Man."
.
Folks raised in the South tend to have manners and are polite, I've noticed.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Baz

Just think about where their hands and fingers have been........they were just at your table earlier......now those grubby filthy hands and fingers were ALL OVER everything in front of you....table....plate.....cup....glass....bowl.... ..silverware.....chair.....bar top....seat.....doorways......

Now tell me again why going out to eat is a "treat"?

Gentlemen, may I introduce Jerry Seinfeld....

Being exposed to germs and viruses is good for your immune system!
I remember going to my GP years ago and his kid was eating Cheerios off the carpet in the waiting room.
Yuck!

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by KC911

Like a lot of Southerners, I've been watching black & white Andy Griffith reruns my whole life...still do. You can learn a lot from that show imo. I learned table manners from Briscoe Darling...

BREAD!!!

I just watched that episode the other day. "Meat"!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Was thinking about something like this recently...head stone that might say, "A Generous Man."
.
Folks raised in the South tend to have manners and are polite, I've noticed.

And then they turn around and talk trash the moment you are out of earshot. The midwest is similar. I'll take someone honest and forthcoming over a well polished facade.

Remind me to not have dinner with some of you guys, I won't be able to measure up.

[Por_sha911]

For 11 years I was on the board and volunteered to work with a inner city youth center that reached street kids and drug addicts. When a teen (or 20 something) said "do you have the time?" I would look down at my watch, look up, and say "Yes" and then go about whatever I was doing? Likewise when they said "Can I...?" my reply was "I don't know. Can you?" After a while, the veteran kids would shout out across the room the proper way to say it. They took pride in knowing something the other kid didn't.

I firmly believe that the degradation of the youth is based on a lack of parental restrictions growing up and a lack of self worth. For example, young girls became sluts because no one monitored and restricted their activities, told them the dangers, and they didn't think a guy would care about them unless they "put out". The ones that had self respect weren't as susceptible to peer pressure because they thought more of themselves. But I digress.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by KC911

Like a lot of Southerners, I've been watching black & white Andy Griffith reruns my whole life...still do. You can learn a lot from that show imo. I learned table manners from Briscoe Darling...

BREAD!!!

One could say that everything you need to know about life and how to act you learned from The Andy Griffith Show.

I was just singing 'a cappella' the other day. I forgot the words but know the tune

[sammyg2]

When I grow up I wanna be Rafe Hollister.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

Sometimes stuff like this bothers me. Sometimes I think, what ****ing difference does it make.

You're born. You muddle through life. You die.

When you're in the ground, will people be standing around talking about your perfect diction and manners?

Will a teenage girl holding her fork in a way that somebody deems 'proper' help to end world suffering? Or does it just show that she can be trained, like a dog?

Originally Posted by john70t

^+1 cashflyer

I've been a waiter several times and I wouldn't have taken offense to that phrase. It's not conforming in the most proper of highbrow english standards but it conveys the message. And of course a 'thanks' goes a long way. Communication is 95% non-verbal anyways. Haven't you ever met those guy/gals who uses the correct verbiage but look you up and down disapprovingly with a half sneer on their face followed by a dismissive wave or a blank wall like they are a robot? I'd prefer to be around the first any day of the week.

Here's the thing... I'm not talking about "highbrow" manners, whatever those are. We live in an informal world, (at least most of the time), but people can still show basic manners. Saying, "I'll do the...", without a please or thank you just makes you a low life POS, in my book. In the book of anyone who was raised properly.

"I'll do the..." Are you going to fk the roast beef sandwich? What the hell does that even mean?

There is nothing wrong w Sammy saying, "I'll have the steak." A *please* would be nice but NBD. If he said, "Can I have the steak?", I'd say, "I dunno, how fast can you run? That steak is a mover."

It's about basic communication and consideration for other people at the end of he day. Manners are just a way of acknowledging that there are other people in your presence and they have rights as well, like to not see someone chew food w their mouth open.

[wildthing]

You know I wouldn't mind a tongue eater who's hot...