Entertaining Etiquette

  There are only three scenarios: the man pays, the woman pays, or the meal is Dutch, that is, both participants pay their way. On a “traditional” first date, where the man has invited the woman to a meal, he should always pay. Among friends, checks are usually split, or people take turns paying for…

  When was the last time someone in your party asked for a separate restaurant check? Well, it’s still done every day, but it’s a pain for the servers, and some restaurants won’t do it at all. Splitting the check by each person handing over his or her credit card is much more common now,…

  Downton Abbey, here we come. Those addicted to the PBS drama, like me, can’t help but notice that a large part of the series is centered around food. Many scenes feature formal dinners where the dress is black tie or white tie, and the Crawley family and their guests are served à l’anglaise, with…