Dinner etiquette

While dining, is it rude to stop,visit and introduce those accompanying you? Example, my wife and I are dining and an old friend along with his wife and another couple stop, we are interrupted thirty minute or so as everyone is introduced, and dinner is cold. What would have been the best thing for them (or us) to do?

Aug 23, 2011
Dining and Introduction Etiquette
by: Kevin (Modern Manners and Etiquette)

You pose an interesting question about dining etiquette and introduction etiquette. Let's take a look at some of these nuances.

As far as introductions go, it would have been rude for them to not introduce the couple and make a little small talk. If they did not introduce the couple, you would have thought it was impolite. So, making the introduction was the right thing to do here.

Now, when it comes to dining etiquette, it is also impolite for them to carry on a conversation for 30 minutes and allow your food to be cold. The conversation should have been much shorter and the responsibility would have been on them to say something like, "We will leave so that you can get back to your meal."

It would be a little impolite to say something like, "Can we continue to eat our food before it gets cold?" The problem with that is that it shows you are valuing the food more than the conversation.

Those are the basic principles of the situation. It is always polite to introduce, but it should be kept short and sweet.