Restaurant Meeting, Greeting Etiquette

When tables in a restaurant are close to one another, or full of patrons and a busy wait staff, proper etiquette is important to follow. Rise from your to meet or greet someone only if etiquette dictates that you do so.

• When a lady passing another seated at a table in a restaurant, stops and shakes hands, the one seated does not rise unless she is very young and the one passing is quite old. 
• All the gentlemen rise and stand until the lady has gone on whether she is known to them or not. 
• The woman whose friend stops to speak to her does not make an introduction unless she is sure that to both an introduction is desired. 
• If the ladies are introduced, they do not rise. 
• If a man stops at the table the gentlemen do not rise unless there is a great difference in ages. 
• Under no circumstances should a woman stop at a table and engage in a long conversation, keeping the poor men standing for several minutes. She should speak a few words to her friend, nod to those in the party that she does know, and go on her way. – From “Standard Rules of Etiquette”, 1930

 

 🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia