02-08-2025
Martha Stewart's No-Phone Dinner Table Rule Has Only One Exception
If you're a dinner-party guest at Martha Stewart's home, chances are that you won't be scrolling Instagram while everyone's eating or answering texts instead of conversing with those at the table. But then, that might have a lot to do with the fact that she's Martha Stewart. However, according to the cooking, decorating, and hosting diva, spending time on your mobile at anyone's dinner party is a rude habit. In a 2019 sit-down with Town & Country, Stewart explained that this "rarely happens" at her get-togethers but also noted that there is one exception: bigger events that are not held by an individual at their home.
Think award ceremonies, charity events, galas, and the like; dinners hosted by major organizations for hundreds of guests. These are more professional in nature. The guests are busy movers and shakers, Stewart explained, taking time out of their packed calendars to make an appearance in the first place. When they're on their phones at the table, one can assume it's urgent business.
It's a different ballgame at your friend's or family member's dinner party. "At private homes, I think it's rude to whip out your phone and start talking on it," Stewart added. In general, using your phone when you're someone's guest for the evening is one of the dining etiquette mistakes you want to avoid. While everyone should understand emergencies may arise, looking at your phone for the sake of looking at your phone conveys you're not engaged in the event around you. There's enough going on with conversations to have and courses to enjoy, and it's worth being present and showing you care about the host's efforts.
Read more: 13 International Dining Etiquette Rules We Should All Be Following
Try Avoiding Phone Use At All Dinners For More Enjoyment
According to a study in the United Kingdom by Global Wireless Solutions, 71% of people use their phones at dinner. Those numbers are presumably much lower at parties, considering people likely feel more comfortable paying attention to their phones during casual at-home dinners. Another study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that being on your phone at the dinner table negatively impacts your enjoyment of the meal and experience, so it might be worth trying to take a dinner-party attitude to all dinners and putting your phone aside. You can savor the food and dinner discussions and practice a good, polite habit for future gatherings.
Additionally, consider personalizing your phone's "do not disturb" settings so you can go phone-free at the next dinner you attend but, say, be alerted by your kids' babysitter should any issues arise. This way you can avoid being rude and can be in the moment without worry. This thinking from Martha Stewart is just another way to get more out of future dinner parties, and, of course, there's more where that came from. For example, Stewart says when bringing wine to a dinner party, hosts shouldn't feel obligated to serve it, and guests shouldn't feel offended. The expert's advice for bringing a host gift you feel confident in is to think more outside the box. Thoughtful gifts and a silenced phone stand to make you everyone's favorite guest.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
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