Do's and don'ts when dining at a luxury restaurant

Competing to pay for meals, changing places on your own... are two of the things Michelin-starred chef Matthew Mawtus recommends you avoid.

Matthew Mawtus, manager at an Indian restaurant in London (UK), offers tips for customers when dining in luxury places.

Matthew Mawtus' Michelin-starred Hide restaurant in London, England. Photo: Hide

Do not arbitrarily move tables, ask support staff

Michelin-starred restaurants often divide the work clearly and specifically with each person. Everything works according to the predetermined plan. Therefore, even a small change by a guest can affect the restaurant, such as arbitrarily changing tables. This is a very simple thing at budget restaurants, but not at high-end restaurants, because it can cause the workload of the staff to be out of sync.

"We divide the restaurant into sections, each waiter will manage that part. The restaurant will put guests at specific tables, instead of letting the guests choose because they don't want to fill a section, and the portion Others are left vacant. This helps staff to evenly distribute the workload, avoiding the situation of one person being overloaded. It also helps guests receive equal care," Mathew said.

Don't compete to pay bills

Competing to pay can stem from generosity. But when you all hand out your cards at the same time, it can put the waiter in a dilemma. Because at that time, they will have to decide who to take money from. "We don't know who you are, and we really wish you could come to an agreement about this payment."

Customers pay with WeChat Pay in a restaurant in Guangzhou, China. Photo: Reuters

Don't order the second cheapest bottle of wine on the menu

Wine lists in Michelin-starred restaurants can be overwhelming for diners in terms of variety and price. But most people often make the mistake of ordering the second cheapest bottle of wine on the menu. Instead, you should talk to the waiter so he can give advice because they know best what types are in the cellar anyway.

Also, you don't have to be embarrassed to talk frankly with the staff about how much you want to spend on a bottle of wine. Besides, ordering the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu isn't bad, and you shouldn't think it's the worst-tasting bottle either. In fact, every wine served in luxury restaurants is hand-picked by experts.

Do not leave a bad review on the forums

If you are not satisfied with the meal, or the service, please express it directly to the restaurant so that they have a chance to fix it, instead of holding the "angry" back home. and discharge on the network. Talk to the restaurant manager for a change of portion if you are not satisfied. If you speak at mealtime, everything will be fixed. And when you complain on TripAdvisor, for example, the restaurant can't go back in time to change it to your liking.

Don't make last-minute dietary requirements ordering

Many guests come when they report they have certain food allergies, or ask to make special dishes to suit their diet. This inadvertently makes it difficult for the chef. Therefore, the sooner you provide the restaurant with your request, the better time they will have to serve you.

"We had a female guest who always asked for light cooked dishes. She emailed us a few days before the dinner she was coming in. We appreciated it because she gave We have time to prepare," Matthew said.

Instead of everyone holding their phones and using them during meals, let's put them aside and spend time with friends and relatives. Photo: 310nutrition

Don't forget this is a time for human connection.

One of the few places that guarantees you a relaxing evening, having fun chatting with your lover and friends is at a luxury restaurant. So don't waste this experience. Turn off your phone and spend quality time with the people around you. Matthew said that he has encountered many cases where the whole table had 4 people and all were "putting their face" on their personal phones while being served dinner.