Etiquette Tuesday: Ask First?

[ 0 ] December 29, 2009 |

We’ll get straight to the point on this one: Check before you bring a guest. Ever had someone show up or ever showed up to a dinner party and one of the guest brought an extra person who wasn’t invited?? Ok, so we don’t mean a spouse or significant other but a friend that the hostess did not intend on coming. Most dinner parties are small and a bit more intimate than a large party at a club or restaurant so extra guests could be a bit of an inconvenience for the host.

It’s expected or should be expected by the host that each guest will bring their spouse or significant other but what’s not expected is that you’ll bring your whole entourage. JKGF has multiple groups of friends and sometimes combining two at a time is like mixing oil and water. It is especially bad etiquette when the person clearly doesn’t mesh with the crowd at the dinner party i.e. they’re antisocial or snooty and you knew this before you brought them. For instance, if the party is for your group of girlfriends to just have a night of unwinding and catching up, maybe you should leave your boyfriend at home.

Hostesses nine times out of ten have a set menu, drink list and guest list in mind when they decide to host a dinner party or the like. Be courteous and just ask if you can bring that specific person…it’ll make the night run that much more smoother.

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Category: Food.Fun.Stuff.

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

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