Back in July, we reported on Debenhams launching their civilised dining campaign. Upset at the idea that people were buying more forks than knives, the campaign was supposed to highlight the importance of eating proper.
5pm has often questioned the state of the nation’s table manners but, according to a report into family eating habits by Birds Eye and the Department of Sociology at Oxford University, it seems we have been chewing our fingernails over nothing.
The report found that 95% of the people questioned believe that good table manners are important – but what constitutes good manners has shifted over the generations. Sticklers for etiquette might be dismayed to hear that only 54% of people think that holding cutlery correctly is now important. However, 67% of UK adults eat a meal with their family at least three times a week and 61% of us usually eat at a table.
The most important manners nowadays are:
1) Not talking with your mouth full
2) Not using a mobile phone at the table
3) Not reading at the table
4) Not licking your knife
Civilisation, it would seem, is safe.