''Hi Katarina! What do I do if accidentally drop food at somebody’s house? How do I pick it up and what do I do with it?''
A.
Dear A.,
thank you for your question!
Accidentally dropping food at somebody’s house can definitely feel embarrassing, especially when we don’t know how to react, but there is no need to despair. Your reaction to such situation very much depends on the venue and the set-up.
Generally speaking, it is always a good idea to ask for a napkin or a dessert plate to minimise the risk of dropping food in the first place. A host or a hostess should prepare these next to the served food, but if they’re missing, you can always ask for one.
If you happen to drop food anyway and you’re standing or sitting casually on a sofa, you should reach for it and simply discard it to the bin. There is no need to feel guilty or overexplain yourself. A brief apology to the host is sufficient.
However, if you’re seated at a table and you’re in the middle of eating, it is better to wait until everyone is finished with their meal instead of crawling under the table to fish out the dropped food. This could make other people uncomfortable as you would have to climb in between their feet.
In many cases, the host or hostess take action first and simply help you get rid of the dropped food without any big fuss.
I hope you will find these tips helpful!
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
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