Where should you put your mask when dining out?
Q: If you wear a mask to a restaurant, when should you take it off and where do you put it?
A: When entering and traveling through a restaurant, I prefer to wear a mask until properly seated. To prevent my mask from falling on the floor, I like to put it in my pocket or a bag, as opposed to on the tabletop. This also makes it easily accessible to resume wearing when a staff member first addresses the table.
At that point, whether I’m the guest or the one working at the restaurant, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to discuss if you’ve been vaccinated and for all parties to establish a comfort level as to whether masks need to be worn at the table for further interactions.
— Donnie Madia, partner/restaurateur, One Off Hospitality
A: While it does depend on the rules of each restaurant, when it comes to indoor dining, typically you would enter the restaurant while wearing a mask. Only once you are fully seated with your party would you then take it off. While you are not expected to put a mask back on between courses, you should put it on if you leave the table for any reason, such as to go to the restroom or to make a phone call.
So where should you put your mask? The rule of thumb when dining is that you want to avoid putting anything on the table that is not a part of the meal, from sunglasses to a clutch handbag or wallet. With masks, there is no exception. More importantly, for sanitary reasons, never put a mask on a dining table or even on top of (or beneath) your napkin.
— Myka Meier is the founder of Beaumont Etiquette and runs a virtual Online Finishing Program