When it comes to etiquette, if you need the best then you have to give the best. According to Darren Pawski, most people get ill-treated at restaurants because they are either rude or they are totally clueless about high-end restaurant behavior. If you can master the simple rules of good dining then you will easily pass as a totally refined individual. Here are five essential rules, by Pawski, that should get you great service at any world-class restaurant:

1. Never Wipe your Mouth with a Napkin
You might have seen people dabbing their mouths with the napkin and thought that you can extend it to wiping your mouth. “This is a mistake most people make,” according to Pawski. This white piece of cloth is meant for dabbing the mouth gracefully. Forget about what you might have seen in movies. Do it nicely and you can be assured of great service.

2. Toasting Rules
Contrary to what most people think, one should never stand during a toast as stated by Pawski. He explains that we should always remain seated and extend the glass in the direction of the person toasting. He continues to state that letting your glass tap another person’s glass can be translated as a rude gesture in most high-end restaurants. Another thing he cautions is that every important person should at least be conversant with the order of glasses on the table.

3. Seating
Pawski says that being confused about the seating arrangement can turn an important person into a complete fool. He advises that before you seat ask the hostess about the seating arrangement. This can help one avoid the embarrassment of being asked to move because you sat in the wrong place. He adds that seating posture is also important. He advises against seating while leaning either backward or forward. It does not matter what you are used at home. Furthermore, he says that one should never support their hands on the table.

4. Food
When it comes to eating he insists that we should forget the dining habits we are used to at home. This is because some things that we take for granted such as adding salt before tasting food or picking our teeth at the table might be insulting. He adds that if you need to remove meet from your teeth or blow your nose, you should excuse yourself from the table and go to the washroom.

5. Socializing
Most people like to use the social set up of a restaurant to strike up conversations. According to Pawski, you might end up upsetting people if you are not careful on what you talk about. He explains that people hold different views on issues such as politics and religion. He advises that unless you know where a person stand is on such issues it would be better to talk about the weather.

Pawski concludes by stressing that it can be easy to be mistaken for being rude while what you are is ignorant. He adds that these restaurant rules are easy to master and you can practice them at home. He assures that they will pay out by getting you great service at any high end dining place.