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“How do you eat a wedge salad?” is a question that comes up often in my corporate and university dining etiquette training sessions. I normally suggest not ordering “difficult-to-eat foods,” especially at a business meal. But, with the ever-popular Iceberg Wedge Salad gracing restaurant menus everywhere, I wanted to give my attendees the confidence-building tips for enjoying this ubiquitous menu item.

Knowing how to cut and eat a wedge salad is part of good table manners, whether you’re dining for business or pleasure. These 5 tips will give you the confidence you need to maneuver your knife and fork through this delicious salad.

  1. First, you’ll need both your salad knife and salad fork. They will be the outermost fork and knife in your place setting.
  2. With the fork in your left hand, tines down, secure the “wedge”  near the center. (If you’re left handed, use the fork, tines down in your right hand to secure the wedge.)
  3. While the fork secures the “wedge”, use the knife in your other hand to cut off one bite-size piece of salad from the tip of the wedge nearest you on the plate. (It’s fine to turn the plate so one point of the salad wedge is near you to begin with.)
  4. Only cut one bite at a time. Why? because it’s proper etiquette! And after all, you didn’t order “chopped salad!”
  5. Wedge salads are often served with blue cheese dressing draped over the top and drizzled with bits of chopped hard-cooked egg, red onion, bacon, blue cheese sprinkles, and chopped tomato. However, sometimes the dressing and accompaniments may be placed alongside the wedge. Either way, it’s fine to include a little of these on the fork with each bite.

These 5 tips will help you feel confident any time you encounter a Wedge Salad. You’ll know how to enjoy it flawlessly. Bon appetit!

You may also like to read: Business Dining Etiquette: 5 Foods NOT to Order at a Business Lunch

If you would like additional information on Rachel’s dining etiquette training sessions for corporate or university groups, please contact Rachel at Rachel@EtiquetteTrainer.com

Photo Source: Rachel Wagner