Don't You Ever Engage In This 'Rude' Behavior At Martha Stewart's Dinner Parties

From sharing crowd-pleasing cocktail recipes (hello, Martha-rita!) to dispensing tips on setting a traditional Thanksgiving table, Martha Stewart is the ultimate source for all things entertaining. After all, she wrote her first book about it back in 1982. Given that she's been a hostess many times since then, you can bet that she also knows a thing or two about party guest etiquette.

Many folks know the old-school basics: no elbows on the table, no chewing with your mouth open, no reaching over someone to grab the salt and pepper. But, the basic rules of dinner party politesse have evolved for the 21st century. In Stewart's book, they now include being mindful about your smartphone.

When asked her thoughts about typing away at the table back in 2019, Stewart told Town & Country magazine, "At big dinners, like if you're at a charity dinner, when I'm on a dais for an award ceremony or something, everybody's on their phone under the tablecloth, because they have things to do. But no, at private homes, I think it's rude to whip out your phone and start talking on it." Not that she has to worry much about dealing with such bad behavior at her own gatherings, given that she prefaced her answer with, "At my table? That rarely happens." Better keep that in mind if you're ever lucky enough to snag an invite to break bread with the queen.

The hospitality guru has been outspokenly against cell phone usage at the table for more than a decade now. In 2012, Martha Stewart bemoaned the fact that multiple friends she had recently gone out to dinner with were fiddling with their phones. And she also disappointed by the situation at a neighboring table, where it appeared that the children of a woman celebrating her birthday all sat in silence, their eyes locked on their respective screens. "That's not the most attractive scene for a mother's birthday," Stewart said at the time (via All Things Digital).

When someone has painstakingly prepared their home, table, and menu for your enjoyment, spending your dinner distracted by a screen is no way to thank them. Choosing to disconnect for a couple of hours is an act of genuine politeness, but the benefits extend to you as well. By sidelining your screen, you allow yourself to fully engage with your fellow attendees, savor your meal, and perhaps even spark some new friendships.

The bottom line is that as a guest, your job is to contribute to the atmosphere. The most valuable contribution you can make is your undivided attention — to your host, your fellow attendees, and the meal in front of you. If you absolutely must shoot a text or answer a call, briefly excuse yourself from the group, and then dive right back in when you return.