A Date For Dinner (1959)

[Music] hello is Linda there oh is this Miss Taylor well I'm Eddie Williams say do you know where I can reach her I've called three times and she hasn't been home central 6 08 for it too I've got it thanks a lot Miss Taylor bye-bye so Kathy I told Mom if he isn't going to tell her who he is I'm certainly not going to wait for whoever he is to call again hello hello oh hi elinda this is Eddie Williams boy are you hard to get a hold of called you three times last week I didn't know you were calling you never left your name oh I'm sorry I wanted to know if you'd like to go out to dinner with me Saturday Saturday this Saturday well yeah that is if you're not busy we could make it some other time oh no I'm not busy I'd love to go well pick you up about 7 then I'll be ready fine goodbye bye the phone address work yes sir but I've never been out on a dinner date before I'm just scared to death why you know check rooms and waitresses and ordering and it's so complicated I just know I'll do everything wrong and Eddie will never ask me to go silly there's nothing to going out for dinner not for you if I had an ant who owned I'd know how to act tooa the restaurant's closed on Mondays I'll ask Aunt Kate over tonight and we'll ask her about all these things that are bothering you besides the folks are going out so this will be sort of fun but come on over after dinner I'll get it there's Linda now she's really upset about it aun Kate that's why I asked you to bring menus Jerry oh hi Linda Oh For Heaven's Sake you staying home for a change well I'm always home you know that and I know why you're here big date coming up huh H maybe maybe well Aunt Kate and Kathy are in the dining room Aunt Kate you remember my friend Linda Taylor why yes how do you do Linda I'm happy to see you thank you Mrs Jefferson it's nice to see you again I understand you have a big date Saturday yes I do and Kathy tells me you're a little upset well oh Linda there's really no need to be upset over how you should act may I ask you something sure Mrs Jefferson were you self-conscious when Jerry helped you with your coat golly no he always does when he's here and because you're comfortable with him you're not self-conscious isn't that right well it threw me the first time you did it really jar go on Mrs Jefferson there's the secret right there Linda the more often you do something the easier it is now what we're going to do is practice right here with you Kathy and Jerry first we'll set the table I'll need your help Kathy you get the place mats and Jerry you get the menus they're in the living room let's practice from the beginning now this will be the Hat check stand you take over there Kathy and Linda you and Jerry put your coats on and enter from the [Music] kitchen the gentleman holds the door for the girl and lets her precede him into the restaurant they both go to the hatcheck stand where it is proper if the girl desires for her to check her coat or she can keep her coat and drape it over her chair back after she is seated you wait at the entrance of the dining room for the hostess to guide you to your table the hostess goes first then the girl and the man follows usually the hostess will indicate the chair that provides the most desirable View for the girl sit down slowly to give your escort a chance to slip your chair up to the table if you're still too far away from the table rise slightly so he can push the chair closer don't just plop in the chair and expect him to lift you and the chair to the table he may not be a weightlifter a restaurant will provide more silver than you usually find on your dinner table at home and it's placed so you more or less work from the outside in toward your plate as the courses are served there is usually a soup spoon a coffee spoon and a dessert spoon then a butter knife and knife to cut your meat now on the other side you have your salad for fork and your regular [Music] Fork naturally you will carry a small purse that rests easily in your lap because you never put your purse on the table you immediately unfold your table napkin not all the way just halfway so the fold is toward you then look at the menu you will have ample time to study the menu and you may ask about any dish that has a name you menus are nothing to be confused about once you become familiar with them notice that there are two price lists one for alart and one for toble do which is the complete dinner the left side items which means you receive only the entree portion of the too do the entree is the main course and allart includes only the main course potatoes salad bread and butter and sometimes a vegetable if you order alicart the appetizer coffee and dessert cost extra the right side of the menu is for the toble do this costs more [Music] such you will usually find several appetizers listed to choose from some of them you drink others will be served with their own spoons or cocktail forks with which to eat them if there is no price beside it that means the appetizer is included with the price of the dinner and you choose only one if you choose one that has a price beside it the cost of it will be added even to a complete dinner after the appetizer the waitress will bring soup soup dour translated literally means soup of the day and it's perfectly all right to ask what is the soup dour you might not want to order soup if it's a kind you don't care [Music] for after choosing your entree or meat course you will have a choice of salad dressings so make up your mind whether you want French oil and vinegar garlic garlic or rord avoid using a knife to cut your salad it's preferable to use a fork you also have a choice of vegetables and you will be asked how you want your potatoes usually baked whipped french fried or Cottage fried you cut one bite-sized portion of meat and finish eating it before cutting [Music] more if there is gravy left and you would like to eat e it you may do so by putting a small piece of bread down on the gravy and then eating it with your fork as if it were any other helping on your plate most people prefer to wait and have coffee with their dessert when you've stir the sugar and cream into your coffee be sure to put the spoon on the saucer it's Bad Manners to leave your spoon in the cup the same rule applies after you have finished your dessert if it is the kind served in a sherbet dish which has its own serving plate like ice cream fruit or gelatin your escort will give your order to the waitress and a well-trained waitress seldom it ever ask the girl a direct question if she should however common courtesy demands that you answer her you wanted oil and vinegar dressing on your salad yes our oil and vinegar has a little garlic in it will that be all right oh well I'll have the French dressing then two with French dressing after the weight takes your order she leaves in the meantime you might like to have one of the roles the waitress or bus boy brought when you first sat down always break off a small portion of the Roll butter and eat that before breaking off more you never cut a roll with your knife and if an accident occurs it's not the end of the world anyone can have this happen if you drop something you just leave the item on the floor and let one of the restaurant employees pick it up later in the meantime your escort will wait until your waitress is within easy hearing distance to say waitress yes sir we dropped a fork here could we have another one please of course sir at no time does he raise his voice nor tap a glass with silverware to attract her attention if he can't locate the waitress the hostess will notice and come to help when You' finished your meal you may blot your lips light with your napkin avoid staining the table napkin with lipstick do not refold the napkin simply place it unfolded beside your plate although a minimum of makeup repair is permitted at the table your date probably would prefer confine all face fixing to The Powder Room in which case you say will you excuse me please [Music] sure your escort will take care of the check leaving a tip for the waitress equal to perhaps 15% of the [Music] bill he does not tip the Hat check girl until you retrieve your coats then he may leave 15 cents or so for each coat that's all there is to it Linda easy isn't it it's all in knowing how I'll get it it's not so difficult Mrs Jefferson I think practicing this way is a good idea and Jerry I enjoyed the dinner well you're sure a big eater oh the phone call is for you Linda me thank you excuse me okay sis give me back my quarters hello Eddie how did you know I was home oh well wherever you want to go is all right with me oh golly I'd love to go I'll be ready goodbye