I can still hear my Dad's voice in my head from when I was 5, "stand up straight and look 'em in the eye."

It was drilled into me. I few things like that taught early like saying please and thank you will take you a long way.

quote:

Originally posted by SigFan:
I was raised to stand whenever a lady enters/departs the room or the table.

Always offer your seat to a female or an elder. Hold the door for everyone, but especially a lady.

Also never eat with a hat on.

Shake hands firmly but carefully so as not to injure the other party.

Make at least some eye contact when conversing with someone, unless they’re wearing sunglasses inside (which annoys the $#it out of me unless it’s for medical reasons.)

No profanity in the presence (earshot) of females or elders. (This was mainly when I was school-aged, but it’s still the gentlemanly way.)

Glove off to shake hands unless actually outside in the cold. Of course now most folks just fist-bump, and besides, I may be the only one in Tucson who wears gloves. Lol

And of course the most basic of common courtesies — Sir, Ma’am, Please, and Thank You!!

I guess I kind of exceeded the topic a bit; my apologies.

This was my upbringing as well. We also never addressed elders by their first name, it was Mr. or Mrs.

A hat should be taken off while, for example, the national anthem is being played, but only for the duration. The rest of the time "hats off indoors" is silly.

I put this in the same category as my holding the door open for someone…I don’t care if they are male or female…old or young…if I have the opportunity to hold a door open for someone, I will and when they say “thank you”, I always reply “you’re very welcome and have a blessed day”…it makes me feel good and hopefully it makes them have a better day

I've spent my life around great businessmen and they were all well mannered salesmen, hail fellow well met enthusiastic with a bit of bs sometimes. Me to. I try to make a good first impression but I'll wear my ball cap to an informal restaurant, hat hair sucks. Now at Ruth's Chris or a Morton's type place I'll look sharp.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
Agree 100% to always stand when possible - It is a sign of Respect - Plain and Simple.

This would be one allowable exception

So I looked at this and then read Airdale26's response (I assume, as it alludes to this pic).

I get that we should try to be respectful of most everyone, even those we don't particularly like. If I was the guy at the booth, I wouldn't turn around and say "Waddya lookin'at, Fucknuts?" If addressed, I'd call him "sir".

But he's not royalty and I'm not his subject. I rise for a judge entering a court room, or the National Anthem. I don't just get up for a public servant interrupting my meal. And that goes for just about any politician, not just the ones I dislike.

Regarding hats, my wife got me this really nice scally cap from Ireland. I really didn't want to put it on the seat in a restaurant. I'm not a hat guy, but the Army taught me to take it off indoors. I asked her if that was still a thing, she said yes. I looked it up, and apparently it comes from the days when hats had a purpose (keep rain/etc off you). You didn't want to drag that inside, so you'd remove your hat. Not sure if that's right or not, but interesting. Hats really are more a fashion thing now.