The Pecking Order and 25 Victorian Dinner Etiquette Rules

Complaining about the food was unthinkably rude. A guest accepted what was served, ate what they could, and kept opinions about dry pheasant or alarming pudding locked safely inside. The hostess’s table represented her household’s competence, taste, and status. Criticizing a dish was not just food commentary. It was an attack on the whole domestic performance. If the soup was terrible, one suffered elegantly.