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innovation-hacking2

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shitposting_dataset3

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[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery)." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine..." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now.", ">\n\nI don’t understand why there are rules for these kind of things, pointless." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now.", ">\n\nI don’t understand why there are rules for these kind of things, pointless.", ">\n\nI am left handed so this is false." ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now.", ">\n\nI don’t understand why there are rules for these kind of things, pointless.", ">\n\nI am left handed so this is false.", ">\n\nPeople dont do it like this? Thats how i've done it my whole life" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now.", ">\n\nI don’t understand why there are rules for these kind of things, pointless.", ">\n\nI am left handed so this is false.", ">\n\nPeople dont do it like this? Thats how i've done it my whole life", ">\n\nWell the rule kind of says the more dangerous tool gets into the right hand. Thus the fork is left if you have a knife, yet the fork is right if you have a spoon.\nDont know what you mean with swapping, and Im also not sure in which situation it matters. Unless you eat your steak like a small child (first cutting everything into small pieces so that you never need the knife again).\nAlso you actually need more dexterity and force one the knife side since you only use the fork to pin it down to the plate in order to cut it.\nIn the end its just what you are used to. Imo neither way does make \"more sense\" than the other. Esp since there are also leftys" ]

[ "I don't find it particularly difficult to use my left hand to transfer food from a plate to my mouth hole with a fork... No need to swap, if that's a problem.", ">\n\nSame. I went to a seminar for young professionals where they taught us a bunch of stuff, including the \"continental\" style of using your fork and knife (i.e., using it in your left hand). It took no time to figure out, and I've been doing it that way ever since.\nI don't know if it's true, but during the seminar, they said that one of the ways the Russians used to catch American spies was that they swapped their knife and fork when eating. Now that I type that, it's probably a lie, but I'll go with it anyway.", ">\n\nReminds me of Inglorious bastsrds where the British guy gives himself away by using the \"western\" three-fingers up instead of using the \"german\" three-fingers up.", ">\n\nI find it fascinating that such small things could give someone away.", ">\n\nKnives are sharp. I feel it makes sense to have as much control over the instrument as possible.", ">\n\nThis initially sounds intuitive, yet somehow as a right-hander the one thing my left hand is very adept at is slicing steak.", ">\n\nI mean your hand will get used to doing what you often do", ">\n\n( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)", ">\n\nwhat do you do with your left hand anon?", ">\n\n( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°)", ">\n\nYour knife should be in whatever hand you want it to be in. If the food gets in your mouth without making a mess, you're doing it right.", ">\n\nThis!! So much this! Why does it matter so much, and who made a “rule” saying it should be one way or the other? \nSuch a dumb thing IMO", ">\n\nIt's etiquette, it's less and less relevant but every restaurant will still put the knife on your right and fork on your left.", ">\n\nWhy do people have to swap hands and put their knife down?", ">\n\nIt's the barbarian way. Civilized people know that you don't put the knife down and you have no trouble using your left hand to get food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYou should have no problem using the knife in your left hand.", ">\n\nWhy would I want to put a cutting tool into my worse hand? The only thing my left hand is better at is peeling things for some reason. Knife stays in my right and I'm fully capable of shoving food into my mouth with my left.", ">\n\nIf you can manage to cut yourself while eating, you might be the barbarian you speak of lol. And the dexterity for the fork isn't to move the food from plate to mouth, it's to pick the food in the first place. Some foods are hard to pick up if you're not using your dominant hand, it just feels awkward.", ">\n\nThe knife goes in the dominant hand so your able to stab your mother in law.", ">\n\nShit I really wasn't expecting to laugh, good one", ">\n\nI feel like it takes more far more dexterity to do the cutting with the knife than stabbing with the fork.", ">\n\nI'm right handed and my left hand is not able to find my mouth. Cutting stuff is easy on the other hand. \nI would embarrass myself holding the fork in my left hand.", ">\n\nAbove your chin below your nose. I'm not saying you're stupid but have a hand to face talk with your left hand, there's issues that need to be resolved.", ">\n\nI've always done this. I agree, it's easier and feels more natural to me. But I've been called weird or lefthanded a lot because of it.", ">\n\nA lot? Really? \nI can't think of a single time anyone has commented on which hand I hold my utensils in", ">\n\nWhen you're at a restaurant with people in suits, and there are 4 forks, knives, and spoons lined up around your plate, people notice it a lot more.", ">\n\nI thought people used whatever hand is dominant for knives", ">\n\nNope. I’m right handed but hold the knife in my left hand. My kids are the same.", ">\n\nLefty here... knife in the right, fork in the left.", ">\n\nSame, went through a lot of life never knowing people were passing their cutlery back and forth between hands. Made me deeply question why place settings have forks on the left.", ">\n\nWait... you guys switch hands to cut?", ">\n\nIve heard Americans do this… never heard it from people in other countries", ">\n\nIt's the norm in Colombia.", ">\n\nTo switch hands? \nIt sounds extremely complicated", ">\n\nYeah, but it's very simple. You hold the fork with your dominant hand, and when you're gonna cut something, you just take the fork with your non-dominant hand, the knife with the dominant, cut, eat, and then swap again (and put the knife down) if you're not going to keep cutting.\nIt does sound like a complicated process, but it's done almost automatically.", ">\n\nIts way to much work. Just eat with your left hand", ">\n\nNo thanks", ">\n\nMy dominant hand is my left. What now? Also why would you ever put your knife down to swap hands? Just keep the cutlery on the hands they start in. My knife is in my right hand and my fork in the left just like everybody else I know", ">\n\nLefty here- they gotta just let us have this one thing 😩 after years of scissors, getting marker on our hands, rifle shells flying at our eyes, baseball gloves and other sports equipment being dominant, we at least have one thing for us which is the fork and knife combo.", ">\n\nall these rules related to etiquette are so dumb", ">\n\nThis, ever so much. If the only reason people can give for following some particular rule of etiquette is some variation of “that’s just how you’re supposed to act”, I’m certainly not going to feel any obligation to follow it.", ">\n\nThis is the true unpopular opinion of this post", ">\n\nLeft handed here with 30+ years of experience, using the fork with my dominant hand, no problem for cutting with the other hand, I totally agree with you !", ">\n\nFellow lefty here. Just curious, if you’re using just a knife to, say, cut veggies or bread or something, like you’re preparing to cook… do you use the knife with your left or right hand?", ">\n\nAm also a lefty, when doing prep like chopping veggies, etc. I use my left hand. But when eating, knife is in right hand, fork in left.", ">\n\nWhy are people putting the knife down and swapping the fork back and forth between hands? That seems like such a faff and waste of time.\nFork in left hand knife in right hand, cut food, eat food and repeat until meal is finished, no need to put the knife or fork down unless you need to leave the table 🤷‍♂️", ">\n\nI thought I was going crazy. Are people really swapping hands? I've never seen that.", ">\n\nThey’re trying to say it’s an American thing? I’m an American and I’ve never done this nor have I seen it in my life..", ">\n\nSo even the who-cares crowd will still choose between fork left or fork right and stick with it. Why aren't the knife and fork allowed to switch place mid-meal? Is this some superstition thing? Does it open a portal to a hostile dimension?", ">\n\nIt's useful to build a habit of having the tool you put in your mouth consistently placed. Less chance of absent mindedly cutting your tongue.", ">\n\nlol, I can't imagine being THAT absent minded. Switching your knife and fork after cutting just happens on autopilot out of habit.", ">\n\nI mean I do left fork right knife as a leftie and it's pretty ideal", ">\n\nI've always been ridiculed at the dinner table for this. My reasoning was always that I have more control over the fork with the right because all the knife does is cut back and forth. Truthfully I have no idea why I do it.", ">\n\nme too - exactly the same experience and rationale !!", ">\n\nUm, eat like a European. Saves times. Keep both utensils in hand at all times and shovel food into your mouth.", ">\n\nYeah, the utensil swapping thing is definitely an American thing. iirc it had something to do with the more privileged class ages ago tacitly showing how they didn’t need to rush and had all the time in the world to swap their fork between hands.", ">\n\nCould you explain what the swapping entails? I’m Italian and I’m not sure I understand. Say a “swapper” is eating a steak - how do they go about it? I only know the “fork in left, knife in right, cut piece, utensils remain held in same hands, bring morsel to mouth with left hand, repeat”", ">\n\nI’ve got you covered. This lady shows the difference between the 2 styles at around 1:28. The swapping style was never meant to be efficient but rather to be as inefficient as possible, odd as that might sound.", ">\n\nThank you! I couldn’t believe that swapping the way I was understanding it from other comments entailed putting things down so often, so I was confused but - nope, that’s it, indeed! I can’t help but find it extremely odd that this has survived into modern times, huh", ">\n\nhonestly i prefer the knife in my right hand because my right hand is stronger and more coordinated. i just put the knife down and eat with my right.", ">\n\nI feel like as kids we were taught to use the knife with our dominant hand to have more control over it, and then we just kept doing it.", ">\n\nI like to tape my cutlery to my fingers and get some sense of what it must have been like to be Johnny Depp at his peak.", ">\n\nI was using them like do all the time. I don't think that's an unpopular opinion but a logical fact.", ">\n\nHaha you guys can argue about cutlery. I mainly eat with my hands.", ">\n\nYou put the dangerous one, the knife, in your dominant hand. Stabbing and holding the forking still is easy for either hand. Keeping the knife straight and moving back and forth is much more difficult for the non-dominant hand.\nAs a righty, I cut with the right hand, just like when using a kitchen knife.", ">\n\nI’m picturing a dinner party with prime rib. Picturing everyone trying to cut said meat with the non-dominant hand. Now picturing meat sliding and flying around the table because have you ever tried to cut prime rib with the wrong hand? This would never work because it would be far, far too messy.", ">\n\nYeah that's kind of what it boils down to, I can handle fork duty just fine with my left hand but left-handed knife work gets real sketchy real fast.", ">\n\nIf your left hand is incapable of delivery food into your mouth, you might want to see a doctor. \nKnife goes to your right/dominate hand because cutting requires more fine motor skills than just holding something still.", ">\n\nIf you’re having problems moving food from the plate to your mouth you may be putting yourself or others in serious danger by attempting to utilize a sharp cutting utensil with said non-dominant hand", ">\n\nWhy do you swap? Just keep your knife in right hand and use your left hand to hold the fork and eat", ">\n\nOnly Americans cut everything up and then eat with a fork. Europeans employ both hands and both utensils at the same time. This is the best way.", ">\n\nUm Americans do this too lol don’t know if I’ve met anyone over the age of 10 or under the age of 80 who has everything cut up before they eat it, and that’s just cause someone has cut it up for them. Im also an American who lived in France in my childhood and don’t pay attention to how others eat so I could be wrong", ">\n\nThe way you've described is the way most Americans eat.", ">\n\nWith all due respect, I believe you’re mistaken. \nThe “American” style is to hold the knife in the dominant hand, and use the fork in the non-dominant hand to hold the food in place while cutting. Then the knife is set on the edge of plate, and the fork is swapped to the dominant hand to eat the food.\nWith the “Continental” style, the knife is also held in the dominant hand for cutting, but after cutting you just continue to use your fork with the non-dominant hand to eat the food.\nI’ve been an American for a pretty long time and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone use their non-dominant hand for the knife. At least not anyone who I knew well enough to know if they were right or left-handed.", ">\n\nIf any movies or tv shows are to be believed, the American way is to cook everything in bite size pieces and just use a fork whilst picking around everything on your plate.", ">\n\nI'm not sure why Americans swap before eating. I think it'd be easier if you guys didn't swap", ">\n\nI've seen people swap while eating, cutting with the utensils in the proper hands, then putting down the knife and swapping the fork to their right hand to bring the food to their mouth, then swapping back and picking up the knife again. It's so weird.", ">\n\nor just raw dog it the american way and use your incredibly dominant right hand to cut your steak with your fork and huge hand muscles and determination.", ">\n\nKnife in your dominant hand, because its the tool doing the work.\nAnd why are you putting the knife down?\nWhat's with all this swapping?\nKeep your knife in your dominant hand, so you control the most dangerous utensil, don't put it down..\nYou only put cutlery down to drink, or when you finish your meal.", ">\n\nI was always told if your knife and fork are together, it means you’re finished. If they’re on opposite sides, it is not yet finished. I often put both utensils down opposing towards the end for assessing. Also the knife has a simple back and forth motion and then rests while the dominant hand does all of the work. It’s constantly in use. The knife is there for the hard bit and that’s it? By having the most dangerous utensil in your non dominant hand you’re signifying not threat. Like shaking with the left as a sign of lowering guard. Also its like starting a nail with your hammer in your non dominant hand? I will agree on the swapping tho, I’ve never seen it and I never hope to.", ">\n\nOR just eat with knife and fork, there is zero reason to put the knife down and switch hands for the fork, its incredibly easy", ">\n\nWasn’t this just posted?", ">\n\nYou do know its just a weird american thing to be swapping your utensils hands during the meal. In the UK we just use both hands and keep each utensil in one hand, no need for \"swapping\"\ndifference shown here", ">\n\nI actually do this, i don't know why - but it has always felt natural, + i'm...lucky (?) enough to have ambidexterity ( being able to use both left and right hand with the same precision )", ">\n\nDo you use your left hand to hold kitchen knives?", ">\n\nMy left hand is too dumb to cut anything other than mashed potatoes yo", ">\n\n“it doesnt require a great deal of dexterity”\ntell that to one bad steak I ate last time it was so chewy the meat is complaining in my mouth", ">\n\nLolol", ">\n\nI'm American and I cut one bite at a time, so I never swap/always keep knife in right hand. I put my index finger on the back of the fork and use it to push down on whatever I'm picking up.", ">\n\nI can’t remember when it happened but I switched to using my fork with my left hand (tines usually faced down) and knife with my right. When not using a knife, I use my right hand for my forking. Seems pretty easy to switch around. Don’t even know why this is an opinion, unpopular or not.", ">\n\nWhat the fuck are these comments? I swap utensils because my right hand has better dexterity for cutting while my left hand has better strength for gripping, but it sucks for lifting shit into my mouth. Why is this so hard for people to understand?", ">\n\nI think it's weird how people assert how to \"eat properly\" with cutlery, as long as food doesn't run off the place or fall out of your mouth.\nI prefer it the same way you do, but I stopped as I had a controlling parent that meant I should do it the right way, so now I'm not used to the way that felt natural to me anymore.\nAll in all, I think people should be allowed to eat using utensils however way they want, as long as previously mentioned conditions are met.", ">\n\nYou're going to not use your dominant hand on the manipulation of a sharp object? Ok, lol", ">\n\nFriendly reminder that high society \"proper\" dining etiquette was completely made up and to some degree ment or be unintuitive and had to be learned as the ruling class used it as one of many means to separate themselfes from peasants.", ">\n\nOr... Y'know... Whatever the person is most comfortable with? Didn't realize physical ability was up to opinion now...", ">\n\nI always believed you cut then swap hands so you don’t eat so fast. It’s like eating soup you slide the spoon to the back of the bowl instead shoveling it into your mouth.", ">\n\nStfu nerd i hold my fork and knife however i want", ">\n\nWhy would I swap my fork to my dominant hand? Just put the food in the mouth with the left dummy.", ">\n\nI can't cut good with my left hand so when I have a knife i put the fork in my left", ">\n\nCounterpoint, your knife should be in your left hand and your bigger knife should be in your right hand", ">\n\nI have always eaten this way. I thought it was normal. Right hand dominate, hold fork in right hand.", ">\n\na fork is a dumb tool, a knife is a smart tool. You need better fine motor skills to use a knife than you need for a fork. \nWatch young children try to cut their own meat. a 2 year old can use a fork no problem, but cutting meat requires a lot more fine motor control than they can muster even with their dominant hand at that age.", ">\n\nOr (now hear me out) I just stab my fork into whatever I'm eating and just take a giant ass bite out of it.", ">\n\nI can’t believe this is unpopular.", ">\n\nJust eat the food? I don't see how the order of your hands mean anything.", ">\n\nI just cut all my food first then put the knife down and eat. I don't feel like cutting one piece, eating that piece, then cutting another and repeating the entire time. Just cut it all at once then forget the knife", ">\n\nThe only reason I can think of that would possibly make you swap is because you aren’t using your fork facing down. Fork curve facing up is actually kind of annoying but face down you shouldn’t ever have to swap", ">\n\nEXACTLY", ">\n\nYou are not supposed to either put your knife down or swap. Fork left, knife right. It's really not that hard. Basic etiquette, no wonder people nowadays behave like apes.", ">\n\nI respect your point. But some people are used to knife right and fork left. While others (like me) are used to knife left and fork right. Depends for me whether you're left or right handed and where/how you've been raised.", ">\n\nIt shouldn't matter what hand the fork spoon or knife go in. We have two hands why does it have to make a difference, besides looking \"fancy\". use whatever hand it's more useful in at the moment. like most people switch hands anyway because they prefer using their dominant hand for more intricate stuff and the other hand for a helper.", ">\n\nOnly Americans put down their knife and swap hands with the fork.", ">\n\nIf you're that concerned with the most efficient way to shovel food into your pie-hole, just go without utensils.", ">\n\n'Should' sounds silly to me - use whatever is best for you (likely primarily based on whether you are left- or right-handed.", ">\n\nAs a left handed person I completely agree thats how it should be for right handed people. I ate the normal way for like 15 years before finding out I ate “right handed”", ">\n\n(I'm left handed) wait do you people need to use the knife in your dominant hand?? Omg lefties are superior", ">\n\nI've eaten this way since forever. Nobody taught me which hand to use, this was just natural to me. So that proves your point.", ">\n\nI couldnt agree more, as a left hander this is one of the only times i feel im on the lucky side of the rules. I also think its weird right handers will hold their fork in their left hand when using a knife but if they are only using a fork or spoon it goes in their right hand.", ">\n\nThis is exactly how I have always held my cutlery... Have always been told by my friends and family that I'm backwards 😅\nGood to know I'm not the only one! 🤣🤣", ">\n\nI want the weapon in my dominant hand", ">\n\nI think it's funny that you think my left hand can actually use a knife. As if it's not fucking useless. The ONLY thing my left hand is capable of operating is the left side of the keyboard.", ">\n\nI am astonished how many people are willing to admit that their dexterity is apparently good enough to wield a knife in their non-dominant hand without concern, but oh my god, you want my non-dominant hand to move my fork, the horror!", ">\n\nDining etiquette is for boomers. It’s one thing to be polite but proper dining etiquette is outdated, unnecessary, and pedantic. It literally does nothing to improve your motor or social skills.", ">\n\nOnly Americans do the swapping lol", ">\n\nI agree completely. I've been doing it this way my entire life.", ">\n\nMy wife eats like this and it drives me insane, congratulations on you unpopular opinion lol", ">\n\nUsing a knife and fork is a dying art. Most people have never been shown nor been in a situation where they needed to anyway. \nSo at this point it don't matter. Just stab your chips and nuggets and nom nom nom", ">\n\n\"A dying art\". Lol really? That's some pompous nonsense.", ">\n\nWhen you've eaten dinner with enough people who have never used a knife and fork, let alone properly you can say whether it's a dying art or not. \nThen again, if you'll never be in company of those that know how to eat with a knife and fork it doesn't matter, does it? \nStab, stab, stab, nom, nom, nom.", ">\n\nThis is how I eat and I don’t care what anyone says", ">\n\nWhen knife is being used, the knife becomes the dominant tool while the fork becomes the support that holds the food down. That’s the logic anyway. Many here are saying these etiquette are stupid and/pointless but these things have been designed with more than old manners in mind.", ">\n\nWhere my British people at? Fork stays in the left, knife in the right the entire time. It’s how I learned to eat with utensils.", ">\n\nYeah because we're not neanderthals lmao", ">\n\nOr you could just use your fork with your left hand without swapping, because it is not that hard and it is how most people outside USA do it.", ">\n\nI'm an American in my 40's, and I've only ever seen one person put the knife down and then swap the fork to the other hand, and every one else at the table commented on how odd it was. Every other American I've ate with in my entire life just chooses a hand to hold the utensils in and doesn't swap. I go fork left, knife right.", ">\n\nMy knife stays in my right hand because that’s the hand that does the most work. How the fuck am I meant to cut into a steak with my weaker, non dominant hand?", ">\n\nWith a knife… a knife does most of the work, or should be doing most of the work…", ">\n\nAgreed. The fork does the most complex work. And the most work. Picking, sorting , stacking tiny bits for the perfect bite and transfer food to your mouth. \nKnives barely do anything unless you eat some kind of overcooked shoesoul steak. Just a tiny simple motion. Most knives arent even remotely sharp. The fork is pointy. I would rather take a slap with a dull knife than a pointy fork.", ">\n\nIsn't this the standard already? Am I missing something? And I'm a right hander too", ">\n\nExactly what I do for as long as I can remember.", ">\n\nYou're doing more work with the knife so for me it's logical to be in your dominant hand.", ">\n\nIf you're getting tired because your non-dominant hand doesn't have the energy to cut your food, then there are problems with how that food is cooked :P", ">\n\nWhen you roll a 0 in dexterity", ">\n\nWrong.", ">\n\nThis is how i use my cutlery, so naturally i think you are correct.", ">\n\nI just eat whatever way it is comfortable I even use hands", ">\n\nI m always with the two. I cut while a eat.", ">\n\ndoes that mean that etiquette favors the left handed? i always cut with my left hand and use the fork with my right, but i am left handed", ">\n\nThe only thing you do with the fork is stick it in the food or use it as a shovel, and bringing it to your mouth.\nThe knife is used to push, cut and much more, which is why it's in the right hand, which is to be presumed is the dominant hand.", ">\n\nThe fork is the shepherd, the knife is the sheep dog", ">\n\nThis is weak af 😅 It's not even an opinion lmao you're just giving basic table etiquette lesson.", ">\n\nI’m right handed so nah", ">\n\nI'd rather have my knife in my dominant hand so that way I can be ready to stab anyone that tries to tell me how to eat! Just kidding OP, efficiency is a good reason, but I still have an easier time with the basic movement of a fork in my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nNoooo oh god no please stop noooooo", ">\n\nKnife in right hand because sometimes you need brute strength to cut through things. Fork in left because I play guitar so I am no stranger to doing fiddly dexterous things with my non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nUse whatever hand you like for whatever cutlery you want bro", ">\n\nThis is how\nI eat. I’ve been surprised to find it’s more common than you’d think.", ">\n\ni mean, whichever the most comfortable for you and you can handle the knife probably with that hand, use it", ">\n\nAs a lefty i sometimes get confused.. not just with regard to using cuttlery 😉\nBut, yes... i will start eatingand have to figure out sometimes what my dominant hand is, over how I see others eat. Very weird when that happens...and i promise i finished my lower edication 😀\nEdit: Ha! I do this... fork is left.. in dominant hand..so... begs to wonder... is this different for lefties? We grew up in right hand dominated society", ">\n\nMy left arm is for holding heavy things. My right hand is for things that require manual dexterity.", ">\n\nYess, I’ve found my people! Always felt a bit weird using fork with my dominant hand (right) but to be honest the “correct” way just doesn’t feel right. \nI’ve also found I’m not comfortable with watch on left wrist, I also need to have it on my dominant wrist.", ">\n\nOr you can eat however you want simple as that \nWhy do we always need to make norms everywhere for things that aren't critical", ">\n\nEttiquete rules are completely pointless and stupid, everyone must use the healthier and skiller hand they have and feel more comfortable with. \nYou don't need to give explanations to anyone.\nBeing worried about this banal goatfart instead about real problems that attempt against yours/other's well-being, it's unforgivable.\n(Anyway, who uses the knife all the time when the fork can perfectly bring the strick into your mouth and your teeth can cut it? Not even every meat is meant to be eaten with cultery).", ">\n\nOr... And hear me out... Whatever gets the food into your mouth is fine...", ">\n\nIf you want food all over the table, then i'll do it. Otherwise i'll just stick to the way i usually do it.", ">\n\nI do that anyway. Have I been doing it wrong?", ">\n\nI always do it that way and only learned a few years ago that it wasn't the norm", ">\n\nI do this as well. I remember a teacher in middle school trying to force me to use the knife in my right hand but I refused and I've been using it in my left hand ever since.", ">\n\nIt looks funny when somebody uses their non-knife-dominant hand for cutting a steak. You can clearly tell that they are trying hard to impress", ">\n\nThe knife should be in the hand that is able to apply more force with better precision and dexterity, which is often right hand given you are not a left handed person", ">\n\nLefty here and using the right way. Always seen my right hand as the force hand. Left for the other stuff.\nBut I am also European.\nThe knife is guided by the fork is how I see it.", ">\n\nthis is how I use a knife and fork..I was not aware others didn't use them the same", ">\n\nI do that and i just think it's superior (I'm right handed btw)", ">\n\n“You no only need your knife to cut things back and forth” - tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American!", ">\n\nAll you need is a fork. Stab the meat, hold it up to your mouth, bite off what you want and grin menicingly at everyone else at the table. Done.", ">\n\nSo what i heard is that when everyone holds the knife in the right hand and you are sitting closer together you dont disturb your neighbour as much because cutting needs more space and you dont want to knock each others elbows. Makes sense for me. And on top i see no disadvantage in keeping my utensils in the hands they started in.\nThis is from germany though so might be different.", ">\n\nThis is unpopular opinions not opinions no one gives a fuck about - you do you, stick your fork up your ass for all we care.", ">\n\nIve been using cutlery this way my whole life, actually my whole family does except my mom lol", ">\n\nI agree, I’m left-handed, but I eat the “proper” way for this exact reason, everyone just thinks (not really, but hey) I’m right-handed and eating in the usual order.", ">\n\nLOL,... how regarded is anyone who can't put food in their mouth with their non-dominant hand.", ">\n\nYES, my parents mention it almost everytime but i dont understand how can you be precise with your fork when using it with your left hand when you're right-handed.", ">\n\nHow uncouth the unwashed are.", ">\n\nAgree. I’ve always used it this way. People ask if I’m a leftie - I’m not. What you describe is logical and why I’ve always did that. But I get mocked at events for doing it wrong.", ">\n\nI'm right hand dominant guy and use a knife in my left since I can remember.", ">\n\nIt depends on what I'm eating. Sometimes you need the extra force and control with the knife, sometimes the fork is more important.", ">\n\nMy mother thaught me to eat with the right hand, that's why I also hold fork right and knife left, because the final eating action is done with the fork. I am a right handed person.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, I hold my fork with my left hand and knife in my right.", ">\n\nI'm right-handed and use the fork in my left . I have yet to lacerate myself. But I'll keep you in the loop", ">\n\n\"Without swapping\" is confusing me lol. What's difficult about continuing to eat with your left hand if you're cutting with your right? (How I eat)", ">\n\nThis is the way the majority of the world eats, except for Americans", ">\n\nI eat like this, I'm right handed but my mum was left so guess I picked it up off her", ">\n\ni'm left handed and i go fork in left hand and knife in the right. if i'm cutting food for cooking prep, though, knife in the left. i really can't use a fork for shit in my right hand haha", ">\n\nThis is the way I do it and people act so surprised when they see it. It’s just so much more comfortable for me", ">\n\nI eat with my left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife but with no knife i end up eating with the fork in my right hand", ">\n\nI'm left handed. I have my fork in my left and my knife in my right", ">\n\nI know right! I agree, wish I realised this was unpopular sooner. Although I do have to down vote because I agree, not that it will make a difference.", ">\n\nI'm left handed, that's how I have always held them", ">\n\n???? \nThis is my normal way of using cutlery. Didn't realize people swapped to use a knife. \nCarry on OP", ">\n\nI just keep using my less dominant hand with the fork...? It's not rocket science", ">\n\nI use the fork with my non tominant hand so i don't have to switch and it's easier to use knife in dominant", ">\n\nJokes on you I’m left handed so I’ve been doing it that way 🦊", ">\n\nThis is how I have always used them. For decades now.", ">\n\nI don’t understand why there are rules for these kind of things, pointless.", ">\n\nI am left handed so this is false.", ">\n\nPeople dont do it like this? Thats how i've done it my whole life", ">\n\nWell the rule kind of says the more dangerous tool gets into the right hand. Thus the fork is left if you have a knife, yet the fork is right if you have a spoon.\nDont know what you mean with swapping, and Im also not sure in which situation it matters. Unless you eat your steak like a small child (first cutting everything into small pieces so that you never need the knife again).\nAlso you actually need more dexterity and force one the knife side since you only use the fork to pin it down to the plate in order to cut it.\nIn the end its just what you are used to. Imo neither way does make \"more sense\" than the other. Esp since there are also leftys", ">\n\nIdk about any of you but cutting with my left hand requires a lot of dexterity, and i know how to yo-yo, play video games, etc. all that neat stuff that required hand dexterity. It’s almost impossible actually, because putting enough pressure on the knife while keeping it straight is so difficult" ]