P.Aitken wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
> >>>>I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
> >>>>order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?

> > Adults should know, and kids should too. You take your
> > cue from what other people are ordering, it's only polite.
> >
> How exactly does this work? How does the first person to order - who is
> almost never the host - decide what to order? How is this person to know
> what the host expects in terms of expenses?

Brief replies to a number of issues raised in this thread/sub-thread:

What I was taught as a child was to observe the hostess, who always
ordered first. Whatever she ordered set the price limit for all the
guests. I think this was once widely known as "etiquette", but of
course it is not widely done nowadays. If you do see your hostess
ordering first, it probably would still work as a rule of thumb.

At a hosted Chinese meal all the dishes are often ordered, or
pre-ordered, by the host. No problem.

When I'm the host I usually say at the outset, "Order whatever you
like, this is a special occasion!" Or something along those lines.

As to children who are old enough to order for themselves, I love it
when they are adventurous enough to step out and try new things. If
I'm the host and want adults only, I say so with the invitation. But
when children are welcome for the occasion, then they can order
whatever they want, just like the adults. -aem