Is The European Way Of Holding A Fork More Efficient?

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Is The European Way Of Holding A Fork More Efficient? By Lindsey Reynolds Oct. 28, 2025 7:00 pm EST

Table manners and dining etiquette vary across cultures, but if you're lucky enough to have dined out abroad, you've no doubt noticed a big difference between the American and European style of eating. The European style, often called the "Continental style," involves holding the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand throughout the meal — no switching up. In contrast, the American style, also known as the "zigzag" method, involves cutting food with the knife in the right hand, then switching the fork to the right hand to eat. So, is the European style of fork and knife etiquette better? Well, it depends.

From a purely mechanical standpoint,