No Jacket Required

Personally, I like to be comfortable when I am eating. For me, comfortable is a nice pair of well-fitting jeans and a dressy shirt. And in spite of what some ignorant people think, I (along with many others dressed alike) actually act with more manners than many of the "better dressed". You don't see us treating the servers as though they are somehow beneath us. We don't make messes on the table and have the attitude "it's their job to clean it up". And I have seen many dressed up people who allow their children to act like maniacs the entire time they are there, even to the point of disturbing others.

Also, how another person is dressed really has no affect on whether or not I enjoy my own food. It is really sad that some people allow it to affect them so much. They must have really pathetic lives.

" Ultimately, I think it's for the best" Sure, Andrew Knowlton, its for the best that everyone thinks its okay to dress like a slob. Thanks for your wisdom, you idiot.

dining out does not have to be an ultra formal affair...however jean shorts and a t-shirt are for the beach and a backyard bbq...do people look in the mirror before they exit their house???...lack of self respect???...just plain ignorance???...the breakdown of social etiquette...= the breakdown of society...if I want to see a slob I will go to a trailer park...that time has left behind...(not meant to offend anyone that lives in a mobile home community park b/c some of them are quite awesome.)

Only about seven years ago, my aunt who lives in Florida commented during a trip north to our town in the suburbs of Boston that it was refreshing to go out to dinner and see people dressed appropriately. We were in a mid-level steakhouse at the time. Today if you go to that same place, you will find women in hoodies and sweatpants and men in baseball caps, jeans and logo sports t-shirts any night of the week. Its really disappointing what the classless of America are doing to our dining industry. Yeah, their money is just as green as mine but that's not what its all about.

Not leaving a saucer with a cup. There is nowhere to leave your spoon or (as a tea drinker) a wet teabag.
Also for some reason pretentious restauranteurs seem to have an aversion to Seet & Low. They provide packets of yellow, blue and now green sweeteners but pink seems to disturb their sensibilities. Personally I feel that nothing disolves in a cold drink better than S&L.

It's a product of the "me" generation. People want to do what they want to do, and they don't want someone telling them what they have to wear. If people want to go to a less casual place after dinner, like a movie thater, they would rather dress for that than dress for a reastaurant. It's not very comfortable to sit in a movie theater wearing fancy dinner clothes.

Personally, and, yes, this is only my opinion, but I too have a right to enjoy and experience -- my choice is to be able to experience a little culture and class. However, in general, the past few decades have done a huge disservice to us all in the "dumbing down of America". I am sorry for my children and grandchildren. We wanted to erase the "Classes" in America. Well, in part, they have achieved. We Americans are now "classless".

All the proud snobs should find 1 restaurant that still cares about their outdated notions. Then they could be served a heaping helping of arsenic so the world could be shet of them and their progeny.

I agree with all the others about dressing accordingly. Ballcaps in church? On the head?? I disagree with that.

As for dining, we went to what I thought was an upscale restaurant. At least the way the servers dress it seems like upscale. We were dressed in our best. Soon, we felt out of place though. A group came in, were seated near us, looking for all the world like they just finished working in the yard. While they got really great service, we had a rickety table, the lamp that was lit on everyone else's table, on ours was dark, we didn't get the service they did, and I still won't go back there to eat unless someone else is paying and/or I have no choice. When we pay upwards of $40 for a meal, we expect good service, atmosphere, and other people should not come in to eat with ballcaps on their head, flipflops on their feet and dirty clothes on.

We take along a nice outfit for dining out when we go on vacation, so that isn't an excuse either.

Does it all go back to "how to squeeze in more people faster and make as much money as we can w/o keeping even the guys who never take there #%$&2+ caps off out" ? And maybe this writer thinks loud works? It does. We quit going to the loud, obnoxious joints. Eating should be enjoyed, not dumped in and run. How damn foolish.

People wear football jerserys to church....what a disgrace!

Redneck is in, thanks to the "Blue-Collar Comedy Tour", I guess. I'm too old for tats and piercings, but I have a 1989 Chrysler up on blocks in my yard.

Maybe a jacket and tie is overboard, but I wish restaurants would maintain some standards. Obviously, the unwashed masses won't. For me, it takes something away from the experience if I take my wife to a nice restaurant and some schlep in a T-shirt and shorts rolls in - usually with kids in tow. Dress presentably and take the kids to McDonald's!

no offense here David.. but the only color that matters in this argument is green. Do not blame the supposed schlep for having money to eat in the restaurant, blame the restaurant for running a business. If you took your old lady out to such a nice place to eat where the food is of utmost quality and the at the higher end of the cost scale.... I think the guy who brings in his wife and three kids (paying for 5 mouths, not 2) means more to the restaurant than your pompous @$$

Also amazing to me was a funeral where the adult brother of the deceased wore jeans and a monster truck tee shirt.

coat and tie may not be required, but at a famous establishment in New Orleans, I did notice men in coat and tie for Sunday brunch were seated in the "Garden" room. Whereas men in jeans sat downstairs by the kitchen. It may not be required, but over the years I have always gotten better service when in coat and tie.

I agree - that while many medium size cities have been taken over by the casual - sport bar style- chains. I miss the 'special occassion atmosphere' of local upscale restaurants where we dressed up. Unfortunately, the ecomony has and over building of chains has put many of the local restaurants out of business.

Most of you sound like old people.... your grandparents prob got upset when the powdered wig went out of style.

Living in Los Angeles, I was happy the suit and tie went out of fashion. Its horrible to have to wear a monkey suit like that in a city that is warm to hot most of the year.

The only dress code I want to see is "NO GANG ATTIRE".Who wants to dine with sub-humans....

OK I have a question for all those who are saying... "No Values... No Morals... No thought or knowledge to how you should dress..." If we as a society are losing/ have lost that or were not taught that... Whose fault do you think that is? Did you teach your children their please and thank you's. Did you teach them when to dress up? When to send out thank you cards and everything else that you complain about? You say that it isn't done any more by those "horid children today" ot those young adults. But in all honestly if you never taught them shouldn't you take some responsibility for that? I do dress up and send thank you notes and have manners... but that's because my momma would never put up with less then our best.

Standards, class, respect for who? You? Since when do you get to dictate what people shoud or should not do when they are spending their hard earned dollars. Obviosly with the economy the way it is, the owners are just happy that people are spending their money at their establishment. Face it, the days of dressing up and being able to separate yourselves from the dirty masses are over. As for church, Jesus preached in the streets in sandals and a tunic. I think the intent is to hear the message and the word not to be in a fashion show. Bottom line is neither you nor I have the right to dictate what anyone should be wearing when they chose to spend their money. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...don't see a dress code in there.