Etiquette experts note that while it's perfectly fine to order the same meal as a date does when eating out, there are certain meals that people should reconsider ordering to avoid potential awkwardness.
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"Most of the time, partners who know one another extremely well will often order different entrées, so they can try a little bit of both," longtime etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore of Palm Beach, Florida, told Fox News Digital via email.
Whitmore is founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach and the author of the book, "Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work."
President Joe Biden waves to reporters as he departs following dinner at The Red Hen restaurant in Washington, D.C., on in February 2023. His matching dinner order with that of first lady Jill Biden caused a stir online. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
She continued, "But it is not a faux pas to order the same meal as your partner if you like the same thing."
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She added, "If you are on a date and your dining partner wants to order the same thing, so be it. It’s not a big deal."
"Don't gnaw on the bone!"
Ordering the same meal could even provide an opportunity for a laugh, she also indicated.
When Jill Biden and Joe Biden recently dined out in Washington, D.C., people on social media took them to task when each ordered the same dish. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
"You might even make light of it and say, ‘I’m so glad we share the same taste in food!’" Whitmore said.
She added that while there is "no etiquette rule that states one side should defer to the other," sometimes societal norms do come into play in situations in which both parties want the same thing.
Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore of Florida said that in social settings, "a man may want to defer to a woman, as a courtesy," in choice of meal. (iStock)
"In a social setting, a man may want to defer to a woman, as a courtesy," said Whitmore.
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"In business, the host should always defer to his or her guest."
"Big, bulky sandwiches" are among the foods that should be avoided while out on dates, etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore advised. (iStock)
That said, there are foods that a person on a date should avoid ordering, to bypass a potentially awkward situation.
Etiquette states that people should avoid ordering "difficult-to-eat foods," such as shellfish and "big, bulky sandwiches," said Whitmore.
Dishes with red sauces and "big bones" should also be avoided while out on dates, said Whitmore.
"Don't gnaw on the bone!" she added.