{"id":496,"date":"2026-05-13T08:34:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=496"},"modified":"2026-05-13T08:34:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:34:05","slug":"miss-manners-how-long-is-the-grace-period-before-someone-is-considered-late-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=496","title":{"rendered":"Miss Manners: How long is the grace period before someone is considered late?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DEAR MISS MANNERS:<\/strong> I have always been persnickety about being on time.<\/p>\n

I leave for a meeting or appointment with enough buffer time for minor transit or parking delays, and consider it disrespectful of other people\u2019s time to be late.<\/p>\n

Read more Asking Eric: Instead of traveling extensively, should we help our kids financially?<\/a><\/p>\n

I recognize, however, that this is not the social norm, and don\u2019t want to negatively judge people for arriving within the window that is generally accepted as being \u201con time.\u201d<\/p>\n

How much time may pass before someone is considered late?<\/p>\n

GENTLE READER<\/strong>: For what?<\/p>\n

Business meetings should start on time. Only the person who brings home-baked treats is forgiven for bursting in a few minutes late.<\/p>\n

Social events tend to allow a tiny bit of leeway, even though the host then has to listen to tedious descriptions of the traffic. But at ceremonial events such as weddings and funerals, you are expected to be seated and quieted down at the time the event is supposed to begin \u2014 only it doesn\u2019t, because of the latecomers. Miss Manners commends you for not being one of them.<\/p>\n

DEAR MISS MANNERS:<\/strong> I hosted a small birthday party for my husband at a restaurant. Our guests were a couple and a single man.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The couple asked if we wanted to order a number of small plates, meant for sharing. The rest of us preferred to order our own entrees.<\/p>\n

The couple then proceeded to order quite a few of the small plates, asking us if we would share them (we again said no) and then saying they were ordering \u201cfor the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three of us ate our entrees. The couple ate less than half of what they ordered, and asked for boxes so they could take home \u201ctheir\u201d leftovers. They then ordered dessert.<\/p>\n

Read more Daily Horoscope for May 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

I was gracious and said nothing, but wondered how (and if) I should have responded when our guests deliberately ordered twice as much as they could eat. This is a restaurant where they dine frequently; they are well aware of the portion sizes.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

I was surprised by this behavior and felt taken advantage of, and I don\u2019t plan to invite them again. Should I have handled this differently?<\/p>\n

GENTLE READER:<\/strong> To her horrified astonishment, Miss Manners has received a number of letters reporting that guests are taking gross advantage of hospitality by cadging future meals. It has happened not only in restaurants \u2014 where the host may be stuck with a bill for food that does not even appear on the table, but was secretly requested \u2014 but at home dinners, where leftovers that have not been offered are nevertheless commandeered to take home.<\/p>\n

As the truly destitute are not likely to receive such invitations, this petty thievery is simply an abuse of hospitality and an insult to those who have offered it. Striking the perpetrators from polite society is, indeed, the only way to handle it.<\/p>\n

DEAR MISS MANNERS<\/strong>: Is it rude to read over someone\u2019s shoulder?<\/p>\n

GENTLE READER<\/strong>: More likely infuriating. If you try to do so and the reader\u2019s shoulders hunch up, Miss Manners advises you to stop immediately.<\/p>\n

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Eye test: Science center hosts optical-illusions exhibit<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I consider it disrespectful of other people\u2019s time to be late.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice"],"yoast_head":"\nMiss Manners: How long is the grace period before someone is considered late? - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=496\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Miss Manners: How long is the grace period before someone is considered late? - Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I consider it disrespectful of other people\u2019s time to be late.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=496\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Orlando Relocation Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-13T08:34:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/47d95744296542489ff5c4bd403450f8\"},\"headline\":\"Miss Manners: How long is the grace period before someone is considered late?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-13T08:34:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496\"},\"wordCount\":591,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/2e6afec538bd55ce205e53792b61305c.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Advice\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/orlandorelocationreport.com\\\/?p=496\",\"name\":\"Miss Manners: How long is the grace period before someone is considered late? 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