In a nice restaurant, do you tear or cut a bread roll?

I have been in both very nice restaurants and not so very nice restaurants. If they serve a knife, I say use it. If not, tearing bread is perfectly acceptable.

In Europe, France especially, a bread roll is always torn with the fingers. The same applies in other countries, and it does not depend on whether the restaurant is "posh" or otherwise - but on whether the person knows the correct custom.

In many European countries, but not the UK, no side plate is provided for your roll, and no knife for that purpose. You just break the roll, put it on the table beside your entree or main-course plate; and, if you need butter, use the knife for the course you are eating at the time, though often butter is not served.

Incidentally, has anyone noticed that in France the cutlery is laid on the table with the fork pointing downwards (that is, not with the curved part upwards as in the UK - and the States also?) The reason goes back in history, and was originally connected with the aristocracy. The fork was so placed to display the family crest which was engraved on the back of the fork. Although originally applying to well-to-do families origin, now everyone places the fork curve upwards when laying the table ... and that's the reason!

from what I have learned, if you are in a "real" fancy restaurant, then the bread will come to you in a fancy basket or on a plate before you get there. In which case, there should be a funny looking knife next to the plate. that is what you cut it with, and then, kindly spread butter on the bread. But, it is a weird kind of cutting you do. You kinda gouge into the bread with the knife, but pull up with the fingers, ripping the bread. So in short, it can go either way, just make sure you use the funny looking lil Knife.

Cut Bread

The bread should be provided to you in a serving size. It is improper to provide an uncut loaf to your guests. The serving should be placed on the bread plate and bite sized pieces are to be torn away. You should use the knife to butter the single piece. Butter is to be removed from the serving dish and placed on the bread plate using the common butter knife (common meaning everyone uses). This is the most proper way to eat bread. However, it is considered polite to follow the lead of your host. So when in doubt be proper otherwise do as the host does. If you are in a restaurant with friends follow their lead and act in a similar manner.

TEAR IT!! For crying out loud, do not cut it, particularly in a nice place.

Further, tear off only a bite at a time. Do NOT slather the whole thing with butter and then work on it (ugh).

Please do not listen to people telling you to use a knife on your bread. Please. They are wrong.

P.S. In the most formal of settings, bread is not served at all. Really.

I would tear a bread roll, because i wouldn't care about what the people around me would think of me. Either way, the bread will end up in my stomach.

If it is a nice restaurant they should provide you with a lot of utensils to include a bread knife. You should cut a bread roll.

You tear an individual bread role. And you butter the piece you tear off. The rest of the roll is on your bread plate and you keep tearing pieces off and buttering them as you as you dine.

I prefer to tear a bread roll. Either way is fine. Just act like you belong. UC Steve