Expert reveals whether it's more rude to be early or late and the answer may surprise you

Etiquette expert William Hanson has revealed whether it's more polite to be early or late.

The expert, from England, spoke about whether it was better to be half an hour early for a dinner party or half an hour late and the answer might actually surprise you.

If you're heading for dinner at someone else's house, there are certain rules that you should abide by.

For example, making sure you're polite, using all your please and thank yous and often, bringing something along for the host is a nice touch, too.

But what about if you're running late or early? Is it better to be early or can we really get away with being late?

Speaking to LADbible Stories, Hanson explained that it's all about context.

Hanson explained if it's better to be late or early (YouTube/LADbible Stories)

He said: "Socially, if I said to someone come for dinner at 7.30, what I do not want is people to be early.

"I would much rather someone was half an hour late than five minutes early. I'm probably not ready at 7.25, but I will be ready from 7.30."

Hanson explained that it's a little different if you're attending a business meeting, however.

"For a business meeting however, if it says it starts at 11, it means it starts at 11, not you rock up at 11, go to the loo, log onto the wi-fi, get a tea and coffee and then sort of by about 10 past 11 you're ready to start.

"So there you arrive a little bit early, ready to start at the time the meeting says."

In the comments, people were quick to give their opinion, with many disagreeing.

One person wrote: "Yeah if someone is 5 minutes early to my house for dinner, no big deal. If someone is 30 minutes late I'm going to be a little annoyed."

While another said: "If I tell you dinners at 7:30 i mean the food is ready at 7:30. If you are half an hour late your food will be cold."

And a third added: "As a host.... I'm ready at least 10 minutes before."

Hanson explained whether it's best to be early or late for dinner (Getty Stock Photo)

Others agreed, however, with another adding: "For dinner, I am cooking prepping cleaning and getting myself ready until the time I said it starts. If you come early it makes me more frantic."

While a second explained they once arrived at a party an hour early and spent an awkward hour with the host in the kitchen.

"It was over a decade ago and still this is the only moment I remember from that party, because I was so embarrassed," they explained.

"Since then I always make sure to double check the time and I’m not afraid to arrive much later than the initial time."