place help: Table Etiquette Manners - Help.com

Well, I can help you out, know quite a bit of etiquette. But it also depends on the kind of dinner. Tell me more.

miskat wrote:
Well, I can help you out, know quite a bit of etiquette. But it also depends on the kind of dinner. Tell me more.

well, like any dinner
i mean mostly .. at home, or if we have guests
how do we place the plate, fork, spoon and knifes on the table..
and while ur eating and pausing.. how do u deal with them
and when u finish.. where do u place ur spoon fork and kife.

thanks in advance

…gets his etiquette guide… hold on here

ok, i assume it are mixed dinners…

Step 1)

Host and hostess are placed in the middle, opposite each other.

most important males sit next to the hostess, most important females sit next to the host. Most most important sits on the right of the host(ess) and the bit less important on the left. Couples do not sit next to each other.

miskat wrote:
ok, i assume it are mixed dinners…

Step 1)

Host and hostess are placed in the middle, opposite each other.

most important males sit next to the hostess, most important females sit next to the host. Most most important sits on the right of the host(ess) and the bit less important on the left. Couples do not sit next to each other.

sounds good so far.. cant wait next step

Step 2)

Quite easily actually.

There is always a plate allready, and you serve the plates with food on them.

Depending on the dishes that you choose to serve you pick your silverware.
The silverware is on the outside and the silverware for every othercourse is place one step closer to the plate. (i am doing this out of my head now as strangely enough my guide doesn’t offer this information)

Waterglass is placed closest to the plate and wineglasses come next. the first glass used is the glass closest to the plate.

Napkin is placed or on the left of the plate or on the plate itself. Guests are expected to (discrete) unfold the napkin and place it on there lap and leave it there during dinner. Ofcourse a napkin is of a proper fabric.

If you have too many courses so the table would be packed with glasses it is allowed to places glasses later at the table for the next courses.

If you want to do it really good, there is a ton of silverware especially for certain kinds of food and nearly every kind of wine has it own kind of glass, there is more out there than just a glass for red and one for white.

Step 3)

Tablemanners.

-Small bites. Never bigger than the size of your fork.
-First eat what you have before you take your next bite.
-Don’t ever speak and eat at the same time
-Find a balance in eating and speaking (dont finish your plate first, but not last either)
-Don’t drink and eat at the same moment either.
-Hands and lower arms rest on the table while not eating, never the elbows. in the UK traditionally the hands are placed on the knees.

Bread:
Break of a bitesize piece of bread (don’t cut it), butter it or dip in oil (whatever is available) and eat it. than continue with the dish or the bread.

-Politely thank the one serving, but only when served. When the dishes are picked up again it is not common to thank the person.

I can also give the special ways of eating for certain types of food, but I am wondering what I got myself into typing all this hahaha.

hahaha thanks alot.. but im still waitin one part only, please!!
how to place and fork, spoon and knife after finishing from eating.

ok, since you ask it so nicely.

2 things here.

pausing during a course:

fork is placed on the left, knife on the right, when you think of a clock, at the 4 and the 8.
(only a spoon? than on the left, where the fork would be)

finishing a course:

Knife is placed on the 4, fork above it.
Or the spoon at the same position.

The cutting edge of the knife is always towards yourself, the fork and/or spoon are placed with the hollow side towards the plate.

So, does this give you enough information?

miskat wrote:
ok, since you ask it so nicely.2 things here.pausing during a course:fork is placed on the left, knife on the right, when you think of a clock, at the 4 and the 8.(only a spoon? than on the left, where the fork would be)finishing a course:Knife is placed on the 4, fork above it.Or the spoon at the same position.The cutting edge of the knife is always towards yourself, the fork and/or spoon are placed with the hollow side towards the plate.So, does this give you enough information?

MORE THAN ENOUGH!!!!!!!
CANT FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!!
THANKKKSSS A BUNCH :D :D :D

yuo’re welcome! it’s part of my job, so i am quite used to explaining it too staff or smt.

one tiny clarification pls..
u said, fork/spoon are placed with hollow side towards the plate.. do u mean that it should be turn upside down, or in other words.. the pins of the fork touching the plate.. am i right?

yeah, you’re right, couldn’t find the right words for a second =)

thanks alot miskat.. at least i have more confidence now when im having dinner with strangers!!
feel free to ask anytime for help, im known for giving good advices .. or shutting up if i have no clue :P

heh. you’re an anon, wouldn’t be able to contact you =)

but ypu’re welcome

I am currently giving dinnertips in an other post hahaha

here.. no more anon :)

haha, ok, let’s friend up than =)

:)))
i gtg now.. good night

what do u mean by keeping the fork and knife diagonally across the plate