Did You Know...?

Place settings can be confusing. The general rule for silverware is to work from the outside in as the meal progresses.

Dinner plate - The center of the place setting. When finished eating, do not push the plate away from you. Instead, place both your fork and knife across the center of the plate, handles to the right. . Between bites, your fork and knife are placed on the plate, handles to the right, not touching the table.

Soup bowl - May be placed on the dinner plate. If you need to set your soup spoon down, place it in the bowl. Do not put it on the dish under the bowl until finished.

Bread plate - Belongs just above the tip of the fork. Bread should be broken into bite -sized pieces, not cut. Butter only the piece you are preparing to eat. When butter is served, put some on your bread plate and use as needed.

Napkin - Placed to the left of the fork with the fold on the left. Sometimes placed under the forks or on the plate.

Salad fork - If a salad fork is used, it belongs to the left of the dinner fork.

Dinner fork - Placed to the left of the plate. No more than three forks to the left of the plate. If there are three forks, they are usually salad, fish, and meat, in order of use, from outside in. An oyster fork always goes to the right of the soup spoon.

Butter knife - Place horizontally on bread plate.
Dessert spoon - Above the plate.
Cake fork - Above the plate.

Dinner knife - To the right of the plate. Sometimes there are multiple knives, perhaps for meat, fish, and salad, in order of use from outside in.

Tea spoon - To the right of the dinner knife.
Soup spoon - If needed, to the right of the tea spoon.
Water glass - Just above the tip of the knife.
Red wine glass - To the right of the water glass.
White wine glass - To the right of the red wine glass. A glass of white wine is held on its stem to preserve the chill. It should be served at 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coffee cup and saucer - If needed, bring at time of coffee service.