1. Meal Service
Basic Table Setting

2. Setting the table influences:
Appearance of the food served
Sets the tone/feeling of the meal
Makes people feel important

3. The three components of a place setting are:
Dinnerware - plates, cups, bowls, saucers, platters, and other serving pieces
Flatware – butter, dinner and steak knives; salad/dessert, dinner forks; soup, dessert and teaspoons
Glassware – water goblet, milk and wine glasses, and sherbet glass

4. Napkin Soup spoon
Fish Fork Bread & butter plate
Salad Fork Butter Knife
Dinner Fork Dessert spoon/Cake Fork
Soup Bowl & Plate Water Goblet
Dinner Plate Red Wine Goblet
Dinner Knife White Wine Goblet
Fish Knife

5. Four Rules in proper flatware placement:
Place items 1 to 1 ½” from the table edge so that handles are lined up and the utensils are even with the plate.
Forks – to the left of the plate
Knives, spoons – to the right of the plate
Arrange flatware in order of use, from outside toward plate

6. Glassware placement: Water goblet at the tip of the knife blade
Other beverage glasses at right of goblet and slightly forward in a diagonal.
If glassware contents are cold, serve with saucer to catch moisture condensation.

7. Placement of Napkin: Left of the forks
Center of the dinner plate or cover
In the water goblet

8. Table Etiquette
Courtesy shown by good manners at meals. Table manners reflect part of your personality to others; makes eating a pleasant experience for everyone, and shows respect for others.

9. Common Rules of Etiquette
Sit down from the left side of your chair
Assist with passing of foods when appropriate, pass to the RIGHT
Use flatware from the outside in
Place napkin on your lap before starting to eat, use it to cover your mouth and nose if you sneeze
If you leave the table and return during a meal, place the napkin on your chair
Place your napkin to the left of the plate when finished with the meal

10. Common Rules of Etiquette
Wait until everyone is served
Follow actions of host/hostess as a guide when dining in someone’s home
Avoid talking with food in your mouth; chew with your mouth closed
Cut food into pieces as you eat
Sit up straight; avoid leaning on elbows while eating

11. Common Rules of Etiquette
Place spoon on soup plate rather than the bowl/cup when finished eating
Place the knife and fork on the plate with the handles parallel to the edge of the table when finished eating
Break one piece of bread/roll and butter one piece at a time
Place butter on your own plate before buttering your bread/roll

12. Tipping Average: 15 percent (more if service was exceptionally good)
Fancy restaurants: 20 percent
Coffee shops: no less than 25 cents if just a beverage was ordered; if food is ordered, 15 percent of the bill
Buffet – type restaurant: 10 percent if a server filled water glasses, brought beverages, and cleared table
Fast – food restaurants: no tip required

13. Tipping
When paying for a meal in cash, leave the money, including the tip, on the table or in the tray on which the check was presented.
If you use a credit card, the server will process the card and hand you the credit card slip

14. Figure out these tips: $13.00 at a fancy restaurant
$9.50 at an average restaurant
A $3.00 large coffee at a coffee shop
$12.59 at a buffet – type restaurant
$5.75 at a fast food restaurant
$14.47 at a fancy restaurant
A $4.50 sandwich at a coffee shop
$10.28 at an average restaurant
$25.44 at a fancy restaurant
$11.68 at an average restaurant