Service Etiquette

Foods and Nutrition

Table Etiquette

Table etiquette is the courtesy shown by using good manners at meals.

Basic Etiquette(Before Eating)

•Place the napkin on your lap.

•Do not tuck it in your belt

•Do not place under chin

•If there are fewer than 6 people at the table, wait until every has received their food before starting.

•If there are more than 6 people at the table, wait until 3 or 4 have been served before starting.

•You may reach for serving dishes as long as you are not reaching across your neighbor.

Basic Etiquette(During Eating)

•Don’t talk with your mouth full.

•Use bread or dinner knife to put food such as corn or peas on fork

•Break bread into smaller pieces before buttering or eating

•If unsure of what to do, follow the host’s lead

•Cut food into small pieces for eating.

•Sit up straight and don’t lean on elbows

•Cover your mouth/nose with handkerchief/napkin if you need to sneeze or cough. Leave the table if the coughing or sneezing continues.

Basic Etiquette(After Eating)

•Excuse yourself to the restroom to apply makeup or comb hair

•Remove spoon from cup, so it is not accidentally hit and knocked over.

•Place fork and knife on your plate, pointing toward the center.

Setting the Table

• Tableware– Any items used for serving and eating the food. This includes

dinnerware, flatware, glassware, and linens.

• Place- The pieces of tableware used by one person to eat a meal

• Setting• Serving Pieces

– Platters, large bowls, and other tableware used for serving food.

• Cover– The arrangement of a place setting for one person.

Table-Setting Basics

• Fork on the left

• Knife and spoon on the right

• Knife next to plate with blade toward plate

• Plate is centered about 1 inch from edge of table

• Arrange flatware in order it is used.

• Only set dinnerware and flatware that are needed for the meal

Basic Tablesetting

Formal TablesettingDRAW THIS AND LABEL IT

Family Dinner Tablesetting

Types of Meal Service

• Formal– Full place setting– Cloth

napkins/tablecloth– Full service meal– Plate service (Food is

plated in the kitchen.)– Usually used at

weddings, cotillions, and formal events

Types of Meal Service cont.

• Plate Service/Blue Plate– The food is plated in the kitchen and delivered

to guests– Less formal, like Applebee’s restaurant

Types of Meal Service, cont.

• Family Style– Cover is placed for

each family member.– Food is placed on the

table in serving dishes.– Each person serves

themselves and then passes food.

– Less confusing if food is passed in the same direction, usually the right.

English

• A cover is set for each guest, but without the plates.

• All plates are stacked at the head of the table.

• The head of the table serves the meat and sides, and then passes the dish around the table.

• Second servings are self-serve.

Compromise

• A compromise between Family and English.

• A cover is set without the plates, and all plates are stacked at the head of the table.

• The head of the table only serves the main dish, and the sides are self-serve.

• Very common at American holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Buffet

• All food is placed on a serving line designed for buffets.– The serving lines have various ways of keeping hot foods hot

and cold foods cold.– One method is the use of heating elements that heat/cool

water beneath the trays.– Another method is the use of ice or sterno pots.

• Dinnerware is stacked at the beginning of the line, and guests serve themselves.

• May have wait-staff to serve beverages.