Service Etiquette

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Service Etiquette

• Foods and Nutrition
• Chapter 10
• Spring 2004

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Table Etiquette

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

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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.

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Basic Etiquette(During Eating)

• Dont 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 hosts lead
• Cut food into small pieces for eating.
• Sit up straight and dont 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.

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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.

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Setting the Table

• Tableware
• Any items used for serving and eating the food.
  This includes dinnerware, flatware, glassware,
  and linens.
• Place Setting
• The pieces of tableware used by one person to eat
  a meal
• Serving Pieces
• Platters, large bowls, and other tableware used
  for serving food.
• Cover
• The arrangement of a place setting for one person.

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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

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Basic Tablesetting
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Formal Tablesetting
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Family Dinner Tablesetting
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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

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Types of Meal Service cont.

• Plate Service/Blue Plate
• The food is plated in the kitchen and delivered
  to guests
• Less formal, like Dennys restaurant

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Business Advantages/Disadvantages