North American Customs

Custom #12: Table settings

As some of our students may have noticed, table settings in North America can be really formal and confusing! If your not sure what I am talking about, take a look at the photo below.

This photo shows a formal table setting.

As you can see, to the left of the main plate is a smaller bread plate with butter knife placed so that the handle points to the right. A cloth napkin may be folded neatly on the main plate or to the left of the forks. The salad fork is placed to the left of the main fork, both to the left of the main plate. The desert fork is placed closest to the plate on the left or brought out with the desert. If soup is going to be served it is placed to the right of the knife, both to the right of the main plate. If there is going to be seafood served, a seafood fork will be placed to the right of the soup spoon. A wine glass is usually placed above the knife with a water glass to the left of the wine glass at a 45 degree angle closer to the diner (not shown in the photo). Coffee or tea cups are placed to the right of the table setting so that the handle points to the right (not shown in the photo).