Place Setting Rules
Bryant Allen
What to do when you are immediately seated ?
- Put Your Napkin In Your Lap
- You should wait for your interviewer/host to ask you to sit down before taking your seat.
- If he/she doesn't ask you to sit, wait for him/her to be seated, then sit.
Place Setting Terms
A Le Carte: Listing or serving food that can be ordered as separate items, rather than part of a set meal.
A La Mode: In fashion; up to date
How to Get a Waiter's Attention ?
- The best way to attract the waiter’s attention is eye contact.
- An attentive server should be glancing at his tables regularly to check on diners, and when he does so, catch his eye, perhaps nodding or raising your eyebrows.
What is gratuity and how you should figure it on bill.
- A tip given to a waiter, taxicab driver, etc.
- Correctly figuring out the tip on your restaurant bill ensures that you properly convey your appreciation for the food and quality of service.
- The norm is to tip between 10 and 20 percent of the bill, before the addition of taxes, depending on the type of restaurant you've visited.
What you should do when you finish each course ?
- Your fork and knife should be placed parallel to each other in the ten and four o'clock position , with handles at 4:00 and tops of the utensils at 10:00.
- The fork is placed nearest to you, with the knife placed just behind it.
5 other helpful hints while dining out
- Scooping or spearing depends on the type of the food. Do not jab at your food; try to scoop and spear in the same action.
- You should not salt and pepper your food before tasting it. Try a bite first, then season if necessary
- No grooming of any kind should be done at the table. You should excuse yourself for this purpose.
- Do not reach to the floor to pick up dropped utensils. Wait until you get the server's attention and discreetly ask for a new utensil.
- Cut a few bites at a time; don't slice and dice the entire salad at once. It is preferable to cut large salad pieces than to attempt to stuff large bites of food in your mouth.