How To Set A Table

Do forks go on the left or right?

Dinner is served

A meal that requires a formal place setting will consist of salad, bread, soup, drinks and a main course with dessert and coffee following.  To be sure that your table is set as correctly as possible, follow these simple rules for a proper place setting:

Rules for a proper place setting

Plates and bowls 

Dinner plates should be placed about 2 inches from the table's edge, centered on the placemat or squarely in front of the chair for a proper place setting.

Soup bowls are placed on top of the dinner plates.

Salad plates are placed to the left and just above the forks.

The bread plate should be placed to the right and slightly above the salad plate.

For a formal place setting, when serving multiple courses, the host may opt to serve each course on separate serving plates.

Clear dishes and utensils after each course is finished.

Silverware

In any table place setting, forks are placed on the left of the dinner plate, knives and spoons go on the right.

Silverware in a formal place setting should be placed on the table in the order it will be used; silverware that will be used first should be on the farthest left and right sides of the plate.

Knives should be placed with their cutting-edge toward the dinner plate, except the butter knife which should be laid flat on a bread plate.

For a proper place setting, utensils should be about 1/2 inch away from the plate, and they should be lined up evenly from their bottoms.

Dessert silverware can be placed at the table setting if you wish.  The dessert fork or spoon should be centered above and parallel to the dinner plate.

For any place setting, avoid using more silverware than the meal calls for.

Cups and glasses

For any table place setting, the water glasses should be placed above the dinner knife, with other drinking glasses arranged neatly nearby the water glass. 

In a more formal place setting, coffee cups and saucers may be placed on the table to the right of the knife and spoon.

Napkins and name cards

 For a less formal proper place setting, napkins are placed either on the plate or to the left of the forks.  For a more formal place setting, napkins are placed inside a drinking glass.

Name cards are always a good idea for formal place settings, especially if the dinner party is large.  Place the card above the dessert utensil, to the left of the drinking glasses.

Now, you're ready to put your newfound table place setting knowledge to work at your next get together!

More information on place settings