Correct Way to Set the Dinner Table

Properly setting the dinner table, whether for your family or for dinner guests, is one way to show those dining with you how much care and effort you have put into the preparations for the meal you are about to serve them. A properly set table is logical and simple to navigate, allowing diners to easily locate the proper utensils for each course of the meal. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Informal Dinner Table

1

Place the dinner plate directly in front of the chair with the folded napkin centered on the plate running vertically.

2

Place the dinner fork directly to the left of the plate and the salad fork to the left of that.

3

Place the salad plate to the left of the salad fork.

4

Place the dinner knife directly to the right of the dinner plate with the blade facing the plate. Place the spoons to the right of that, with the tea or dessert spoon coming first and the soup spoon on the outside.

5

Place the glasses or goblet above and to the right of the dinner plate directly above the knife and spoons, with the glasses going from biggest to smallest from the left to right. Place tea or coffee cups to the right of the glasses, with the saucers placed below them.

Formal Dinner Table

6

Place the dinner plate directly in front of the chair. This is the center of the place setting.

7

Put the folded napkin on top of the dinner plate running vertically.

8

Place forks to the left of the dinner plate. Place the salad fork nearest to the dinner plate, with the dinner fork to its left. The fish fork goes to the left of the dinner fork.

9

Place knives, with the exception of the butter knife, to the right of the dinner plate with blades facing the place. Put the dinner knife closest to the plate and the fish knife to the right of that.

10

Place the soup or fruit spoon to the right of the fish knife and the oyster fork to the right of the spoon.

11

Put the butter plate at a 45-degree angle to the left of the dinner plate with the butter knife on top of the plate. The butter knife should also rest at a 45-degree angle, with the blade of the knife facing down toward the rest of the place setting and the handle of the knife angled toward the dinner plate.

12

Place the glasses above and to the right of the dinner plate. Start with the water goblet directly above the knife. Then, moving to the right, place the champagne flute, wine glass and sherry glass.

13

Bring dessert utensils and dinnerware to the table when dessert is served.