Place Settings: What Goes Where? Which Glass is Mine?

The easiest way to remember how to set a table or which glass is yours is that pieces used for solid foods are placed on the diner's left. Pieces that are used for liquids will be on the diner's right. The blade of the knife always faces inward. The napkin may also be placed on top of the plate.

Below is a basic informal place setting. The small plate at the top left is the bread and butter plate. It is optional when setting an informal table but if used it should always have an individual butter knife.


Another way to remember which is your bread and butter plate and which is your glass is to put your hands in your lap and make the "ok" sign with the fingers on each hand. The left hand fingers form a "b" so you know that your bread plate is on the left. The right hand fingers form a "d" so you know your drink is on the right.

A formal place setting is pictured below. When faced with more than one utensil always move from the outside in. Even though there is more on the table, the same rule of solids on the right/liquids on the left still holds.



Once you are seated, regardless of the formality of the place setting, the napkin on the left is placed in the lap of the diner. This may be done by the server so pause for a moment before reaching to do it yourself. The fold of the napkin is placed toward the diner's body. The napkin is never placed on the table until everyone is finished or the host has placed their napkin to the left of their place setting.

After each course or the entire meal used utensils are placed on the plate - not back on the table.