Table settings

Table settings
The table should have a centerpiece that performs a solely decorative function. If an informal dinner is being served that will fill the available places at the table, care should be taken to make the centerpiece not too large so that there will be sufficient room to place serving dishes. However, at a formal dinner in Europe, the centerpiece may be huge and, including candles, may extend the full length of the table. Centerpieces should be of low height, so as not to obstruct visibility of diners' faces.

Place settings

Informal settings generally have fewer utensils and dishes but use a stereotyped layout based on more formal settings. Utencils are arranged in the order and the way a person will use them. Usually in western cultures, that means that the forks, bread plate, spreader, and napkins are to the left, while knives, spoons, drinkwear, cups, and sausers are to the right, although the left-right order is reversed in a minority of countries. Formally, in Greece, Armenia and Turkey, the fork is placed on the right of the table. Sauseboats, where used, are either placed on the table, or in a more formal setting may be kept on a side table.

Formal

Utensils are placed about one inch from the edge of the table, each one lining up at the base with the one next to it. Utensils on the outermost position are used first (for example, a salad fork and a soup spoon, then the dinner fork and the dinner knife). The blade of the knife, as the "dangerous" or "aggressive" part of the utensil, must face toward the plate, away from other diners. The glasses are positioned about an inch from the knives, also in the order of use: white wine, red wine, dessert wine, and water tumbler.

Formal dinner

The most formal dinner is served from the kitchen. When the meal is served, in addition to the place plate at each setting there is the roll, the napkin, and the following cutlery/silver: knives [and spoons where applicable], to the right and forks to the left. Coffee is served in Butler Service style in demitasse and spoons are placed on the saucer to the right of each handle. The utensils at a formal dinner must be sterling silver. Serving dishes and utensils are not placed on the table for a formal dinner. The only exception to these general rules is the protocol followed at the Spanish royal court, which was also adopted by the hasburg court: accordingly all utensils were placed on the right. At a less formal dinner, not served from the kitchen, the dessert fork and spoon can be set above the plate, fork pointing right, to match the other forks, spoon pointing left.

In Europe, if many courses are to be served, the table is only laid for soup, fish, and meat. The pudding spoon and fork and the savoury knife and fork are then placed on the table as required.

Informal

At an informal setting, fewer utensils are used and serving dishes are placed on the table. Sometimes the cup and saucer are placed on the right side of the spoon, about four inches from the edge of the table. Often, in less formal settings, the napkin and/or cutlery may be held together in a single bundle by a napkin ring. However, such objects as napkin rings are very rare in the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, or Italy.