How to Set a Table

You’re not the only one looking this up. There are so many out there that have never attempted how to set a table. Listen, we get it. You get ready for dinner and throw a plate on the table with a fork. That works, right? Of course it does! But if you’re looking for the proper way to set a table, you found the right place.

Formal Setting

Putting the effort into setting a table let’s your guests know they are important. It may seem scary or complex, but it’s really simple once you understand the pattern. In the world of entertaining and dining, a set table is the centerpiece of the action.

Plates and Glasses

The center of your place setting is the dinner plate. The dinner plate sets you up for all other pieces to gather around it. This centerpiece is accompanied by a bread plate, which should be placed diagonally to the left. If you have a soup, pasta or salad course, place a bowl or small plate on top of the dinner plate in the order you are serving.

Place glasses on the opposite side of the bread plate, diagonally to the right of the dinner plate. They are set in this order from left to right – water glass, red wine glass, white wine glass, champagne glass. Now, this might seem like overkill, but depending on what you are serving with your meal, you can remove a glass or two.

Silverware and Napkins

Silverware is set logically, based on the order you consume your meal. You use your flatware from the outside inward on both the right and left sides, working your way in for the next course. Place forks to the left of the dinner plate in this order (from left to right) – fish fork, salad fork, dinner fork. Spoons and knives are located to the right of the dinner plate in this order (from right to left) – soup spoon, fish knife, salad knife, dinner knife. If you’re not serving fish, you can eliminate that silverware. The bottom of your flatware should also line up with the bottom of your dinner plate. Place a dessert fork and spoon horizontally above the dinner plate. Lastly, a bread knife goes on top of the bread plate.

In casual dining, a napkin is often placed under the fork, but in a formal setting it can be difficult to grab the napkin under a number of forks. In this case, napkins are located on top of the dinner plate. There are options of napkin presentations, such as fan fold, letter fold, diagonal fold or pocket fold. Our favorite is using a napkin ring and creating the simple flower fold. Hold two adjacent corners of your napkin and fold it in half. Grab the center of the fold and pull it through your favorite napkin ring, like one similar below. Pull the sides out and place on your dinner plate.