What is the proper utensil placement to signal to the waiter that you are done with your food?

Question

Which is it?

1: Crossed?

2: Fork face up?

3: Fork face down?

4: Parallel?

5: Whatever else..

6: I really don't care...

(My personal answer is 6... I am being forced to do this)

Answer 1

Put your knife and fork together on the plate facing down.  Most servers will read your body language anyway.

Answer 2

None of the above.

Empty plate.

Answer 3

3 Fork down.

That way it is clear you are finished eating.

Answer 4

Well honestly, I will just clear all my plate and they will automatically know I'm done or I will be like yeah can I get a box for this and just stuff like that, I never knew there was a proper way to do it. lol

Answer 5

4. parallel

Answer 6

I was taught many years ago that the proper placement was to place my knife on my plate first with the fork crossed over it tines facing down.

Even though you may not care, good manners are going to be important in your life and many people do notice if you act uneducated and uncouth.

You will have occasion when you are older to thank you parents and whoever else is "forcing" you to learn good manners.

Have a nice Thanksgiving, you have people who care about you and should be especially thankful for that.

Answer 7

10:00 position. knife fork tines up. Get the book- Etiquette for dummys. Great  book! LEARNED ALOT!

Answer 8

Placing the knife and fork in a parallel position is usually the signal.  Crossing the fork and knife means "I'm resting", or something similar, to indicate that you've paused, but intend to  resume eating.

Answer 9

4, parallel, diagonally across the plate starting at 5 and pointing towards 11.  if you cross them it means you are NOT finished.

Answer 10

Put your napkin on the plate if it isn't cloth. If it is you shouldn't have a problem because they will probably want to turn your table(get new customers on it). If it isn't too busy one look in the wait staff's eyes should get their attention. Waiters may not have time to look at your utensils.

Answer 11

I think you should just put it parallel because all the others would seem to me that you were still eating.

Answer 12

Fork up on the left, knife next to it, both placed at a position of 5 o'clock on the plate.  (ie. pointing northwest). Not many waiters know this either, so a better way to signal them is to place your napkin on the plate.

Answer 13

6. I don't care. I just my knife and fork on the plate and push the plate away from me.

Answer 14

there is no placement, the waiter doesn't look. trust me.

Answer 15

its not silverware its

HET WAITER [or waitress] COULD I HAVE THE BILL? lol

At hard rock cafe me and my friend Le'shon asked why her skirt was so short and the other girls wasn't lol

Answer 16

I don't think there is any universal signal...so I choose 6.  Waiters or waitresses will almost always ask if you are done and will take your plate only if you acknowledge them.

Answer 17

i am a server. I feel that i dont really look at the silverwear. i just tend to see if they are looking around.i will sometimes looks and see if there starting to pile there garbage on their plate. then i know that they are done.