My Score? 0 for 5. (Sad)

Posted on by Live & Learn

funny-plate-cutlery-eating-meaning

Ouch.
“Pause“…for what? Keep it comin’.
“Do not like“…what? Can’t think of anything.
Where’s the sign for “Ready for Third Plate“?
Where’s the sign for “Ready for Dessert“?
What about the sign “Don’t look too closely. I had to loosen my belt to make room.”

“…in restaurants they like non-verbal clues.  A sign language of sorts.  The waiter or waitress reads the secret code spelled out through your dirty utensils and napkin. If the waiter doesn’t happen to see  you licking your plate (which is the International sign of “Yup … thems was good eatin’.  I’m done!“) how’s he supposed to know if you’re finished eating? He knows by where you’ve placed your cutlery.  Honestly, he does…(other rules to note): 

  • Your napkin should be half heartedly folded to the left of your plate.
  • Do NOT rest the cutlery on the table.
  • Do NOT cross the cutlery over each other in an X.
  • Do NOT put your napkin on your plate.
  • Do NOT perfectly refold your napkin.
  • Do NOT put your napkin on your chair.
  • Do NOT fold your napkin into the shape of a swan or a dead chicken and then leave the restaurant wearing it as a hat.”

44 thoughts on “My Score? 0 for 5. (Sad)”

  1. As a waitress, I usually look questioningly at people or take their plate when everyone’s is empty. But perhaps I haven’t been inducted into this world of sign language yet.

  4. well, i recognized 3 of them, from my 247ish years of food waitressing, cocktail waitressing, bartending, and catering. many good times, but happy they are in the past. i think the ‘hat’ tip is good for pretty much everyone. one i’d like to add – if they toss any of the cutlery in your direction, it is time for them to leave quickly and never return.

  7. I retweeted this photo on twitter a week or two before because I found it very interesting but when it comes to practice my score is still “Zero” 🙂 we are aligned David.

  8. One thing which confuses me a lot in the US is the requirement to use the same cutlery for different courses. So at breakfast they give you a spoon, knife and fork wrapped in a napkin, you eat your eggs and bacon, leaving the knife and fork correctly in position 4, and they clear your plate but leave you the cutlery for your toast. Don’t like that.

    Disappointed about not folding the napkin: my party trick is to turn it into a ladies’ bra, and then wear it. 🙁

      1. I didn’t know the 2 or 5, as it happens. Are we sure they’re real?

        Did you notice that you used the phrase “Holy Grail” in your blog today, and so did I. Spooky or what? Yours was about a pen, mine was about Life. No comment.

        Are you pleased with the pen? Should I buy one? (Some would say “A pen? How very quaint!”)

        1. That’s SPOOKY. Did I buy the pen? Of course. Haven’t had extensive use. Ink flows smoothly. As expected, had ZERO impact on my horrendous handwriting. ZERO. The frightening part was that I actually expected a different outcome. Need my head examined.

  9. I, too, knew some of them, but suspect (as Anneli noted) that a number of servers don’t. On more than one occasion, I’ve had my plate whisked away before I was done, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t signal for that to happen… 😉

  10. WLS all the way – I knew some, enough to be ‘read’ by a server, and have had my share of servers who haven’t read anything other than their own interpretation of “done”.

  12. One bit of server sign language omitted is when servers ask you how everything is immediately after you’ve put a large bite of food in your mouth.

  14. love this and did know 3 … however I heard there is one from India or China or Indonesia (or somewhere) … if you stand your fork into your rice you are asking for a hand in marriage 🙂

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