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As a busser, you’re an integral part of your restaurant’s “mood setting” team. Waitstaff act as the restaurant’s friendly face, cooks craft dishes that establish ambiance, and the food itself is a reflection of quality. Bussers are quite literally the placesetters.
They know how to set a table and undress one in record time. And in an industry where efficiency is valued, staffing bussers who are quick and competent table setters is an asset to your restaurant.
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What do you need to set a table in a restaurant?
Restaurant-goers see the finished product when they sit down. Here are all the pieces that contribute to a complete restaurant table.
Forks
Normal fork
Dessert fork
Knives
Butter knife
Normal knife
Steak knife
Plates
Dinner plate
Salad plate
Appetizer plate
Bread plate
Saucers
Dessert plate
Water glasses
Kid’s cups
Glasses
Wine glass
Beer glass
Cocktail glass
Napkins
Tablecloth
Placemats
Condiments
Menus / QR codes
Tablecloth holders if on a patio
How to set a table in any restaurant
No matter what kind of restaurant you’re running, the first few steps are always the same.
Lay the placemat
Put the dinner plate in the middle
Put the napkin left of the plate
Put the fork on top of that
To the right, put the knife (blade up) closest to the plate, then the spoon
Place the cup above the napkin and on the upper right-hand corner of the plate
How does that change in a casual dining scenario?
Lay the placemat
Put the dinner table in the middle
Put the salad plate on top of the dinner plate
If you’re having soup, put that bowl on top of salad plate
Lay the napkin left of the charger
Put the fork on the napkin
Put the knife right of the plate and closest to it
Put the water glass directly above the knife
Put the wine glass right and slightly above the water cup.
The same structure is used for dine-in, communal, and family-style establishments, but with slight differences. Serving sizes will change and the table itself could go from a 2 to an 8-top setup. The layout will just need to shift to give each diner the room needed to eat comfortably.
How to set a formal table
Ready to break out the fancy stuff? When diners patronize a formal establishment, they expect nothing less. Here’s how to set a formal table.
Iron the tablecloth and place it on the table
Put the serving plate in the middle of the place setting
Put the bread plate top left of the serving dish. Put the butter knife blade down on top of it and with the handle to the right
Place silverware to the left of the serving plate. Working from the left, go salad fork, then dinner fork
Right of the serving plate, place the silverware as follows left to right: dinner knife, salad knife, soup spoon, and teaspoon
Line the flatwares with the bottoms lined up level of the serving plate
Put the dessert spoon right above the serving plate horizontally and with the handle facing right
Sit the water glass above the dinner knife
Put the white wine glass under and to the right of the water glass
Put the red wine glass above and to the right of the white wine glass
Put a cup and saucer over and to the right of the soup spoon
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Different types of plates
All those plates at a formal setting aren’t just a flex! They serve a purpose. To start…
Serving plate: Duh. This is for the main course, the dish the customer has been looking forward to since they sat down.
Bread plate: This is where eaters can sit all the assortment of rolls, toasts, and other bread bits they get while in between courses.
Saucer: If someone asks for a hot cup of tea or coffee, this is the place to set it.
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How to Bus Tables at a Restaurant
Bussing tables is an essential function of running a restaurant – here is how to do it step by step.
Different types of cutlery
A fork is just a fork, right? Wrong. No two forks are alike, and here’s how to tell the difference:
- Salad fork: Used to polish off that delicious half or full caesar.
- Dinner fork: Used on the main course or anything else.
- Butter knife: For the bread or any other dish that needs butter.
- Dessert spoon/knife: To break out in case you coerce the guest into ordering something sweet
- Dinner knife: The dinner fork’s partner in crime
- Salad knife: In the event that a piece of lettuce needs to be cut down a peg
- Soup spoon: To enjoy that bowl of chicken noodle, broccoli cheese, or tomato
- Teaspoon: To stir the tea or coffee
Ready, Set, Go.
A busser that can confidently name all types of plates, cutlery, and glasses is already ahead of the game. Whether you’re dealing with a newbie or a seasoned pro, take the time to acquaint your bussers with the table-setting basics before introducing your own restaurant’s unique quirks. It could be the difference between a seating delay and a smooth transition!
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