Dining Guide / During the Meal
Cutlery Signals
How you place your knife and fork tells the server whether you’re still eating or finished.
- Still eating (inverted V) — Rest the knife and fork on the plate in an inverted V. It signals you’re not done, so your plate stays.
- Finished (four o’clock) — Place them together with the handles toward the lower right, knife blade facing the fork.
Key Points
- When you pause mid-meal, rest your knife and fork on the plate in an inverted V.
- When you’re finished, place them side by side with the handles pointing toward about four o’clock.
- In either position, turn the knife blade toward the fork.
- Once you’ve used a piece of cutlery, keep it on the plate rather than back on the tablecloth.
Do
- Set your cutlery down when you talk or take a drink
- Place them together when you’re done
Avoid
- Gesturing with your knife or fork in hand
- Putting used cutlery on the tablecloth
- Leaning cutlery on the plate with the handles on the table
Handy Tip
“Inverted V means still eating, together means finished.” Remember just that, and you’ll be understood almost anywhere.
Customs That Vary
The “finished” position varies: some countries use six o’clock (straight up and down) or three o’clock. As long as the knife and fork lie together, the message is clear.