Cutlery etiquette when you've finished eating

[Cloo]

Gsv has been brought up in the belief that at the end of a meal, it is rude to do anything other than leave your knife and fork together at ‘six o’clock’ with the end of the fork and knife pointing directly away from you.

I’ve been brought up in the belief that it’s fine as long as the knife and fork are placed quite close together and parallel with the ends facing some point away from you.

Is it just us, or were other people taught specific stuff about what to do with their cutlery at the end of a meal?

 

[aqua]

the 2 should be together though not important if at 6o'clocl or not

 

[nadia]

if they are crossed isn't that something to do with an argument

 

[Cloo]

if they are crossed isn't that something to do with an argument

Long running family 'joke':

Dad: Don't cross your knife and fork, it causes arguments
Someone else: No it doesn't!
Dad: Yes it does!

etc

 

[nadia]

In the same way that stir with a knife causes strife

 

[moose]

I think it's more common to cross them in the US. Vulgar!

Some people turn the fork so the tines are pointing downwards, too - strange!

 

[RaverDrew]

Is this some kind of a wind up ?

Is there really some bloody etiquette to how you leave your knife n fork ??

Absolutely fuckin ridiculous

 

[MysteryGuest]

For me it's fork and knife parallel at 5 o'clock. It's slightly less aggressive that way, I feel.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

knife and fork in the middle with the cutting edge of the knife towards the fork to indicate you have finished you meal

knife and fork crossed to indicate you have paused but intend to contine

this is what i was taught ... but it's only really for resturants

 

[Cloo]

I think I may actually have been taught the six o'clock thing, but my parents weren't bothered about strictly always doing so and that as long as you didn't just leave cutlery akimbo it was OK really.

The other question is - it may be what you were taught, but what do you actually do?

I imagine I'm like most people in that it kind of depends where I'm eating. Ie, always do it 'properly' at other people's family events and restaurants, otherwise not so bothered.

 

[innit]

It was 5 o'clock in my family, like Cloo I do this in restaurants so the waiters don't get confused but I wouldn't bother at home (except maybe on special occasions, if I was sober enough to remember )

 

[trashpony]

Together at 5 o'clock for me too and tines up in my family. I usually do it out of habit - my parents are quite keen on manners and the 'correct' way of doing things.

 

[astral]

erm I think *mimes putting her cutlery together* that I tend to leave the fork turned over the knife at a 5 O'clock angle. But I suspect thats a throw back to living in Europe, my parents were quite strict about the cutlery together at 6 o'clock thing.

 

[belboid]

knife placed between the left two prongs of the fork and left at precisely 5.45 on the plate.

Anything else is just perverse.

 

[geminisnake]

Is this some kind of a wind up ?

Is there really some bloody etiquette to how you leave your knife n fork ??

Yes there is, and many urbanites have been brought up with manners it seems.

I think it's in my subconcious to close my cutlery when I finish eating. I do it at home or out.

 

[subversplat]

Put them on the plate vaguely near each other and as parallel as you can be bothered. Who cares which way they point?

 

[milesy]

if you go to a restaurant and have a well-trained waiter or waitress, they should know that if you have your knife and fork together you have finished, and they can take your plate. if your knife and fork are on the plate but not together you are just having a breather as it were and they shouldn't assume that they can take your plate.

 

[Cloo]

Is this some kind of a wind up ?

Is there really some bloody etiquette to how you leave your knife n fork ??

Absolutely fuckin ridiculous

It's true. Being really precise about it is a bit silly and unnecessary, but the 'putting your cutlery together' idea is polite for restaurants, big family meals etc to make it clear you've finished to avoid the awkwardness of your plate being taken away before you're done.

Clearly, with some people it's obvious, cos they don't leave any food. It's necessary for me, as I have a tiny appetite and rarely finish a main course completely!

 

[Ellie23]

Hehe! Great to see this thread!

My kids think I'm a total pain when I tell them they should put their cutlery tidy at the end of a meal. I was taught to do it, had it explained as being good manners and an indication that I'd finished eating and so on.

 

[Orang Utan]

I just put them down randomly - never been taught any different - I have manners thank you very much, but also a sense of proportion.

 

[marco mark]

10 to 4 pointing away was drilled into me as a kid

 

[Shandril19]

I think it's more common to cross them in the US. Vulgar!

Some people turn the fork so the tines are pointing downwards, too - strange!

Crossing them is considered proper for putting them down as a rest in the States. If you're finished eating, then it's together parallel pointing away from you at a slight angle.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's true. Being really precise about it is a bit silly and unnecessary, but the 'putting your cutlery together' idea is polite for restaurants, big family meals etc to make it clear you've finished to avoid the awkwardness of your plate being taken away before you're done.

Clearly, with some people it's obvious, cos they don't leave any food. It's necessary for me, as I have a tiny appetite and rarely finish a main course completely!

Is it rude if you've never been told that it is rude?
To be honest, I'd be more offended if people didn't finish up all their food

 

[Major Tom]

Cutlery?

 

[WasGeri]

Wasn't taught anything about cutlery when I was a kid as far as I can remember.

I just leave them on the plate usually, or sometimes on the carpet

 

[butterfly child]

I wasn't taught anything, but since getting married have started to put the knife and fork together on the plate when I've finished.

I'll have to ask him about the "six o'clock" bit when he comes back in!

 

[Cloo]

Is it rude if you've never been told that it is rude?
To be honest, I'd be more offended if people didn't finish up all their food

I personally don't think it's 'rude' in the 'offensive' sense - it's polite as in that it's helpful to the person serving you, though.

 

[Stig]

I was taught that you've finished when your plate is empty, and not before.

The knife and fork go on top of everyone else's, on the top plate, and your plate goes underneath the stack.

When in restaurants, it is plain whether the food is finished with or not, by whether you are leaning closely over it and growling at anyone trying to approach.


I do put my knife and fork together though, I've never really thought about why. Probably picked it up somewhere along the line...
certainly not my parent's house, that's for sure.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

If I repeatedly swap them other whilst I'm eating, does it really matter what I do with them when I've finished? Just don't use either the knife or fork to scratch any part of your body, and you're fine

 

[reallyoldhippy]

I was taught that you've finished when your plate is empty, and not before.

Me too. But sometimes there was a chance of seconds: if you finished and didn't want more, the tools were put together and your plate became the first in the pile; but left apart you might get another dollop of something.