More Service Plate Etiquette

Service plates or place plates can easily elevate the look of one’s table. “The service plate remains upon the table until the dish is served and forms a foundation plate for both the cocktail and the soup.” – “Service plates,” “place plates” or “chargers” are now left by some hosts and hostesses, until the dessert course because it is used as a decorative part of the place setting.

Rules for the Service Plate

The first handsome service plate, set at the cover at the beginning of dinner, remains unchanged until it is removed just before the first hot course. The little salpicon or canapé is removed on its own small plate; the oysters on theirs; and if a cold bouillon is served the bouillon cup and saucer are removed together. If the soup is hot, the service plate will be removed before it is served, and the soup plate will stand on a dinner plate, which will be removed with it, and on its removal a second service plate will be slipped into the vacant place, so that in front of the guest there may never be a bare space of tablecloth. This rule of providing a service plate between every course is adhered to only where the hostess has an abundance of these beautiful plates, and wishes to please her guests by their variety. For the ordinary formal dinner one handsome service plate is enough, and this may be left in place only until the service of the meat course.— The Boston Cooking School Magazine, 1920

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