Plates Carrying Clearing Rules

Important rules and techniques apply for handling ceramic, also plates, to prevent accidents and breakage.

• A stack of plates

A stack of plates will be carried always with both hands. For this, place the service cloth around the plate’s. The plate’s may not be touched by our hands or our body.

• One plate

One plate will be held between thumb and forefinger and the other fingers. But take care that you only touch the rim of the plate with your thumb.

• Two plates (1st method)

The first plate will be held as above. The second plate will be pushed under the first plate to the fore finger. The other fingers will support the second plate.

• Two plates (2nd method)

The first plate will be held again as above on picture 2. Afterwards, slightly turn your hand inwards. Now take the second plate so that it will be supported by the ball of the hand, the forearm and the little finger.

Clearing of plates

The basic position is the same as the “Two plate’s (2nd method)”. Pick-up the first plate and touch the handle of the fork (to prevent other cutlery from slipping around) and then put the knife at an angle of 90° under the fork. Pick up the second plate and follow the same procedure as above and on and on….

Notes

When clearing plate’s from in front of customers the following points are well worth remembering.
• Wait until the head waiter gives the signal to clear.
• Start clearing at the correct customer so that you move forward all the time.
• Clear from the right hand side of each customer and remember to step back, keeping plate’s well clear of customers.
• Remove debris quickly and quietly, taking care to put knives under fork bridges at right angles to forks.
• Do not try to carry more plates than you can safely manage.
• Practice clearing soup plates on under liners at home if possible, to get used to the sequence of stacking the soup plate’s and liners.
• Transfer plate from right to left hand and position cutlery.
• Place 2nd plate on Left Hand Bridge.
• Remove debris to plate to 1, positioning cutlery. Clear of customer.