Runners and servers carry plates from the kitchen to the table, and that takes technique. You learn the plate carry, how to handle hot plates and when to use a tray. At the table, you serve each guest without asking who ordered what.
Why it matters
Dropped food means a remake, a delay and possibly a burn. Serving by seat number is vital for allergy dishes.
Key ideas
The three-plate carry
Grip one plate with your thumb on the rim, slide a second under its edge onto your forearm, and hold a third in your free hand.
Hot plates
Use a dry cloth, as a damp one lets heat through, and always warn guests.
No auctioning
Asking 'Who had the fish?' is called auctioning; use the ticket's seat numbers instead.
Step by step
- 1
At the pass, check the table, seat numbers and allergy flags.
- 2
Hold plates by the rim, with your thumb away from the food.
- 3
Walk steadily, calling 'hot' or 'behind'.
- 4
Serve by seat number, with the main item nearest the guest.
- 5
Clear finished items on your way back.
Do
- Use a tray stand or ask for help with big orders.
- Name each dish as you place it.
- At banquets, serve your whole table together.
Common mistakes
- Don't carry more plates than you can control.
- Don't let your thumb touch the food.
- Don't reach across a guest to serve.
The situation
Five hot plates are ready for one table, and the ticket shows an allergy on seat 2.
What a professional does
You ask a colleague to help and carry the allergy dish on its own, never stacked. 'Careful, the plates are very hot.' You serve by seat number and name each dish.
Useful phrases
“Hot plate, behind you!”
“Here's the roast chicken. Careful, the plate is very hot.”
Pro tip
Practise the three-plate carry with empty plates during quiet times.
Quick check
Why use a dry cloth, not a damp one, to hold hot plates?
Think about it, then show the answer
A damp cloth lets heat through and can burn your hand.