How to Set a Table for Any Occasion

While there are certain protocols for basic, casual, and formal table settings, there is some flexibility. Get creative based on the items you already own and what you’ll be serving. For a formal table setting, you don’t need to include all the pieces listed below, just the pieces that correspond to the items you’ll be serving. So if you don’t have oysters on the menu, there's no need to put oyster forks on the table.

Linens provide an opportunity to express yourself. Depending on your style, you might opt to use a tablecloth, runner, place mats, or any combination of the three with your place settings. Keep in mind that place mats are not necessary with a tablecloth but there’s no rule one way or another. It all comes down to your entertaining style and how you want to present your table.

General Table Setting Guidelines

• In general, utensils should be ordered based on when you use them, always working from the outside in.
• Space items out carefully to maintain an equal distance between items and be mindful of having all your place settings on an equal plane (for instance, beverage glasses at each place setting should be in line with each other).

Basic Table Setting

A basic table setting is what you’ll likely want to use for weeknight family dinners and very casual get-togethers.

What You’ll Need:

• Silverware: Dinner fork, dinner knife, spoon (optional)
• Dishes: Dinner plate, beverage glass
• Linens: Napkin, place mat (optional)

How to Arrange a Basic Table Setting

• Place your dinner plate in the center of your place mat, if you’re using one.
• Your napkin goes to the left of the plate and the fork should be placed on top of it.
• The knife and spoon go to the right of the plate, with the blade facing toward the plate and the spoon (if you’re using one) to the right of the knife.
• The water or beverage glass goes in the upper right portion of the setting, just above the plate but between it and the knife.

Casual Dinner Table Setting

Elevated occasions call for a step up from the basic table setting. Birthday parties, luncheons, and casual dinner parties are all fair game for this pared-down, but still special, setting.

What You’ll Need:

Start with the Basic Table Setting items, listed above, then add the following:

• Silverware: Salad fork, soup spoon
• Dishes: Wine glass, soup bowl, salad plate
• Linens: Table runner (optional), tablecloth (optional)

How to Set a Casual Table

With all of the elements of the basic table setting already in place, you’ll only need to make a few additions to step it up to a casual dinner setting.

• Place the salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.
• Place the soup spoon to the right of the dinner spoon.
• The wine glass goes just above the water glass and to the right.
• Place your soup bowl on your salad plate, then place the stack on top of your dinner plate.

Formal Dinner Table Setting

When you’re having a dinner party at home and plan to serve more than three courses, you’ll want to call on a formal table setting. You will also encounter this type of place setting in restaurants where multiple courses are served.

What You’ll Need:

Start with the Casual Dinner Table Setting items, listed above, then add the following:

• Silverware: Dessert spoon, dessert fork, butter knife, fish fork (optional), fish knife (optional), oyster fork (optional)
• Dishes: Bread plate, charger
• Glassware: Sherry glass (optional), champagne flute (optional)
• Miscellaneous: Salt and pepper shakers, place setting holder/card

How to Set a Formal Table

While starting from scratch can seem overwhelming (there are a lot of pieces in a formal place setting, after all), keeping in mind that each place setting builds on each other can help simplify the process.

Bread Plate and Knife

• With your casual dinner table setting in place, start building your formal dinner table setting by placing the charger below the dinner plate, salad plate, and soup bowl.
• The bread plate goes just above the forks.
• The bread knife is placed diagonally on the bread plate with the handle on the right and the blades facing down.

Additional Silverware

When it comes to optional silverware items like the fish fork, fish knife, and oyster fork, remember these items should only be used in a place setting if they are a planned portion of your meal. If so, follow this guidance.

• Place the fish fork to the left of the dinner fork.
• Place the fish knife between the soup spoon and the entrée knife.
• Complete the silverware lineup with the oyster fork on the far right, just next to the soup spoon.

Additional Drinkware

If you’re serving sherry or champagne, these two glasses will stick to your previously designated beverage area in the upper right portion of the setting.

• Place the champagne flute just below the water glass and to the left of the wine glass.
• Place the sherry glass just above the wine glass and to the right of the water glass. 

Dessert Items

In restaurants, these utensils are usually brought out just before dessert is served, so they aren't typically already on the table when you’re first seated.

• Place the dessert spoon horizontally above the plate with the handle pointing to the right. I
• If you’re using one, a dessert fork should be placed parallel just above the spoon with the handle facing toward the left.

Miscellaneous Items

A place card can be placed at the top of the setting. If desired, individual salt and pepper shakers can flank the place card.