European silverware code
 

I read an article this morning that said Europeans have a way of placing their silverware to let the waiter know they have finished dining and want the check. Unfortunately, this was peripheral to the main point of the article, and they didn't reveal the secret.

Since I have been unsuccessful in many European countries in getting the check, can someone explain in the simplest terms just what this secret signal is? I know throwing the napkin onto the plate doesn't work, nor does balancing a spoon on your chin.

getting the bill is independent of any silverware signals that might signal that your plates are ready to be cleared. the "secret" is to just ask for the bill when you are ready for it, if you don't ask, it usually will not come.

If you place the knife and fork together slanting across the plate, that signifies that you are through (also in many parts of the US). If you place them slantwise opposite each other on either side of the plate in a V pointing toward 12 o'clock, that shows you are just resting.
BUT!
Because most European restaurants do not depend on turning the table (getting you out so that someone else can spend money in your place) the waiter is in no hurry to bring you a check. You can add to that a bias for serving the most recent arrival, atleast to the extent of getting them something to drink and some bread. You have already eaten, you are no longer famished or thirsty, so you can wait. Finally, and I think most important, it that it is considered bad manners to rush you. So you almost always have to ask for the check directly.

In France, to ask for the check:
l'addition s'il vous plais
(not sure if the spelling is 100% correct.)

http://www.slowfood.com/

As for getting the bill, it's a case of "catching the eye" of the waiter by any means possible short of manhandling him to the ground

I will second what has been sid before. You need to request the check. It will NT be brought to you with out asking for it. It's considered bad manners to rush a table- in the US it's called turning the table.
Placing your knife ad fork together at 9 o'clck to 12 o'clock will signal that you're done with that portion of the meal.
Please don't get me started on the time laspe between dessert...coffee.... and................................the check

At least in France, you get the check by asking for it, or (sometimes) by turning down successive suggestions of coffee, dessert, etc., until the waiter has nothing else to suggest, at which point he will logically assume that you want the check.

No matter HOW you place the silverware, it won't get you the bill. Most European restaurants would not dream of bringing the bill until asked. They don't want it to seem they are rushing you out the door.

you need to ask for it.

A friend (American) at a very upscale place ended up fuming (REALLY mad) because the waiter didn't bring the bill for more than an hour after they were through eating. Meanwhile the waiter was probably fuming in the kitchen wondering when those blankety blank Americans would pay and get out.

I had tried to explain to my friend that it is different from back home where they often bring the bill before you finish dessert - but they forgot.

In Hong Kong, you ask for you check by raising your hand, pretend to be holding a pen, and then flick it like you'd be signing something when the waiter see you. Since they definitely didn't learn this from Americans, I think they learn this from Europeans.

It's worked for me when I'm in Europe.

Placing your silverware in correct postion only indicates that you are ready for the next course and if everyone at the table is not ready and have not positioned their silver, it should not be served until they have ...if you want the check ask for "le addition" or whatever is appropriate for the country you are in.

>indicates that you are ready for the next course
That's what I do here in Germany. It always works. When the waiter comes and asks you what else you'd like, you ask for the check. Easy, fast efficient and discrete. Whatever you do, don't play with your money..

I've never heard of a 'silverware code' for getting the bill (check). the knife and fork laid together is the code for 'OK, done my best, take the plate'. I've always found that the best code for the bill is to catch the waiter's eye (not always easy) then mime writing on the palm of your hand. this sems to work from Manchester to Macau, so i can only suppose it's universal

If you have gone to coffee course (main, dessert are done) there won't be much silverware left on your table, except the small coffee spoon. Perhaps stick it in your mouth (or ear) to get the attention of your waiter ;-)

When I was little I was taught to put the knife and fork "in a five o´clock position" after I am done with the food. That is the sign that the plate can be taken away even when there is still food left.

But like said before, it is not a sign to bring the bill, just a sign that I am done with that course, and they can either clear the table (who wants to sit with dirty plates) and/or bring the next course.

>"in a five o´clock position"
I believe, that's common all over the planet?

Yes, but I could not think what else that "silverware code" could mean.

I wondered if this was something to do with assay and hallmarks!

I always ask for the bill at the same time as my coffee or pudding.

The silverware code is quite easy:

If knife and fork are parallel it simply means "I have finished my plate so you can take it away". Nothing else.

If knife and fork are resting on the edges of the plate it means "Do not take my plate, I haven't finished yet". Nothing else.

Usually we eat multi-course menus in Europe. So we lay the silverware parallel after each course.

Ordering the bill is a different thing. In any country, waving a credit card or a wallet will be a clear signal.

Here's the code for France:

Knife at 4, fork at 8: Please bring the check.

Knife at 6, fork at 9: Please bring the next course.

Knife at 9, fork at 3: Please bring the non-dairy dessert menu.

Knife at 10, fork at 2: A martini, please … shaken, not stirred.

Knife at 11, fork at 7: There's a fly in my soup.

Knife at 7, fork at 1: Do you take Discover?

Knife at 7, fork at 6: Point me to the restrooms, please.

Knife at 9, fork at 8: Direct me to the Keystone.

Knife at 9, fork at 11: I'd like another vegetarian cocktail, please.

Knife at 1, fork at 2: The couple at the table next to me has not bathed; please ask them to do so.

Knife and fork at 12: I'd like a taxi to the rue Cler immediately, please.

Patrick, that's exactly what I thought this post was going to be about, too -- questions from a silverware collector off to browse the London and Paris antique markets.

Pretty funny, Anthony!

When I tell my kids to put their silverware at 5 o'clock, one of them (the smart @$$ one) invariably puts the knife at 12 and the fork at 5. "You said 5 o'clock......"

Agreeing with rkkwan --

Many countries consider it impolite to rush you, and the waiter will not bring the check until asked. To give the signal, make eye contact with the waiter, and do the "writing a check" motion with your hands, as if you are signing something.

Be aware that in some more casual places, you will pay at the bar (also common in New Zealand.)

one of the highlights of a meal in Europe is to be able to relax during and afterwards, savor the food, chat, and enjoy the moment. So, what's the rush to get the check? I always signal with miming writing something on my palm if the waiter is not right next to me, or asking for the addition if he is, when we are finally done.

rk says,

>n Hong Kong, you ask for you check by raising your hand, pretend to be holding a pen, and then flick it like you'd be signing something when the waiter see you.

And in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, New York, San Francisco and Madison, GA.

((I))

Momliz- What about those people who aren't into restaurant scenes? While they may of enjoyed the food, there's more things out there to see still! Why wait when you could see another piece of art, wander through another neighborhood, go through another museum, etc... I'm not one to linger over my food, especially if I'm alone. And I would feel rather weird people-watching inside of a restaurant.

well then, ask for the check...

Oh, I would when ready. It just seemed like you think anyone who wouldn't want to spend an hour after eating sitting and talking is crazy, when they're not. If that wasn't the case, then nevermind.

Usually when I eat my evening meal (dinner) I am tired of sightseeing and ready for some down time.

Besides, I enjoy seeing what is on the menu and trying to figure it out!!

Usually, it is hopeless without help.

I made a copy of the various utensil positions and their meaning. I will use in June in Prague and see it if helps.

I am reminded of trick we pulled on some gullible soul when I was in college. Some guy told this poor chap that if he went to the kitchen door and yelled out some phrase in Russian to the cook he would get a free desert.

Well the dumb guy did as told.
I presume he got the Russian sounds imitated rather well because the cook chased him out waving a butcher knife.

At Oktoberfest in Munich one year I saw a tipsy US female get talked into standing on the table and yelling something in German that drew applause and calls, in English, for more. She had no idea what she was saying.

Let us suffice it by saying that she was calling attention to her feminine charms.

> I will use in June in Prague and see it if helps.

A taxi from Prague to Rue Cler might get very expensive :-)

Beside the point...Delay with check? We get up and go to the cashier! It always brings results.

We rarely ask for a check. It's usually brought automatically at closing time.

AnthonyGA,
You made all of us loughing, cheers...

In Turkey usually they do not rush customers for to use the table again and asking to the waiter for the bill is enough. Or simoly catching the eye of the waiter and show with your hand as if you do signing will be enough for them to understand and bring the check....

Happy Travelling,
Murat

> It just seemed like you think anyone who wouldn't want to spend an hour after eating sitting and talking is crazy ...

I understand what you mean. Especially when I'm alone, I'd rather go out after dinner without lingering (but no rush. Also an exception is if I feel good with a bit of alcoohol, I do might linger a bit) and enjoy walking the night of Paris, Venice, Prague, etc. Some said they would sually be tired from all the walking during the day, well not me (usually). I do walk day and night.

So as Momliz wrote, just ask for your check. That's as simple as that. I often ask for it with the coffee.

My DH likes me to attract the attention of a waiter by the subtle use of eyebrow or eyelid. I worry about this and use the signing gesture. This 5 oclock thing explains to me why so many Americans do it. My mother (a owner of hotels) always said "up and down" which means 6 oclock in this parlance but how did 5 become the number

If this subject has not been done to death I'll add a little footnote about my difficulties when asking for the cheque.

We never drink coffee or eat dessert at home or abroad. And as we dine out nightly on our European trips, I like to pay up and get out fast.

So on our trip to Rome and Paris (we returned last evg) I generally spoke as follows:

Waiter:
Un dolce?/ Dessert, monsieur?
TG:
No, grazie/ Non, merci.
Waiter:
Caffe?/ Un cafe peut-etre?
TG:
Neppure un caffe. Prendo subito il conto, per favore. / Pas de cafe -- je prend l'addition, SVP.

....And then we sat and sat and waited and waited, until I asked again for the bill. And got it right away.

My spouse theorized "They don't think you're asking for the cheque. They think you're telling them that you want the bill NEXT... but you're not ASKING for it now."

Sounds weird but this was a pretty persistent problem -- about one-third or one-half of our dinners. And it was a problem in uncrowded restaurants with good, otherwise-responsive staff.
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By the way, "turning the table" used to mean something quite different in a private house in my grandmother's day:

It was the point in a large formal dinner party at which the hostess turned from talking to the person on her right and began to talk to the person on her left.

The wave moved all around the table. For a pair of guests to persist in a conversation that prevented the "turning" was considered very ill-mannered!

tedgale, you are right. It can be a problem everywhere in Europe, even in my homeland. Sometimes, I get nervous when I have to leave for an appointment or to catch a train.

What do I do?

First, I make myself heard - waving, even calling loudly for the waiter if nothing else helps.

Second, I sometimes stand up and go directly to the bar or cashier and approach the waiter. Sometimes, they are irritated by this behavior and come to the table to present the check, sometimes they seem glad and produce the check right there. Anyway, if this speeds up checking-out, I do it.

The third strategy is to stand up, take the coat and get ready to leave the restaurant - usually the waiter will hurry up with the check!

I did not mean to imply that not sitting for hours after a meal is crazy - I enjoy it - and I realize that many don't or don't have time. Maybe it's an acquired taste? I know that my kids grew to like it on our trip to France, and the whole family was actually talking to each other. Wonderful!

I apologize for my wrong assumption. Don't know if it was the late hour or what at the time...

I'm sure AnthonyGA isn't reading this thread anymore, but just incase... thanks for the laugh. I would dearly love to present that "silverware code" at an etiquette dinner and see how long people would follow along. I think my favorite was about the smelly couple at the next table.

I've always found that catching the waiters eye at the end of a meal works. They either assume I want the check, or they come over to see what I do want.