As of: March 25, 2024, 4:36 p.m
By: Carmen Mörwald
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Would you like to tell the waiter what you think?
There is no need for words because there is a language of its own in gastronomy.
Bremen – Every now and then it can happen that the food in the restaurant was not quite as satisfactory as hoped.
In this case, there is no need to speak to the waiter because he can see the dissatisfaction based on the position of the cutlery.
But there are also secret codes for other situations.
Position of the cutlery: Where do the secret codes in the restaurant come from?
Adolph Freiherr Knigge originally explained the order in which cutlery should be taken in a restaurant and how it should be put down in his work “On Dealing with People”.
This resulted in the so-called cutlery language, which is used today in the form of secret codes.
Be careful when putting down the cutlery: you can give the waiter unwanted signals.
© HalfPoint Images / Imago
The cutlery language is not only valid in Germany and can have different meanings depending on the region.
It is common practice, especially in upscale restaurants, to give signals to the waiter using a knife and fork.
Nevertheless, the waiter in the inn also understands the secret codes.
Use secret codes correctly in the restaurant: This is how the cutlery is placed
Although mastering the language of cutlery may sound complicated at first, it's actually not rocket science.
All you need is a plate, a fork and a knife.
The plate should represent a clock and the cutlery should represent the hands.
This way the waiter can see what the guest actually wants to say.
Cutlery on “20 past 8” – “I’m taking a break”
Anyone who likes to take a break while eating is probably familiar with the problem: the waiter comes and asks if he can clear away.
To avoid this situation, the cutlery must be placed at "20 past 8" - so the handle of the fork is at 8 o'clock and the handle of the knife is at 20 minutes, creating a triangle.
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The secret code for “I’m taking a break.”
© Carmen Mörwald / IPPEN.MEDIA
Cutlery at “20 past 4” – “I’m done”
The most common cutlery position is with the knife and fork facing 4 o'clock.
The time 4:20 a.m. signals to the waiter that the meal is finished and can be cleared away.
If you want to express that you enjoyed it at the same time, you have to use a different secret code.
The secret code for “I’m done.”
© Carmen Mörwald / IPPEN.MEDIA
Cutlery at “20 past 7” – “I would like a second helping”
Still hungry?
Then the knife and fork should cross each other in the middle of the plate so that the handles are at 5 and 7 o'clock.
This way, guests can tell the restaurant that they would like a second helping.
This secret code also means that the cutlery that has already been used will continue to be used.
The secret code for “I want a second helping.”
© Carmen Mörwald / IPPEN.MEDIA
Cutlery at “5 past 7” – “I enjoyed it”
If you don't just want to say that you've finished eating and the plate can be cleared, you have the option of placing the cutlery parallel to the bottom left at around 7:35 a.m.
This way the waiter knows that the food was tasty and he can pass on the compliment to the restaurant's chef.
The secret code for “I enjoyed it”.
© Carmen Mörwald / IPPEN.MEDIA
Cutlery on “20 to 8” – “I didn’t like it”
On the other hand, if the food didn't taste good, no words are necessary.
Because according to cutlery language, it is enough to place the fork at 8 o'clock and the knife at 7 o'clock.
The knife and fork are placed next to each other like in “5 past 7” – just a little less parallel and more slanted.
The secret code for “I didn’t like it”.
© Carmen Mörwald / IPPEN.MEDIA
Regardless of whether you want to use the cutlery language or not: In the future, you should pay close attention to how the cutlery is placed on the plate.
Otherwise, false signals could be sent to the waiter or restaurant staff.
But secret codes don't only exist in the catering industry: cruise employees, among others, also use their own language to understand each other.
The board staff even have their own names for attractive passengers.
(cln)