It always seems to happen, doesn’t it? You’re having a lovely time out to eat and your silverware ends up on the floor. Maybe you elbowed it off the table or you simply dropped it — we can all be clumsy sometimes. While it can feel a tad embarrassing, it’s no big deal, and you should definitely ask for a new set. To confirm this, Chowhound tapped Penny Chua, owner and managing partner of the iconic Lotus of Siam restaurant on Flamingo Road in Las Vegas.
Chua told us that no matter the restaurant, if she drops her silverware, she invariably picks it up and tells her server what happened. “I’ll usually ask politely if I can get a clean set and hand them the one that hit the floor,” she said. “It’s just a small courtesy, and most places are more than happy to replace it without any fuss.” A quality restaurant should have plenty of clean silverware available. You may consider just using the dropped silverware, but it’s not the best idea. Even if the eatery looks super-clean and the floors are shining, it can’t hurt to err on the side of caution. While you may be tempted to avoid asking for a fresh set by just grabbing one from an empty table nearby, Chua doesn’t recommend this. Similarly, you should think twice before stacking your empty plates.
Taking silverware or other items from an empty table nearby is a no-no
Perhaps you’ve done it before or have seen others do it. It may seem harmless enough to pluck an unused set of silverware from an empty table near your own, but it’s not really appropriate. Chua explained, “those tables are usually already prepped by the bussers or porters, and taking something from them could mess up the setup or even contaminate clean items.” You surely don’t want to create more work for restaurant employees.
While you may think you’re saving them the work of fetching you another set, it’s really not the best route since the table you snatched the set from is missing something that needs replacing. If an employee doesn’t notice a table is missing something before diners sit down, the latter may be miffed to see their table not properly set up. “It’s always better to just ask your server for what you need, they’re there to help and will usually get it to you quickly and cleanly,” she explained. To avoid the mistake of one-timing your server (which can disrupt the flow of their work), think about other things you may need and request them all at once. Lastly, if you’re splitting a check, do it the right way.
