Silent service code - Misplaced Pages

Method of communication between diner and waitstaff

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In the United States, the silent service code is a way for a diner to communicate to waitstaff during a meal to indicate whether the diner is finished with their plate. This is intended to prevent situations where the server might remove a plate of food and utensils prematurely.

The code is almost always taught during business dining etiquette classes.

Signals

To indicate they have finished with their plate, a diner places their napkin to the left of their plate and places their utensils together at the "4-o'clock" position on their plate. It is applicable to most types of table service: without waitstaff, the host or hosts may find it informative in judging when to clear away a course or the meal.

Utensils crossed on a plate signify that a diner is still eating. If a diner must leave during a course, placing their napkin on their chair indicates they are not finished.

References

^ Paré, Jean (1993). Party Planning. Company's Coming Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-895455-26-7.

Nonverbal communication

Modalities

Physical	Blushing Body language / Kinesics Body-to-body communication Facial expression Facial Action Coding System Microexpression Subtle expression Gesture List Speech-independent gestures Haptic communication Imitation Interpersonal synchrony Laughter Oculesics Eye contact Pupil dilation Olfaction Posture Proxemics
Speech	Affect Emotional prosody Paralanguage Intonation Loudness Prosody Rhythm Stress Tone Voice quality
Social context	Chronemics Conventions Display rules Habitus High-context and low-context cultures Interpersonal relationship Social norm
Other	Emoticon / Smiley One-bit message Missed call Silent service code
Unconscious	Microexpression Non-verbal leakage
Multi-faceted	Affect display Deception Emotion recognition First impression Intimacy

Broader concepts
Basic interpersonal communicative skills Communication Emotional intelligence Nunchi People skills Semiotics Social behavior Social cue Social competence Social skills Unsaid

Further information

Disorders

Neuroanatomy

Applications

Technology

Key people

Animal communication Behavioral communication Aggressive Assertive Passive Passive-aggressive Impression management Meta-communication Monastic sign lexicons Verbal communication
Non-verbal language	Sign language Tactile signing Tadoma
Art and literature	Mime Mimoplastic art Subtext

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Categories:

Signals

See also

References