How to Use a Fork and Knife Properly: American vs European Style

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Expert-backed tips to eat with a fork and knife
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Having proper table etiquette depends on the country you’re in, but there are 2 popular ways to eat with a fork and knife: the European (or Continental) style and the American style. In this article, we’ll teach you how to use a fork and knife under both of these styles, plus provide tips to display good manners at the dining table. We also spoke with etiquette coach Tami Claytor for the most important rules when using cutlery.

The Right Way to Eat with a Fork & Knife

For the European style, hold the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left hand during the entire meal. Make sure the tines (prongs of the fork) are facing down. For the American style, hold your fork in your dominant hand with the tines facing up. After cutting your food, put the knife down before eating.

Section 1 of 3:

European (Continental) Style

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  1. If you have more than one fork, the inner one will be your salad fork and the outer one will be for your main dish. This is because salad is usually served after the entrée in Europe. The fork for your main dish will also be larger than your salad fork. [1]
    • Always start with silverware that is on the outside and work your way in. [2]
    • The European style is considered more efficient than the American style because you don’t have to switch your fork to your other hand or set it down until you are finished eating. [3]
  2. Keep your index finger straight and rest it over the top, blunt side of the blade. Wrap your other 4 fingers around the handle of the knife. While your index finger is resting on top, the end of the knife handle should touch the center of your palm. [4]
    • You can use your knife to push food onto the back of your fork (prior to bringing your fork to your mouth).
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  3. Hold the handle between your thumb and your middle, ring, and pinky fingers. Place your index finger at the end of the handle where it meets the base of the tines (or prongs at the end of the fork). The handle should rest in the crease of your palm, and the tines should face downward and away from you. [5]
    • The lower you place your index finger on the fork handle, the more leverage you'll have picking up your food and eating it.
    • This is often referred to as the “scalpel method” because the fork is facing down toward the plate, similar to how you would hold a surgeon’s scalpel.
  4. This causes the tip of your knife and fork to point towards the plate too. When you’re not cutting food or pushing it onto your fork, you can hold your knife steady by resting your wrist on the edge of the table. [6]
    • Relax your elbows and keep them off of the table at all times. If you’re taking a break from using your cutlery in an informal setting, don’t stress about it.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    Hold the food in place using the tines of your fork, making sure the tines are facing downward. Position your knife as close to the base of the fork as possible, then use a gentle sawing motion to cut through the food. Foods like pasta will cut easily, while tougher meats will take a bit of work. [7]
    • Always cut your food with the tines facing down, and only cut 1-2 bites of food at a time.
    • Make sure your knife is further away from you than your fork. This ensures you can see your knife clearly so you know where you’re cutting.
  6. According to etiquette coach Tami Claytor, you should “not bend over” the table while eating. Always bring the fork to your mouth with the tines curving downward, and with the back of the fork facing you.
    • Keep the fork in your left hand, even if you're right-handed. You may find that this method is the more efficient of the two if you experiment with both.
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Section 2 of 3:

American Style

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  1. Americans hold forks in their dominant hand, whether it’s on the right or left. According to Claytor, the correct way to hold a fork is to “hold it by your index finger and your thumb, and then rest it on your third finger.” The end of the fork should rest on the webbing of your hand (the space connecting your index finger and thumb).
    • Most Americans don’t pay attention to the direction of the tines when eating, so feel free to hold the fork with the tines down if it’s more comfortable for you.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    Use your left hand to hold the food in place with the tines of your fork, then use a sawing motion to slice the food with your knife. The tines of your fork should face down, and your fork should be closer to you than your knife. Claytor says you should “cut four to five small bites” of food and “never cut the whole [thing] at one time.”
    • This is the same technique as the European (or Continental) method.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    After cutting a piece of food, put your knife down on the edge of your plate (blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock) and transfer your fork from your left hand to your right. [8] Turn your fork so the tines are curving upward and take a bite!
    • Switch the fork back over to your left hand when you’re ready to cut another piece of food, and continue switching hands every time you need to cut more pieces.
  4. If you are eating a dish that doesn't require cutting, keep your fork in your right hand at all times with this method. The tines can face downward if you're taking a bite, but will generally return upward for the majority of the time. [9]
    • Your silverware should never touch the table. If you're only using your fork, be sure your knife is resting along the edge of your plate. When you put your fork down, rest the handle on the edge, tines near the center of the plate.
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Section 3 of 3:

Table Etiquette Rules

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  1. For most meals, you'll probably just have a knife, fork and spoon. But for those fancy occasions, you may see a few more pieces and wonder what the you should be doing. Here's a basic outline: [10]
    • A four-piece setting is a knife, a salad fork, a place fork (main dish), a place knife, and a teaspoon for coffee. The salad fork will be on the outside and smaller than your place fork.
    • A five-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon.
    • A six-piece setting is a first-course fork and knife (on the outside), main course fork and knife, and a dessert/salad fork and coffee teaspoon. Those last 2 will be the small ones.
    • A seven-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon and isn't a knife or a fork.
      • If you ever see a small fork on your right (forks generally never go on the right), it's an oyster fork.
      • Utensils are generally placed in the order of their use. When in doubt, start from the outside and work your way in.
  2. There are 2 different ways to signal to your waiter that you aren't finished: [11]
    • European style: Cross your knife and fork on your plate, with your fork over the knife and the tines facing down. The 2 should form an upside-down "V."
    • American style: The knife goes near the top of your plate, blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock. The fork is placed tines upward, just at a slight angle from your body.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    This lets your waiter know your plate can be cleared. Again, the two different ways are: [12]
    • European style: Knife and fork parallel to each other, handles at 5 o'clock, blade and tines in the center of your plate (with the tines downward).
    • American style: The same as European style, only with the tines of the fork facing upward.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    You need to pick up rice (and other loose food) by using your fork to scoop it up, rather than piercing it. The American style generally prefers to rely solely on the fork, while the European style employs the help of the knife blade or a piece of bread for scooping. [13]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Use a Fork and Knife
    If you have a spoon, grab a few noodles with your fork and twirl them, resting them on the base of your spoon. If the noodles are too long, you can cut them with your knife, but try taking a few noodles at a time first. [14]
    • Be sure to have a napkin handy to clean up any spills!
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  • Question
    Is cutting a steak supposed to be a pulling motion or a sawing, back and forth motion?
    Community Answer
    It depends on your knife. If it's a non-serrated knife, you'll find you get a better/faster cut pulling rather than pushing. If it's serrated, back-and-forth is the typical application.
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  • Question
    What type of setting is one where a small fork is placed above the plate?
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    A slightly informal dessert course will have the pastry fork/spoon/ice cream fork above the plate, handle pointing right.
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    Is it rude to rest my knife blade on the edge of my plate while eating steak?
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    If you are pausing, place the knife's blade not on the edge, but more so the handle rests along the edge of the plate.
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      Tips

      • While there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to hold a knife and fork, many people believe the European style is more efficient than the American style. This is because you keep your knife and fork in your hands the entire time, speeding up the process. [15]
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      • The American style developed in the 19th century, when French nobility established a more rigorous table etiquette. Americans followed the French, and it became a trend to eat using your dominant hand. By the 1850s, the French stopped this style of fork-switching, but Americans continued to do it. [16]
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      • Practice both styles and choose the one that feels most comfortable to you! If you’re a fast eater, the American method might be better since it takes longer to cut your food and switch the utensils in your hands.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you have an informal dinner at home, you don't have to use these methods. The methods above are used mostly in formal dinners and parties.
      • Rice can also be eaten with a spoon, as it's easier to scoop up the grains without spilling.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about etiquette, check out our in-depth interview with Tami Claytor .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      2. ↑ https://dcmp.org/guides/TID7806.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      6. ↑ https://ularlington.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dining-Etiquette-Guide-Feb-2018.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      8. ↑ https://www.kent.edu/career/dining-etiquette
      9. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_manners.html
      2. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.kent.edu/career/dining-etiquette
      4. ↑ https://ularlington.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dining-Etiquette-Guide-Feb-2018.pdf
      5. ↑ https://ularlington.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dining-Etiquette-Guide-Feb-2018.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.missouriwestern.edu/student-services/wp-content/uploads/sites/130/2019/10/Etiquette-Essentials-Dining-Etiquette-Handout-Quiz.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.insidehook.com/food/reason-americans-use-fork-way

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