""When you are finished, the proper etiquette is you take your knife and fork and cross it at the top of the plate," said Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, owner of Cecchi's restaurant, with whom we caught up at the New York City Wine & Food Fest at the Seaport. This is the easiest way to let the restaurant staff know they can come and clear the table. It is, however, a fairly subtle way, so if you're in a rush and need to leave promptly, Cecchi-Azzolina says you should definitely "raise your hand, get someone's attention.""
"There's no need to stack the empty plates or nervously stare at the servers in the hopes that one of them will catch your glance. The restaurant staff is paying attention to the tables, and when they see your cutlery in the appropriate "I'm done" position, they'll come and take the plate away."
"There are different opinions on whether it's considered rude to push a plate away when you're done eating. To gain clarity on the issue, we asked Cecchi-Azzolina. He told us that, while it can sometimes be perceived as rude, "We're not going to judge you." He also acknowledged that in larger groups, different rules apply. It's very common for those in the group who finish early to push the plate aside. "That's fine. That's completely fine," he affirmed. In that particular situation, it can actually be a helpful gesture "because we know you want us to take the plate away. If you do that, we get the signal.""
Crossing a knife and fork at the top of a plate signals that a diner is finished and prompts staff to clear the table. Servers monitor tables for that cutlery position and will remove plates when they recognize it. Raising a hand provides a clearer signal when a diner needs to leave quickly. There is no need to stack empty plates or stare at servers. Pushing a plate away can sometimes seem rude, but staff generally will not judge, and in larger groups moving a plate aside commonly signals that it can be cleared.
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