The following simple and elementary rules may prove useful to the novice in the art of waiting, while
the other suggestions regarding table service contain
hostess.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR WAITING
AT TABLE
The maid who waits at table should be neatly
dressed in a plain black frock, with a white apron,
collar, cuffs, and simple cap. Or, a clean and tidy
print dress may be worn for luncheon or early
dinner, if she is expected to do housework after
the meal is served. Her hair should be neatly
done, and she ought to pay special attention to
her hands, in order to keep them clean and in good
order. A good waitress should be quick and fight
in her movements, without having any appearance
of hurry or bustle, and her work should be done
as quietly as possible. There should be no clatter
of dishes, nor rattling of silver and glasses. She
must give her whole attention to the work in hand,
and be ever on the alert to see what is wanted.
A pleasant and gracious manner is also essential,
along with thought for the comfort of those she is
serving, and a readiness to forestall their wants.
Before the meal is served, the waitress ought to
become acquainted with the contents of the menu,
and to consider what will be required for serving
the diSerent courses, in order that there need be
no needless moving about, nor leaving the room
when once the meal is commenced. She must
also see that everything that is laid on the table
and used in the service is as bright and clean as
possible. When the meal is ready, the maid
should announce it by going to the drawing-room
and saying with a clear voice, “ Dinner is on the
table,” or “ Dinner is served, madam.” The
drawing-room door is then left open, and she
returns to the dining-room to take up her duties
there.
When the courses are served from the table, as
is frequently the case with the ordinary family
dinner, the waitress should stand on the left-hand
side of the one who serves, and commence by
removing the cover, if there is one in use. She
should accustom herself to hand two things at a
time, as, for instance, soup with croutons of bread*
fish and sauce, meat with a vegetable, &c. When
a dish has to be handed round, a spoon, or a spoon
and fork, should be placed in it, in readiness for
serving. It should then be held firmly and evenly
in this chapter may be helpful to the inexperienced
on a finger napkin, and handed at a convenient
height, so that the person seated may reach it
without difficulty.
It is not customary to put vegetables and sauces
on the table if a maid is in attendance ; they
should be kept on the sideboard, and handed when
required. If, however, the waitress is obliged to
leave the room for any length of time, she should
place them on the table after they have once been
handed round.
Page 1034
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The following simple and elementary rules may prove useful to the novice in the art of waiting, while
the other suggestions regarding table service may be helpful to the inexperienced hostess.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR WAITING AT TABLE
The maid who waits at table should be neatly dressed in a plain black frock, with a white apron, collar, cuffs, and simple cap. Or, a clean and tidy print dress may be worn for luncheon or early dinner, if she is expected to do housework after the meal is served. Her hair should be neatly done, and she ought to pay special attention to her hands, in order to keep them clean and in good order. A good waitress should be quick and fight in her movements, without having any appearance of hurry or bustle, and her work should be done as quietly as possible. There should be no clatter of dishes, nor rattling of silver and glasses. She must give her whole attention to the work in hand, and be ever on the alert to see what is wanted. A pleasant and gracious manner is also essential, along with thought for the comfort of those she is serving, and a readiness to forestall their wants.
Before the meal is served, the waitress ought to become acquainted with the contents of the menu, and to consider what will be required for serving the diSerent courses, in order that there need be no needless moving about, nor leaving the room when once the meal is commenced. She must also see that everything that is laid on the table and used in the service is as bright and clean as possible. When the meal is ready, the maid should announce it by going to the drawing-room and saying with a clear voice, “ Dinner is on the table,” or “ Dinner is served, madam.” The drawing-room door is then left open, and she returns to the dining-room to take up her duties there.
When the courses are served from the table, as is frequently the case with the ordinary family dinner, the waitress should stand on the left-hand side of the one who serves, and commence by removing the cover, if there is one in use. She should accustom herself to hand two things at a time, as, for instance, soup with croutons of bread, fish and sauce, meat with a vegetable, &c. When a dish has to be handed round, a spoon, or a spoon and fork, should be placed in it, in readiness for serving. It should then be held firmly and evenly
on a finger napkin, and handed at a convenient height, so that the person seated may reach it without difficulty.
It is not customary to put vegetables and sauces on the table if a maid is in attendance ; they should be kept on the sideboard, and handed when required. If, however, the waitress is obliged to leave the room for any length of time, she should place them on the table after they have once been handed round.