What do you do with dinner charger plates?

[KelNottAt]

I've never used charger plates because I don't know what to do with them during the meal.

My mom was talking about her Thanksgiving plans and said she was gonna keep the chargers at each seat while they eat. (We won't be there.) I happened to say, "oh, is that how you do it? I always thought they were just decorations and were to be removed before the 'real' plates are heaped with food." She wasn't sure.

So, what's right? How should one use charger plates when hosting a formal dinner?

 

[M 'n C]

I thought the plate sat on top of the charger. That's how my bf and I use them. I don't really know what to do with them either but my mom gave them to me 2 christmas's ago and I figured I needed to use them somehow.

 

[OlderMan]

I think your mom is right.

At least, we keep them on the table, too.

 

[OrlandoMike]

When I worked fine dining years ago the salad plate was put on top of the charger plate. When it was time to clear the salad course we removed both the charger and salad plate making room for the larger dinner plate.

 

[punkin]

What are “chargers,” and how do I use them?
At holiday times charger plates, also known as service plates, make a cameo appearance on our tables. In stunning gold, copper, silver, black, emerald green and ruby red, they turn their practical sisters, the soup bowl or salad plate, into Cinderellas for the evening.
This large plate, usually about 12” in diameter, serves as an underplate for the plate or bowl holding the first course. The first course is brought to the table and set on the service plate. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains until the plate holding the entrée is served, at which point the service plate is exchanged for the entrée plate.

http://www.emilypost.com/everyday/holiday_FAQs_entertaining.htm

Google is your friend.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I've never used charger plates because I don't know what to do with them during the meal.

My mom was talking about her Thanksgiving plans and said she was gonna keep the chargers at each seat while they eat. (We won't be there.) I happened to say, "oh, is that how you do it? I always thought they were just decorations and were to be removed before the 'real' plates are heaped with food." She wasn't sure.

So, what's right? How should one use charger plates when hosting a formal dinner?

You are correct.

Charger plates are for decoration only and should be removed prior to serving the first course.

 

[pjlla]

Or, if you are my BIL with a big appetite who arrives late to Thanksgiving, you HEAP IT with food and have a seat!

A year or so ago my SIL's husband (I consider him my BIL), arrived late to Thanksgiving (he was a his son's tennis tournament... yup, held on THanksgiving day!!). We were mostly done eating, but were still sitting around talking in the dining room. He just grabbed the first "plate" he saw, heaped it with food and joined us in the dining room. We got a good laugh from it. But he is a tall skinny guy with a HUGE appetite and the "plate" probably looked to be just the right size to him!..........P

 

[Imzadi]

My cousin runs a catering business here in NYC/NJ & we know many other catering companies. Both ways are correct. You can keep the chargers on the table throughout, then place the meal plates on top. (Though most remove it with the main course plate - assuming you served an appetizer with plate as a first course.) Usually the dessert plates are too little to place on the charger plates.

Other occasions, the charger plates are removed and replaced with the "real" food plates. It sometimes depends on the material of the charger plate. If you have some fancy charger plates that are gold plated & would be ruined by silverware scratches, or a charger out of a material, say woven reed, that would melt under heat or not easily washed, then you would remove the charger before the "real" plates go down. Who wants to be scraping gravy or red wine stains out of woven reed?