This is great! Can you give these plates to the very young waitstaff in many restaurants? It is tiring to have to fight to keep your plate when you have not put your utensils down like this. It is amazing what is not taught to the staff these days.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I find this design quite annoying.

The concept itself is a little bit condescending, but the execution is lovely nonetheless!

How is the concept condescending?! I would hardly consider this a critical manner to master in life, but it's not a bad one to learn....

frnd4vr---As a server, I'd be waiting all night to clear a plate for the 90% of CUSTOMERS who don't know the proper placement of flatware when finished with a meal. Sorry the "young" staff is tiring you out. I think the the design is condescending, as was your comment.

so this would be good for everyone... customers and staff. hehehe :)

i've been taught to do that but i agree that most people don't know (or care) about it. it's supposed to be a code... not worth stressing out over.

Once upon a time we taught our children manners in school. We taught them how to answer a telephone, greet a stranger, make introductions, set the table... we taught girls how to behave like girls, and boys how to play sports and other manly things. Everyone knew how to two step and waltz too.

I'm all for the great strides in gender equality that we've made, but perhaps we could all use a few lessons in these basics again? It's more than please and thank you that we've lost has a society... this comment board is a fine example of this, so it the plate.

In addition to the objections that have already been noted, that is not actually where you are supposed to put your utensils to signal that you're done eating. You're supposed to "hang" them off the edge of the plate (maybe an inch or two of the utensil outside of the plate) in the 5 o'clock position, not have the entire fork and knife be on the plate. So I would say that this plate bothers me because it's not accurate.

Wendy-rae, hush and grab me a beer.

Basic dining etiquette goes a long way in a business setting. There is something refined and courteous about having good manners. I was taught that the fork and knife go at the 3oclock position after eating but I was not taught that until I took an etiquette course in college (in 1999).

Manners isn't a matter of being condescending, it's a matter of being polite to those around us.

"We taught girls how to behave like girls, and boys how to play sports and other manly things."

Excuse my poor manners, but VOMIT. If your idea of "manners" is enforcing rigid gender roles (girls set the table, boys play sports and learn about carburetors), I'll pass.

I was taught to put the fork upsidown on my plate when done eating with the knife on the plate as well.

Funny, but I'd be offended. I already know my manners, even if, wendy-rae, I take pride in seldom acting like a "girl".