Clearing the table: what is it and how is it done?

Learning the proper table-cleaning etiquette ensures that your customers feel comfortable and have a pleasant dining experience. Certainly, we are not talking about just any task. For, this aspect is directly related to the professionalism of the hospitality business.

Undoubtedly, clearing the table with the right techniques is synonymous with exclusivity and delicacy. Therefore, today we will show you the correct way to carry out the deburring for a quality gastronomic service. Are you interested? Then read on!

What is cleaning the table?

In the professional gastronomic vocabulary, the term deburring means to remove utensils from the table once they have been used. This expression has French origin and has been adapted to our language to be used mainly in the hotel and catering sector.

In practice, we can observe it when a waiter approaches the customer’s table and removes the cutlery, glasses, etc. This function can also be performed by the assistant.

In this way, you will have a team to efficiently take care of the details of the de-cluttering, showing order and elegance.

How to clean a table: 7 basic rules

The table de-cluttering in restaurants or any other catering business requires a very specific etiquette. Therefore, we bring you 7 rules to keep in mind:

1. If several diners are seated at the table, you should wait until everyone has finished with their food or drinks. Except in cases where you are told otherwise, avoid lifting the plates until the group has finished
2. Keep in mind that there are signs that suggest that a diner has finished his meal. This is noticeable, for example, when there is no food left on the plate, or the diner has not tasted it for more than 15 minutes. It also happens when your customer place your knife and fork on the empty plate
3. Avoid making noises during the clearing process by removing utensils with efficient movements. Many diners find the excessive presence of staff near the table annoying, take care of this detail as well.
4. Likewise, ask the diner to confirm that he/she is ready to begin to deburr the table. This will be done with a subtle gesture, and asking if you can remove the plate.
5. Start the process from the user’s right, always in the same order in which you served the food. You will only modify this procedure in cases where it is impossible for you to access the diner, or if you represent a nuisance.
6. The traditional protocol of the hospitality industry indicated that you should serve ladies and elderly people first. In recent years, these obsolete rules have been falling in favor of a more egalitarian treatment
7. Try not to remove too many dishes at the same time. It is preferable to go through the process a couple of times before risking accidents

Other aspects to consider when removing dishes in your restaurant

In addition to the above, you should take care of the following details in the depaneling process:

• If food remains on the crockery, you should withdraw a little from the customer to move them to the first plate. Tilt the trunk a little to subtly move away from the guest. In this way you avoid unpleasant incidents and protect the integrity of the guests.
• When removing cutlery and plates, avoid placing them on the sideboards. To do so, use the surface of the serving trolley.
• When removing the glasses, avoid putting your fingers inside. You should remove them one at a time and place them on a serving tray
• The tray used to move the glasses should not rest on the table of the diners.
• When it is time to serve the desserts, clean the surface of the table by removing the crumbs. This process should be quick to ensure smooth service. Remember to be discreet and reduce distractions.
• You should also remove the pétit ménage (salt and pepper shakers) when customers are no longer going to eat bread, cheese or butter. Also, take the opportunity to clear the dishes for these items.
• As long as there is dirty material on the serving cart, no team member will go to the kitchen empty-handed. This speeds up the work and saves you time. In addition, you should simultaneously replenish the items on the sideboard, so that you always have what you need on hand.
• Finally, check that the items on the invoice are correctly itemized. Likewise, check the condition of the collection tray. It must have the image of your hotel business, be clean and presentable

And so we end this interesting article on the correct process for clearing a table in your restaurant, cafeteria or bar. Train your waiters and do some practice to perfect the correct techniques.