Informal Place Setting - Dining Etiquette
Review this informal place setting diagram in conjunction with the table manners section. What you see below is what you would encounter at an informal dinner. Informal settings are used in 99% of restaurants you will dine at - even the expensive ones. At an informal dinner, the salad fork will be to the left of the dinner fork.
The general rule is "outside in". If you do not know what fork to use with the course you have just been served, start with the fork farthest from your plate. In this case, the salad fork. The same rule applies for spoons and knives.
