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AIBU

AIBU in assuming I’ll get fresh cutlery between courses?

(45 Posts)
Stoker48 Wed 10-Jul-24 19:53:55

Currently enjoying a rather lovely coach trip through Brittany.
We are staying in a newish, mid range hotel. Standards of cleaning good, rooms large and airy, swimming pool etc.
AIBU in being surprised when asked to retain used cutlery between courses in the restaurant?
They take your first course plates away and you are left holding a used knife and fork.
There’s no where to put it other than back on the table, either on the cloth which it dirties or the table itself which doesn’t seem that hygienic.
Is it the thing abroad?
Thank you

Nannyof4mummyof2 Wed 10-Jul-24 20:09:00

Strange not very practical I wouldn't like that

crazyH Wed 10-Jul-24 20:16:52

Yes - I was at a Beach Restaurant, recently (in Spain) and we had to use the same cutlery for the starter and main course. , until my fork fell on the floor. They gave me a fresh one!!!

crazyH Wed 10-Jul-24 20:18:24

Sorry, I didn’t mean you’re being unreasonable 😂

Jaxjacky Wed 10-Jul-24 20:19:19

Normal in Françe, now you are prepared, you can wipe the cutlery on the side of the plate, or a piece of bread before the next course if you like.
Enjoy your holiday.

Bumface Wed 10-Jul-24 20:24:02

Over 50 year's ago, when I was young, I had a BF with a mother who was French. They always had a three course dinner and they always kept the cutlery from the starter and used it for the main.

It's the same in all the French restaurants I have been to.

They also never have butter with cheese and biscuits.

Stoker48 Wed 10-Jul-24 20:28:33

Thank you for your replies.
It’s not a big deal, I was just surprised!
Now I know it’s the norm here, I’ll do as JaxJacky suggests.

kittylester Wed 10-Jul-24 21:05:08

It was ever thus.

Deedaa Wed 10-Jul-24 21:07:32

Certainly it's fairly routine in France and Italy.

nandad Wed 10-Jul-24 21:19:33

Has become common in Greece too.

maddyone Wed 10-Jul-24 21:25:19

It’s normal in France but I haven’t noticed anywhere else. Didn’t happen in Seville when I was there last month.

Nannarose Wed 10-Jul-24 21:32:01

Absolutely standard, mainly because bread is always available during the meal in a way that isn't traditional in Britain. In most French households and traditional small restaurants you don't get a clean plate either, you clean it and the cutlery with the bread.

sodapop Wed 10-Jul-24 21:55:14

Quite usual in France, never had to use the same plate though Nannarose

NotSpaghetti Wed 10-Jul-24 21:59:43

I've had to keep cuttlery in Italy.
And twice here.

Stoker48 Wed 10-Jul-24 22:29:36

Nanna rose, I’m tempted to ask if I could lick my plate between courses….
😉

Siope Wed 10-Jul-24 22:31:30

Common in the US too. It’s jokingly called LAR - lick & retain.

Charleygirl5 Wed 10-Jul-24 22:42:06

If you dine at a Harvester in this country it happens there too. I do not like it.

LauraNorderr Wed 10-Jul-24 22:44:32

Standard practice in France. When in Rome and all that…
or in your case Paris

Joseann Wed 10-Jul-24 23:13:53

It is customary in France. When you finish eating, after each course, you should place your knife and fork together on the right side to signify that you are done with eating.
Sometimes you keep the same plate for your entrée and your main course, but it is changed for the salade and cheese course which comes before the dessert in France.

Sago Wed 10-Jul-24 23:37:38

Bumface

Over 50 year's ago, when I was young, I had a BF with a mother who was French. They always had a three course dinner and they always kept the cutlery from the starter and used it for the main.

It's the same in all the French restaurants I have been to.

They also never have butter with cheese and biscuits.

I have never been in someone’s home or a restaurant in the UK and been served butter with cheese and biscuits.

welbeck Thu 11-Jul-24 00:23:30

i've never not.
only been in uk. and ireland.
i'd ask for butter if not given.
don't like dry crackers.

nanna8 Thu 11-Jul-24 00:41:03

Mostly we get fresh cutlery between courses here, though in some places you just get chopsticks for the lot. You can ask for cutlery and then you would get a dessert spoon and fork. Never butter with cheese and biscuits - why would you ? Also if you have soup they sometimes give you butter with your bread, sometimes not.

eazybee Thu 11-Jul-24 05:20:44

Yes it is customary, and no, I don't like it either.

Calendargirl Thu 11-Jul-24 06:39:18

When younger, I had a friend who, if you had a meal at her house, you kept the same plate for first course and pudding.

Bit awkward scooping up all the gravy….didn’t want to mix it up with the custard.

fancythat Thu 11-Jul-24 07:31:21

Went to a UK hotel for an overnight stay recently.
Hotel not at all busy.
We were asked too.
A person I went with was quite affronted.
The staff[and maybe owners] were from Pakistan, if that made any difference.