Dear Vi,
One of our guests has complained because, in our restaurant, we clear the plates immediately after the individual has finished his or her meal. She says it is proper and polite to wait until all guests are finished before clearing the plates from the table? I tend to disagree with this customer but certainly want to do what is right. Please help.
M.L., Kansas City, MO

Dear M.L.,
Technically, it is "proper" to wait until all the guests are finished before clearing the plates. Certainly, at dinner, this should be common practice. However, rules can be broken. If, for example, the business lunch customer pushes the plate to the side in order to make room for notetaking, remove it. Patrons who sit at eh counter in a diner probably want their plate removed immediately whether their buddy next to them is fnished or not. It's all circumstantial. Read on.

Dear Vi, We took a poll of our customers and most said they want their plates moved immediately after they finished eating. Bonnie Miller, NE

Dear Vi, I am a slow eater. And, if there is one thing that bugs me about servers in this country, it is that they take the plates before I am finished. For Pete's sake, let us finish with some dignity. Mary Pine, Scranton, PA