Another antiquated idea that has no merit in this day and age. If you want to eat all your food, go ahead.
When dining, crossing a fork and knife on your plate signifies that you are taking a break or finished eating. This signals to the server that they can clear your plate. It is considered proper etiquette to place the fork over the knife in a crossed position on the plate when you are done eating.
When finished eating, cross your utensils on your plate with the fork over the knife to signal to the server that you are done. This is a common etiquette practice at formal dinner settings.
At a formal dining setting, the proper etiquette for fork and knife placement is to place the fork on the left side of the plate and the knife on the right side, with the blade facing towards the plate. The fork should be placed with the tines facing upwards.
In regular restaurants it is etiquette if the customer chooses to put their knife and fork side by side and move their plate to the right in order for the waiter or waitress to see it and pick it up. In higher end restaurants it is not etiquette to move your own plate, but place the knife and fork across the plate so the waiter or waitress can see that you are finished eating and should quickly take your plate away.
The fork and knife position in proper dining etiquette signifies to the server that you are still eating and not yet finished with your meal. Placing them in a specific way on your plate also helps maintain a neat and organized table setting.
When dining in a formal setting, the proper fork and knife etiquette to follow includes starting from the outside and working your way in with each course, using the appropriate utensils for each dish, and placing your utensils on the plate in a specific way to signal to the server that you are finished.
When dining at a formal event, it is proper etiquette to use the knife and fork from the outside in, starting with the utensils farthest from the plate. Hold the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left hand, with the tines facing down. Cut one bite-sized piece of food at a time and place the knife on the edge of the plate when not in use. When finished, place the utensils together on the plate with the tines facing up and handles at 4 o'clock.
In dining etiquette, the knife and fork crossed on a plate signify that you have finished eating. It is a signal to the server that they can clear your plate.
It is intended to distract the opposing teams pitcher as it rounds home plate, but usually it is done because the fans are bored and looking to have some fun.
In formal dining etiquette, the fork is typically placed on the left side of the plate.
There is no fork to the right of your plate. Proper etiquette is two knives on the right ... one for buttering a bun served with a meal and the second one for cutting. On the left side is your salad fork (generally salads are eaten first, but each individual is different) and then the fork to eat with the main meal.
never, ever!!! it is very dangerous to leave a hot plate or even a cooking stove unattended !!