Blueplate Meal Service

1. The Blue Plate Meal Service

2. The Blue-plate or Apartment Style Meal Service
A meal service wherein the food is served from the
side rather than from the table.
Characterized by the “blue-plate”, a plate that is
divided into sections.
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

3. The Blue-plate or Apartment Style Meal Service
In contemporary American culture, “Blue-
plate Special” refers to relatively cheap
budget meals consisting of one serving of
meat and three servings of vegetables.
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

4. The Blue-plate or Apartment Style Meal Service
Its origins may be traced to the early decades
of the 1900’s (some sources indicate it
started during the late 1800’s), the term “blue
plate” coming from actual blue plates that
were used in serving the meals.
Comparable to the “cafeteria” setting.
Q uickTimeª a nd a
TIFF (U ncompres s ed) decompres s or
a re needed to s ee this picture.

5. Advantages of Blue Plate
Convenient
Economical/ Does not occupy too much space
Quick
Ideal for small dining tables
Practical for serving food in children’s parties, when
diners are too young or small to get their own food,
or do not know their appetite.
Also used for entertaining large groups for a sit-
down service.

6. Disadvantages of Blue Plate
Often, since the meal is pre-made, the diner
is forced to choose between “combos”.
Also, the serving sizes are often fixed.
The “no substitution” rule is sometimes
enforced.
Designed for a relatively small number of
people.

7. How is Blue Plate Performed?
Example: Children’s party
Just imagine that the plates are divided into
portions 
Kitchen Counter
This is a birthday party!

8. How is Blue Plate Performed?
1.After the food is cooked, each dish is placed
on a specific portion of the blue plate.
2.Platters are not used. Instead, each portion
of the plate is filled with a specific dish
directly from the kitchen.
3.The plates may be served before or after
the diners are seated, either by a waiter or
gotten by the diners themselves.

9. How is Blue Plate Performed?
1.After the diners are finished, each diner may
bring his/her own plate, flatware and
beverageware to the kitchen. In other
cases, waiters do the clearing.

10. The Blue Plate Table Setting
Decorations may be placed at the center of the table
The dinner plates are not immediately placed at the table
Also, serving flatware is not set on the table.
Individual covers are set with the flatware,
beverageware and napkins.

11. Blue Plate Practices
For Family Meals:
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

12. Blue Plate Practices
For Children’s Parties
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

13. Blue Plate Practices
For Children’s Parties
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

14. Blue Plate Practices
In Diners
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

15. Blue Plate Practices
In Diners
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

16. Blue Plate Practices
In School Canteens or Cafeterias
QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

17. Significance of the Blue Plate Style
The Blue Plate style emerged to cater to the
needs of those strapped for time. Since the
food served in the Blue Plate is pre-made
and ‘packaged’ in a single plate, it is very
convenient for the time-constrained
individual.
Most Blue Plate meals are less expensive
than regular meals.

18. Significance of the Blue Plate Style
Blue Plate is considered the precursor of
modern fast-food meals. With the Blue Plate
almost ready-to-eat and conveniently
presented, fast food chains have borrowed
taken many of the factors that made Blue
Plate popular.

19. Other Meal Services
The Blue Plate style is similar to the cafeteria
or karinderia setting. Some karinderias offer
complete meals, with meat, vegetables, rice
and soup presented in a single plate.
The Tray Service is very similar; the main
difference is that a tray is used instead of the
plate.

20. References:
Leocadio, Corazon,1986, Essentials in Meal
Management, U.P. College of Home
Economics, Diliman
http://home.comcast.net/~dinerware/bitz21.html

http://robertsdairy.net/cookbook/basics/meal-service
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-blu3.
htm