Description

Steak knives cut where a table knife tears. That is the only reason to order them. A standard dinner knife handles chicken, fish and anything braised. Put it against a seared strip or a bone-in short rib, though, and the guest ends up sawing at the plate. So a steak knife rental follows the menu rather than the style of the event.

When to order them

Order steak knives for any plated beef course, and for pork chops and lamb. Order them as well for a carving station where guests take the meat back to a seated table. A buffet with a carver does not remove the need, because the cutting still happens at the place setting. Ask your caterer what the protein is before you decide. That answer sits on their menu rather than in the rental order.

How many to order

Count one per guest eating the course, then add spares. If your menu offers a choice of entree, order to the full guest count rather than the beef count. Guests change their mind at the table. A table of ten with seven steak knives is a visible problem in the middle of service. We rent these by the piece, so a few extra cost very little.

Where it sits in the cover

The steak knife goes to the right of the plate with the blade turned in. It either replaces the dinner knife or sits beside it. Decide with your caterer whether the knives are pre-set or dropped with the course. Dropping them looks sharper. It is also a second pass around every table, and it needs the staff to do it.

What it arrives with

A steak knife rental travels on the same delivery as the china, the glassware and the linens. So the whole table lands together. Count the flatware back in at the end of the night as well. Small pieces disappear into bin liners, and a knife is easier to find before the trash leaves.