Where does a phone go when setting a dinner table? Some people insist a phone goes on the left, some insist it goes on the right, and others insist that phones do not belong on a dinner table.
 
“I can never remember. Does the cell phone go on the left or the right?” is a CartoonStock caption from 2009. “When setting a dinner table for one, which side of the plate does the phone go on….. I have no friends…....” was posted on Facebook by Pete Potipcoe on September 30, 2014. “When setting the dinner table does your cell phone go to the left, to the right or right over the dinner plate?” was posted on Facebook by Bill Blose on June 15, 2015. “When setting the dinner table, does your Phone, go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?” was posted on Facebook by Steve Smailes on May 11, 2024.
 
     
CartoonStock
‘I can never remember. Does the cell phone go on the left or the right?’
(Cartoon uploaded October 9, 2009.—ed.)
       
Facebook
Grace Cafe Catering
May 10, 2012 at 4:51 PM ·
Thursday Goodness Grace-shush Manners Day.
Does the cell phone go to the left of the dinner fork on the table setting? NO
“Never put your cell phone on the table so that you can see it. Some people do this so that they can see who is calling when they cannot answer it or so that they can hear it, but this is not acceptable etiquette. It makes your dining companions feel like they are not as important as who might be calling you.”
Mama didn’t teach you this because she didn’t have a cell phone when she was raising you right. These are new rules of thoughtfulness we must learn.
 
Facebook   
Ross K. Lewandowski
November 28, 2013 at 5:47 PM ·
Remember when setting your table for dinner it’s salad fork then dinner fork on the left. Knife, soup spoon, teaspoon then phone on the right.
 
Facebook
Pete Potipcoe
September 30, 2014 at 8:42 PM ·
When setting a dinner table for one, which side of the plate does the phone go on….. I have no friends…....
 
Facebook
Robert M. Gilmore
November 29, 2014 at 11:20 AM · Smoketown, PA ·
After Thanksgiving Dinner, having a disagreement with friends ,......  When setting a formal table for dinner,  on which side of the plate does the phone go????
 
Facebook
Bill Blose
June 15, 2015 at 8:16 AM ·
When setting the dinner table does your cell phone go to the left, to the right or right over the dinner plate?
 
X/Twitter
Doug Bies
@dougbies
Is it proper etiquette to place your phone to the left or right of your silverware at the dinner table?
8:38 AM · Feb 19, 2018 from Hackensack, NJ
   
X/Twitter
King
@HAMKING_
I’ve got family over for dinner and I just want to know does my phone go left or right or the plate!?
2:35 PM · Jun 22, 2019
 
X/Twitter
Jim Corbridge
@MrBonMot
Social etiquette advice, please. During a meal does the mobile phone go on the left or right of the fork?  😉
1:16 PM · Nov 15, 2019
       
CartoonStock
“Which side of the plates do the cellphones go?”
(Cartoon uploaded February 1, 2020.—ed.)
   
Facebook
Gale Harmon-Bowen
November 3, 2020 at 10:23 AM ·
When setting the table does the phone go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?
 
X/Twitter 
♛EmMama♛
@EmmaUtters
When setting the table, does your phone go on the left or the right side of the plate?
Oh fuck it, I’ll just put it ON the plate
3:13 PM · Apr 13, 2022
 
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Not Mike
@ZwaaiK
When setting the table, does your phone go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?
11:57 PM · Oct 29, 2022
 
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Jim Corbridge
@MrBonMot
Social ettiqutte advice please. During a meal does the mobile phone go on the left or right of the fork?
11:05 AM · Nov 15, 2022
     
X/Twitter
rickez 3
@R1ck3z
At Christmas dinner, does the mobile phone go to the left or to the right of the plate?
8:11 AM · Dec 25, 2022
 
X/Twitter
Jim Corbridge
@MrBonMot
Social etiquette advice please. During a meal does the mobile phone go on the left or right of the fork?*
* Joke. I don’t actually need advice. 👍🏻🙄
10:14 AM · Nov 14, 2023
   
Facebook
Steve Wilson
November 18, 2023 at 11:17 AM ·
The correct place for the phone during dinner is in another room with the ringer turned off.  Having it on the table is just saying that possible phone calls are as important as the meal that someone went to a lot of trouble to prepare.  It’s just rude.
(An illustration is shown.—ed.)
 
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Swedish Canary
@SwedishCanary
I’m in charge of setting the table for Thanksgiving tomorrow… I can’t remember do phones go on the left or the right?
10:44 PM · Nov 22, 2023
 
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Men Money Mindset
@MenMoneyMindset
15. Whether is dinner, drinks, or both, avoid placing your phone on the dinner table.
16. Never pose with alcohol.
6:41 AM · Feb 8, 2024
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Facebook
Steve Smailes
May 11, 2024 at 3:28 AM ·
When setting the dinner table, does your
Phone, go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?
 
Facebook
Darren Billingham
May 11, 2024 at 5:05 AM ·
When setting the dinner table, does your
Phone, go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?
 
X/Twitter
Ronald
@ronald_sanjj
When having the dinner on the table, does my phone go to the left or the right of the dinner plate? 🤔
7:16 AM · May 12, 2024
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X/Twitter
Irene O’Kane
@ireneokane82_o
When setting the dinner table does your phone go to the left or right of the plate
4:09 PM · May 13, 2024
 
X/Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
When setting the dinner table, does your
Phone, go to the left or the right of the dinner plate?
7:12 AM · May 20, 2024