Tip: Use a Luncheon Plate at Dinner

I recently bought a set of luncheon plates to use as my casual (daily use) dinner plates. It’s been about month now and I can safely say that, for me at least, this was the right choice. What are luncheon plates and why did I choose them?

Luncheon plates are sized somewhere between a regular dinner plate and a salad plate — typically around 8.75 – 9.5″, although that can vary depending on the manufacturer. The name is an obvious reveal to their purpose: to be used at a luncheon where presumably one is eating smaller portions or more classic lunch foods such as a sandwich.

I bought my set of luncheon plates for a number of reasons, mostly because my new kitchen is very (very) small and has limited storage space. So their smaller size and multi-purpose applications (lunch plate, dinner plate, salad plate) is very practical. But its also true that I don’t eat large dinners so much these days, so the size suits me perfectly.

It’s likely that I would not use my new plates in a more formal dinner party situation but my tiny kitchen comes with a tiny apartment, so I won’t be in that position for a while. Luncheon plates are a bit harder to find these days as we continue to move away from more formal place settings, but they’re out there. Sometimes a salad plate can stand in, but I find the extra inch or so that a luncheon plate offers is just perfect.

Rough guideline for plate sizes:
Dinner plate: 10″ – 10 3/4″
Luncheon plate 9″ – 9 1/2″
Salad plate 8″ – 8 3/4″
Bread and butter plate 5″ – 7 3/4″

Related:

Tip: Measure Your Cabinets Before You Buy New Dishes

(Image: Spode Blue Italian Luncheon Plate)