Gedecken

Gedecken is a German term used in hospitality and dining to refer to the arrangement of tableware for guests. The core meaning is the place setting prepared for one diner, including the plate, cutlery, glassware, napkin, and accompaniment such as a bread plate and condiments. The common noun form is Gedeck; the plural is Gedecke in standard usage. The form Gedecken appears in some contexts or older texts but is not the standard plural in modern German.

In restaurant usage, the word Gedeck may also denote the per-person charge that covers bread, beverages, and sometimes a small amuse-bouche or coffee. This “Gedeck” price varies by country and establishment.

A typical Gedeck consists of a main plate, a side plate or bread plate, a knife and fork, a spoon, a water glass, a wine glass, a folded napkin, and often salt and pepper, a bread roll, and sometimes a charger plate in formal settings. The exact composition depends on formality and local tradition.

In common usage, to say that a table is set is to say that it is “gedeckt” or that “das Gedeck ist gedeckt.” The term is especially common in German-speaking regions—Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland—and may also appear in catering and event planning contexts.