What is European style food service?

European style service is serving from the right and clearing from the right. Only rolls are served and cleared from the left. American service is serving from the left and clearing from the right.

In Continental (European) style of dining, the knife is held in the left hand and the fork is always in the right hand. When putting the fork in your mouth, the tines of the fork are facing downward.

In American style of dining, the fork is in the left hand, and the knife cuts the food (one piece at a time, of course). When the piece of food is cut, the knife is laid across the upper part of the plate, and the fork switches to the right hand, where the piece of food is placed in the mouth, tines upward. This is repeated with every bite cut. It is sometimes referred to as the "zigzag" style of dining.

The American style allows for more time in dining, and therefore more interaction of diners in conversation. The Continental style lends itself to concentrating more on the food.