Tabletop—China & Dinnerware Shopping Guide

[[I am an old Macy's employee, this information I am sharing we refer to as "product knowledge"]

[[I am an old Macy's employee, this information I am sharing we refer to as "product knowledge"]

TABLETOP—CHINA AND DINNERWARE

Bone China	Best	Highly refined clay, mixed with bone ash; lighter in weight than porcelain but very strong
Porcelain	Best	Refined clay and minerals – Nonporous and, in most cases, translucent. May appear fragile but is actually very durable.
Stoneware	Better	Dense and porous clay – Glazed to prevent staining, it is strong and chip resistant – Oven, freezer and dishwasher safe
Earthenware	Good	Clayware fired at low temperatures producing a heavy, porous body that can be prone to chipping.

TABLETOP VS. HOUSEWARES DINNERWARE

Tabletop	Housewares
Formal and Casual tabletop patterns often remain in assortment for years (or even decades) and that can be ordered if out of stock. “Open stock” items tend to be available in case something breaks. Additionally, vendors may continue to carry the pattern even if the store discontinues it.	Many patterns stocked in-store are 16-20 pc box sets (four place settings) for quick “take with” sales and added value. Everyday patterns typically have seasonal or shortened lifetime availability (1-2 years) meaning discontinued patterns are harder to add to or replace over time.

OPEN STOCK—pieces of the pattern that are sold individually and can be mixed and matched to create unique combos.

PLACE SETTINGS—pieces of the pattern that make up one setting for each person and are sold as a set.

Formal 5 pc Place Setting—typically consists of the following five open stock pieces: dinner plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate, teacup and saucer.

Casual 4 pc Place Setting—look for this in both products and their accessories for easy cleaning.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I place my formal or casual china in the dishwasher and / or is it microwave safe?

Most patterns are listed as dishwasher safe, but hand washing is still the best way to wash formal china, especially patterns with metal trim. Generally patterns with metal brands or metallic detailing cannot go in the microwave. Some casual china is freezer to oven safe as well. Often the back of the plate will have a stamp that indicates what is safe for the pattern. Check with the manufacturer to be certain.

Are there accessory pieces that go with most china patterns?

Platters, gravy boats, sugar and creamers and open vegetable dishes are typically available for most china patterns. Some patterns make additional serving pieces including bake-ware that can be used in the oven.

What is the difference between setting a casual table and a formal one?

What are common sizes for table linens?

Round	Square	Oblong (Rectangular)	Oval (Egg Shaped)
60”-70” (seats 4)	52” x 58” (seats 4)	52” x 70” (seats 4-6)	60” x 120” (seats 10-12)
70” (seats 6)	84” x 90” (seats 8)	60” x 84” (seats 6-8)	60” x 144” (seats 12-14)
		60” x 102” (seats 8-10)

DEFINITIONS

Translucence—the quality by which light passes through an object. In quality fine china, your hand will be visible through the back of the plate when held up to a bright light.

Glaze—glossy, transparent coating baked into china to make it non-absorbent and resistant to wear

Porous—full of pores (tiny holes) that water and air can get into. The higher the firing temperature, the less porous and stronger the clay becomes. Earthenware is fired at a low temperature and is porous while bone china, fired at extremely high temperatures is non-porous.