When should you present the dessert menu during a meal?

• A. Before the main course
• B. After the main course or at a natural course transition, before dessert.
• C. After dessert
• D. At the start of service

Answer: (B)

Present the dessert menu at the point the meal moves from the main course to dessert, or at a natural transition in the service before dessert is served. This timing fits the flow of a dining sequence: guests have completed the mains and are ready to consider finishing touches, so they can review dessert options, ask questions, and decide without interrupting the course progression. If you bring the menu too early, it can distract from the mains; if you wait until after dessert is already out, the flow feels off and dessert decisions lose their context. Offering it at this transitional moment also gives the server a chance to clear plates and suggest pairings or palate-cleansers as appropriate.