Place cards are usually employed for dinners involving eight or more. They’re actually quite useful for avoiding that embarrassing little pantomime that occurs when it’s time to be seated and no one wants to appear rude by being the first to choose a spot. The time spent on that awkward moment of hesitations and musical chairs can throw off the timing of the first course. Worse still, the DIY attitude can compromise the flow of the conversation as the extroverts will congregate leaving the wallflowers to fend for themselves.