The place card (in Italian, segnaposto) shows each guest their seat at the table: a card, an object, sometimes a small gift with the name. The seating plan says which table to sit at, the place card which seat: you do not always need both.
For the caterer the place card is also a working tool. A discreet symbol next to the name helps the waiter recognise a gluten-free, vegan or allergy menu, and serve the right dish without asking. That is why the final list should go to the caterer with each guest's table, name and diet. In Italian the term also refers to the charger plate of the mise en place.
What to ask
Ask the caterer how it marks guests with special diets in the room and whether it prefers a symbol on the place card. Decide beforehand who prepares and places the cards. You will find the details in the guide to the seating plan and assigning seats and the one on mise en place.
