Here’s the general system:

1. Find the plate with the most food on it that you wouldn't be able to stack another plate on top of. It has chicken bones on it, half a burger, etc.

2. Hold it like you brought it out -- thumb and pinky hooked over edge with three fingers underneath. Your palm is supporting the weight -- not your wrist or fingers.

3. Then grab a plate that's more cleared. Silverware is fine, you can stack that on the first plate.
 Hold like like you brought it out. 3 points of contact: thumb, pinky and forearm.

4. Grab each subsequent plate, move silver/ ramekins/ bowls/ etc to the first plate, then stack plate on your 2nd plate.

*Note on silverware: put the blade of the knife into the prongs of the fork. This will keep them from sliding off the plate.

Try not to touch food. It's gross and looks gross. If you have a mess on the table, steal a napkin to wipe it off of the table and on to your plate.