When helping yourself with food placed on the table, use communal chopsticks or spoons.

Always take from the side nearest you. It is considered ill-mannered to take food from the side of the platter facing others, and it is considered outright uncouth to "dig for treasures" as the Chinese put it, or to "cherry pick" for choice morsels as one would say in English.

If the table is too big, a lazy Susan (a rotating tray, usually circular, placed on top of a table to aid in moving food on a large table or countertop) will be used. So everyone will have a chance to reach every dish.