Plate service: The food is placed on plates by the kitchen staff and brought to the guest at a table by waiting staff. This type of service is used for ease of serving for large numbers and ensures everyone is served quickly and the food is hot.

Trevethan, who also owns and operates The Plate, a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Milford, said he expanded to downtown Allingtown in West Haven because of the appealing infusion of retail and restaurant developments and the area's vibrant transformation into a destination.

To simply put it, 'on the plate' would be a better choice as plate is usually considered as a flat circular surface. On the other hand, i have rarely or never seen the use of 'in the plate', 'in the bowl' would rather make more sense.

cafeteria, self-service restaurant in which customers select various dishes from an open-counter display. The food is usually placed on a tray, paid for at a cashier's station, and carried to a dining table by the customer.