Guide to business lunch etiquette:
When you’re invited to a casual business lunch, anticipate that it will be anything but casual. Your behavior is on display just as if you are in a business meeting. Any error you make can become a permanent stain on your professional record. That’s why it’s important to keep these dining etiquette tips in mind in order to stay in top favor with your business associates and potential clients. 1. R.S.V.P. If you receive an invitation to a business meal, it’s courteous to respond promptly. If you wait longer than one week, it might look like you’re holding out for a more attractive option. If you respond but don’t show up at all, you most likely won’t be invited again. Always follow through, keep your word and be on time.
2.Remember the ‘BMW’ rule. Have you ever eaten someone’s bread by mistake? To avoid this awkward situation in the future, remember that B: Bread is always in the left, M: Meal is always in the middle, and W: water is always on the right.
3.Place your napkin in your lap. To indicate good manners right off the bat, open your napkin and place it on your lap when you sit down. Never tuck it into your shirt or use it as a handkerchief. If you have to excuse yourself and visit the restroom or make a phone call, place it on your chair. At the end of the meal, place it neatly on the table, to the left of your plate.
4.Know which utensils to use
Each course should have its own utensils, and all of them may already be in front of you or will be placed in front of you as the dishes are served. In the case that all of the utensils are there at the beginning of the meal, a good general rule is to start with utensils on the outside and work your way in as the meal goes on. -Guide to using the proper utensils: “The largest fork is generally the entrée fork. The salad fork is smaller. The largest spoon is usually the soup spoon. “If you are having a fish course, you may see the fish knife and fork as part of the place setting. “The utensils above the plate are the dessert fork and spoon, although these may sometimes be placed on either side of the plate or brought in with the dessert.”Don’t overeat.
Don’t belly up to the trough just because you’re dining on an expense account. Order a simple lunch that you can gracefully eat in the allotted lunch hour. You’ll be seen as confident and in charge when you choose reasonably. Stay away from messy and difficult-to-eat foods including ribs, lobster, corn-on-the-cob, oversized sandwiches and pasta with a red sauce.
6.Don’t talk with your mouth full. This one harkens back to the childhood basic training: take a small bite, chew, swallow and then talk. If you must say something, cover your mouth with your hand, or gesture with a “wait a moment” finger and then talk once you’ve swallowed. 7.Try it, you might like it. There may be times when you’re served an unfamiliar dish. Try it. You may be surprised to find that you like it. You run the risk of offending your host if, when traveling internationally, you won’t try something new. If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, let your host know ahead of time. Eat what you can and leave the rest.
8.Leave your plates in place. Never stack your dishes when you’re finished eating. Leave them in place and place your knife and fork side by side, on a slant across the center of the plate, in the 10:20 o’clock position. This is a silent signal that indicates that you are finished. 9.Treat the staff well. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats a service person. Be sure to treat the wait staff respectfully and thoughtfully. Say “thank you” when service is rendered. How you treat everyone in a restaurant goes farther than just table talk.10.Refrain from cleaning your teeth at the table This one seems like an obvious no-no, but it still happens. “Don’t whip out the dental floss or use your toothpick or pinky nail to remove the stuck piece of broccoli while you’re at the table And “don’t swoosh your finger around your mouth to get the leftover chunks. (That’s super gross!)” 11.Never ask for a to-go “You are there for business, not for the leftovers. “Doggie bags are okay for family dinners but not during professional occasions.” 12.The host should always pay “If you did the inviting, you are the host, and you should pay the bill, regardless of gender, “What if a male guest wants to pay? A woman does have some choices. She can say, ‘Oh, it’s not me; it is the firm that is paying.’ Or she can excuse herself from the table and pay the bill away from the guests. This option works for men as well, and it is a very refined way to pay a bill.” “However, the bottom line is that you don’t want to fight over a bill. If a male guest insists on paying despite a female host’s best efforts, let him pay.
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