Business Dining Etiquette

By: Aimee WortheyHeather MatseyDavid Peyton Devin Mclean

Etiquette

At its simplest etiquette is just a set of rules, mostly flexible, that allow us all to

function well when presented with a socially challenging situation

Simple Rules to Business Dining Etiquette

• Arrive on time• Sitting down• Place settings• Ordering• Eating• Manners• Paying the bill• Post-dinner

Arrive on Time

• Restaurant reservations are like any other appointment; stick to it.

• Arrive at least 10 minutes early unless otherwise specified. Never arrive late!

• Making a good impression is key, and it starts by arriving on time.

Sitting Down

1) Your host should sit down first.2) Do not place bags on the table3) Unfold your napkin and place it in your

lap, folded in half with the fold toward your waist

Place Settings• Start on the outside– Solids on your left: forks, butter plate, napkin– Liquids on you right: glasses/cups, soup

spoons

Ordering• Drinks: water, juice, or iced tea are safe choices. Alcohol

is not the best choice, unless the host orders alcohol, but as a general rule…no alcohol.

• Food: order simple foods that can be eaten with a fork and knife. Avoid spaghetti, huge greasy hand-held items & deli-sandwiches

Eating• First and foremost…always wait until your host takes a

bite of their food before you begin eating.

• Bread: bread should be torn and buttered piece-by-piece

• Soup: dip your spoon away from yourself into the soup bowl to fill your spoon… do not slurp

-An easy way to remember this: “As a ship goes out to sea, I scoop my soup away from me”

• Seasoning: never salt your food before tasting it, this is an insult to the chef

Eating Cont…• Cutting your food: always use your fork and knife

together. You should not cut your food at the start of the meal, only cut it one edible bite at a time

• Where to put utensils when you’re done eating: your fork and knife should be placed parallel to each other in the ten & four o’clock position, with handles at 4:00 and tops of the utensils at 10:00

Manners:• General Etiquette:

– Turn off cell phones– Have proper posture– Do not put your elbows on the table

• Napkins:– Lay on your lap when you sit down, do not shake– Do not use your napkin as a tissue– If you have to sneeze, turn your head away from the table– When finished eating, place napkin neatly to the left of your

plate

• While Eating:– Wait for everything to be served before eating– Do not talk with your mouth full– Do not chomp on ice or chew with your mouth open– Cut salad into bite-size pieces and take small bites

Manners Cont…

• Table manners play an important part in making a favorable impression.

• They are visible signals of the state of our manners and therefore are essential to professional success.

• The point of etiquette rules is to make you feel comfortable - not uncomfortable.

Paying the Bill

Post-Dinner

“The way you dress affects the way you are perceived, and the way you are perceived is the way you are treated”

– Buck Rodgers Former VP of Marketing, IBM

(Author of The IBM Way)

Appearance:

Formal Place Setting:

Informal Place Setting: