Dining Etiquette For A Business Meeting

You share a lot of information about your lifestyle without using words, when you are eating with someone you know or don’t know well. In business meetings, dining etiquettes are of great importance, as mentioned by the experts. 

Here we have mentioned some of the common dinning etiquettes that can help you to deliver a positive message to the person eating with you –

Are you the host? Then, you should be in charge

If you are planning a business lunch or dinner with your client, then you should have already done all the arrangements in a restaurant after taking the guest’s approval. Don’t enter any restaurant, where you are doubtful for not getting the seats on time or you have to keep your guest waiting for food.

Coordinate with your guests for food options

Know the choice of your guest first, if he/she is also not sure, then suggest! If your guest likes to have desert or an appetizer after food, then follow the suit. Don’t make them feel bad by ordering a complete course for yourself.

Where to place your water and meal

Memorize an abbreviation BMW – Bread – Meal – Water when you sit on a table to eat! Keep your plate with bread and butter should stay on the left, plate with meal in the middle and the glass of water on the right side. This makes it convenient to eat and access.

Utensils, which one is right for what

Larger fork is the welcoming fork, use smaller fork to have salad. Larger spoon is for soup and smaller one is for desert. Normally, the set of spoon and the fork on plate are there for the desert and others are placed on either side of that plate. Recognize the right one and then use it.

The rest and finished positions for the fork and spoon

Usually, the waiters differentiate the finish and pause of their customers with the position of their utensils. Put them appropriately, so that you don’t have to call waiter to clear your table. While taking a pause between meals, put the fork n the middle and knife on the top. When you have finished, place them diagonally keeping the fork below knife.

Host must have to pay

Never let your guest pay. For some high-class business meetings, hand over your credit card in advance to the manager and tell him to return it to you when everyone has finished their meals and ready to leave. If you can’t do that, then make the payments by excusing your guests for a moment. In case you are with friends and the waiter comes up with the bill, then pay him decently without discussing anything about it. Friends do insist and try not to let you pay, but take a stand, act like a host and try to change the topic of discussion.

These are minor things that we normally not bother about, but give a strong impression on your guests. If you still need help with your dining etiquettes, then we can help you.