Dining Etiquette for Executives Tips for Professional Manners

Pop the Cork and Celebrate! Dining Etiquette for Executives

Manners matter! Whether you’re having lunch or dinner with a client, meeting up with co-workers or dining out with your significant other, it’s important to mind your manners. When you’re in business, your public manners and dress should always be top priority.

When it comes to table manners, there’s a full spectrum of acceptable behavior in dining etiquette for executives. Today, I’m going to touch on some manners that I consider the most important.

Utensils
Used flatware should never touch the surface of the table. For instance, if you just took a bite of salad off your fork, do not place it back on the table – instead, place it on the plate.

Think about it: why would you put the fork on the tablecloth, getting it dirty? Or suppose your dirty utensil picks up lint from the cloth, which you then put into your mouth on the next bite. Not appetizing!

Top 5 Dining Etiquette Mistakes

Soup Bowl vs. Soup Plate

Be careful to distinguish between a soup bowl and a soup plate, because it will dictate where your utensil should be placed when you are finished eating.

When you are finished eating soup that is served on a soup plate, place the spoon at the 10:20 position (at the diagonal with the point down to the right).

And don’t forget: never leave your utensil in the soup when you’re resting between bites! Always take it out and rest it on the plate.

European vs. American Style

There are two styles of resting your utensils: European and American. European style dictates that your knife and fork are crossed on your plate with the fork over the knife and the tines down to indicate that you’re finished eating. With American style, both the knife and fork are placed parallel to each other in the 10:20 position with the serrated side pointed to the left.

Doggie Bags

Do not take leftover food home – contrary to popular belief, it is not an indication of appreciation. Basically, when you request a “to go” box, you’re telling your host and the chef that you didn’t like the food or you couldn’t eat it and you’re taking it home to your dog.

Eating Difficult Food

When you go out for a business meal, it is never appropriate to select messy foods like chicken wings or shrimp cocktail. If you’re sitting down to a meal, choose foods that you can eat with utensils. The one exception to this guideline is if you’re at a cocktail party and everyone in standing. In that case, you may use your fingers.

Napkin Placement

If you must excuse yourself in the middle of the meal, place your napkin on your chair to indicate to the server that you are still eating. When you are finished, you may place the napkin on the table. Do not ever place your napkin on top of your food plate.

Taking Care of the Check and Gratuities

If you are the host, you can hand your credit card to the waitstaff before the meal to have everything taken care of. This will eliminate any conversation about who will pick up the tab.

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Top 5 Dining Etiquette Mistakes

When You are the Hospitable Host

If you are the host of the meal, there are several things you must do to keep your guests comfortable and maintain your excetive image.

Be the first to arrive. This way you can meet and greet your guest as he or she arrives.
Seat your most important guest to your right and your secondary guest to your left. Make sure you are the one to sit in the middle so neither of them has to swivel his or her head side to side during the conversation.
Make and confirm the reservation with the restaurant.
Be sure to confirm the date, time and meeting place with your guests the day before, and be sure they know how to get there.
Never talk about price at the table.

When You are the Gracious Guest

Of course, if you are enjoying someone’s hospitality, there are important guidelines to follow as well.

Call the host a day in advance to confirm the day, time and location of the meal.
Don’t be late. Give yourself plenty of time to get there.
Dress appropriately.
Allow your host to direct you to the appropriate chair he or she wants you to sit in.
Take a cue from your host. Only order appetizers, alcohol or dessert if your host does.
Eat bread only after the order has been taken.
Have a good conversation, be a good listener and be aware of the needs of others around you.
Send a handwritten note to thank your host for the experience.