Your Most Frequently Asked Business “Dining Dilemmas”

Let’s face it, the sport of eating is barbaric at best!  It is just not attractive to watch people eat, so we need to do the best we can to make this very popular pastime more pleasant for our guests.  My clients regularly ask me about their “dining dilemmas,” and I thought you may have found yourself asking the same questions and would like to know the answers.  It is important to feel confident about your dining etiquette, so you can focus on your guest and the business at hand. Remember, good manners turn into good business! 

Dear Kay: At a business lunch, is it acceptable for me to ask for a “doggy bag”? 

No.  Asking for a “doggy bag” is considered by many to be tacky.  Is it really worth being viewed in a negative light to take home the four bites of chicken you saved from your meal?  Also, toting out a big container just does not look professional.

Dear Kay:  If I am given chopsticks at a Chinese restaurant, is it acceptable for me to ask for a fork?

It is always best to be a good sport. If you are not adept at eating with chopsticks, ask for a fork.  Far better to not participate versus spilling food on yourself.  Show a good sense of humor with your guests about your lack of skill, and make sure you practice at home so you are ready for the next Chinese restaurant.

Dear Kay: When at a business dinner and everyone orders a glass of wine, is it acceptable for me to order something different, such as a mixed drink? 

It depends…If you are the host, your role is to make your guests feel comfortable.  It is always best to mirror their order, and this would mean ordering a glass of wine. If your guests are conservative, it is not recommended to order a “double martini very dry”.  If you know the group well, you could then feel comfortable to order your drink of choice, although limit your quantity!

Dear Kay: What do I do if I do not like my meal? 

Try your best to eat a portion of the meal, unless it is unfit to eat (i.e., undercooked).  People who make a lot of special requests and send food back are often viewed as difficult personalities.  Smile, and bon appetit!

Dear Kay: After ordering a taco salad that was served in a big shell, is it acceptable for me to eat the shell with my fingers? 

It depends…  If you are in a Mexican restaurant and everyone is eating chips and salsa and enjoying a casual atmosphere, it is certainly acceptable to eat the shell with your fingers.  If you are at a restaurant that happens to have a taco salad on the menu and everyone else has ordered a Cobb salad, break off small pieces of the shell with your fork, and eat each piece using your fork.

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Do you or your employees feel comfortable with your dining etiquette knowledge?  Imagine…The Possibilities offers both group and private dining seminars entitled “Dine and Shine – The Etiquette of Business Meals”.  Don’t let a dining blunder affect your success, call now for more information!

Kay Hunter is a personal image coach and corporate trainer, specializing in complete makeovers, business and dining etiquette, and is the President of Imagine…The Possibilities in Orange County.  She has transformed hundreds of clients into more successful and confident professionals.  Kay can be contacted at (714) 665-8866, kayhunter2@aol.com, www.kayhunter.info.

Comments

[Marne LaForge]

Where do you put the little butter wrappers when you're done with them? I fold them up and tuck them under the bread plate. What about straw wrappers, sugar wrappers and the like?