Business Dining
Etiquette Rules

The way you dress defines who you are as a person. In business meetings, attires show professionalism and positive manners. Not having the correct dress code will send a false impression to the host and the other guests. Therefore, knowing the dress code of the occasion is important. Generally, the host will determine the dress code for the guests. If not, the guest shall ask for it. To know more about types of dress codes, check this link on our website.

Mark your calendar. Set an alarm. Make sure that you know the reservation date and place of your meeting [1]. With this, you will be able to avoid lateness. Arriving early shows that you value time. If you are the first to arrive, make sure that you greet others with a handshake while standing up. This gesture shows that you welcome and respect your host and other guests.

Handshake is another way to define your first impression. Therefore, knowing how to do a professional handshake is important in a business meeting. Making eye contact is the first step of having a powerful handshake. While doing the handshake, control the power, keep it at moderate pressure [2]. One until two pumps are enough, do not overdo the handshake. Lastly, don't forget to smile.

Pay attention to the way you sit. While sitting, make sure that you are in a good and straight sitting posture throughout the dining. Keeping your elbow off of the table shows that you value others by respecting their personal space. While doing a conversation, use enough gestures. Even while you are eating, give eye contact and occasionally nod your head while other is speaking to you. Do not go through your cellphone or watch to show that you are paying attention to what they are saying.

Table Manner is the etiquette of eating. Mastering table manners is also a form of self-image that affects the success of your career. Indirectly, table manners show the quality of one's association, intellectualism, and social ethics [3]. Therefore, it is important to know what can and cannot be done in business dining. The first step of learning table manners is to know more about table setting. After knowing the utensils and how to use them, the next step is to know the etiquette of eating.

The most important etiquette is to keep the dining pace in control, make sure that you cut a piece of food at a time [4]. Take your time in eating, have the last bite when the others are in their last bite too. If the food you want is far from you, ask someone to pass it to you, do not reach across the table. The food that you order is also matters. When the host allowed you to choose the menu, order something that is not the most and the least expensive. This will show that you respect your host by not taking advantage of the occasion.