Business Meal Etiquette: Drinks, Hosting, Paying, and Conversation

Drink Etiquette

• 💧 When dining more formally, opt for water over iced tea to avoid the mess of sweetener packets.
• 🍹 If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to one mixed drink or two glasses of wine; never drink at breakfast or lunch.
• 🥂 If your host hasn't ordered a drink, do not order alcohol yourself to avoid an awkward social dynamic.
• 🍷 A bottle of wine generally serves four glasses, so two glasses per person is the limit for a two-person meal.
• 🍸 Avoid frozen drinks at business dinners; they are generally considered inappropriate.

Hosting and Restaurant Selection

• 🍽️ As a host, select a restaurant you know well; ideally, you have a relationship with the management.
• 🏢 For business dinners, avoid casual dining chains like Applebee's; choose more upscale establishments.
• 🗺️ If in an unfamiliar city, ask your hotel concierge for recommendations, or research trusted friends or online resources.
• 📞 For important business dinners, consider visiting the restaurant the day before to arrange payment and select a table.
• 💰 A small gratuity to the Maître d' can help secure a preferred table if needed.

Payment and Splitting Checks

• 💳 Pay in advance whenever possible by providing your credit card over the phone, and specify a generous tip (20-30%).
• 💸 If you cannot pay in advance, excuse yourself before the check arrives to arrange payment privately.
• 💰 Always have some cash on hand as a backup in case of credit card machine issues or denials.
• 🤝 Never assume a shared payment; if in doubt, pick up the check to avoid awkwardness, even if you pay slightly more.
• 🙅‍♀️ If you are the guest, do not stare at the check if the host pays; do not address billing errors in front of your guest.

Conversation and Timing

• 🗣️ Wait until the main course to begin discussing work at a business dinner to focus on relationship building first.
• 💼 At lunch or breakfast, you can begin discussing business as soon as ordering is complete or immediately upon meeting, respectively, due to tighter schedules.
• ⏳ A business dinner should generally last 2 to 3 hours; exceeding this can be too long.

Dress and Presentation

• ✨ For business dinners, dress up slightly beyond your typical work attire; consider a suit, a tie, or more formal accessories.
• 👠 Ladies can opt for heels or a skirt if appropriate, and gentlemen can change into fresh trousers.
• 👔 These small changes in dress can help set the right tone and signal the importance of the occasion.
• 🚫 Do not bring business documents or presentations to a dinner; the focus should be on relationship building through conversation.