Etiquette for business banquets
Regarding the etiquette of business banquets, Nancy knew that the seat above the table facing the door was the host's seat, but in order to be cautious, she still sought the opinion of the foreperson manager. Etiquette for business banquets. To succeed in an important business event, the key is to be fully prepared and good communication is the prerequisite. Etiquette for business banquets 1
Buffet lunch: try not to take troublesome food
< p> Nancy works as secretary to the general manager at the Beijing headquarters of a well-known multinational company. At noon, she will have a working lunch with the general manager and marketing director, mainly to study the marketing plan for the next year. This is not a very formal meeting. It is mainly used to communicate with each other during lunch time. Nancy knew that the company would have a formal banquet for President Zhang, the country's largest customer, and his entourage in the evening to thank them for their support over the past year. She had already arranged the hotel and menu in advance. Lunch was in the form of a buffet. Nancy didn't want to lose points when eating with the general manager. When picking up food, she chose some food that could be eaten in one bite, giving up her usual favorites such as prawns, which required help with her hands. Food that can only be eaten. She knew that she might have to record her boss's instructions at any time and would not have time to touch up her makeup. The general manager was French and very particular.Buffet etiquette: A buffet reception has its own characteristics. It is not like a Chinese or Western banquet. Everyone is seated separately and starts the meal process directly. Usually a buffet does not involve seating arrangements. Everyone can Walk back and forth in this area. When talking with others, you should try to stop chewing food in your mouth, and don't eat very laborious food when talking about business. In addition, you should try to avoid waste.
Formal banquet: communicate in advance and arrange the climax
Returning to the office in the afternoon, Nancy once again implemented the hotel’s banquet hall and menu to prepare for the formal banquet in the evening. After calculating the number of guests and hosts, there were 8 guests. Nancy arranged the table cards. Because they were acquaintances and there were only a few guests, she did not send invitations. However, she was still worried, so she picked up the phone again and found the other party. Manager Li from the Public Relations Department explained the location and time of the dinner in detail, and also asked their boss seriously about his eating habits. Manager Li told us that their boss was from Shanxi and didn’t like seafood very much, but loved pasta very much. After Nancy heard this, she called the hotel again and readjusted the dinner menu.
Nancy decided to arrive at the hotel half an hour early to check on the dinner arrangements and make some preparations on site. When she arrived at the hotel, Nancy found the head manager, talked about the key issues again, and went over the preparations for the banquet with him. The banquet hall is divided into two rooms, the inside and outside. The outside is the reception room, where the host receives guests and sits. Flowers and refreshments have been prepared. The inside is the banquet room, and various tableware has been placed on the round table for the Chinese-style banquet.
Nancy knew that the seat above the table facing the door was the master's seat, but in order to proceed cautiously, she still sought the opinion of the foreperson manager. First, pick out the table card with your boss's name on it from the table cards you brought and place it on the host's seat. Then place the table card of the other party's boss to the right of the host's seat. Thinking that the second-in-command in the client company is also important, place him to the left of the owner's seat. Nancy then placed the table card of her immediate boss, the marketing director, at the bottom of the table, and then placed the two business directors of the client company on his left and right sides. In order to facilitate communication, Nancy placed her seat in the same direction as Manager Li of the Public Relations Department.
It should be said that all preparations for the dinner are ready. Nancy looked at the time and saw that it was still a quarter of an hour away, so she came to the hotel lobby to wait. She saw the general manager and his party arriving at the hotel entrance 10 minutes in advance, and Nancy simply reported the arrangements while sending them to the banquet hall. Nancy immediately returned to the hotel lobby, waiting for the arrival of President Zhang and his party. Almost to the last second, the guests she welcomed arrived on time.
The dinner went smoothly according to Nancy's careful arrangement. Both the guests and the host were smiling, and the customers kept praising the delicious food and suiting their appetites. At this time, the foreman manager led the waiters to serve Shanxi sliced ??noodles like a performance. The guest burst into laughter immediately after seeing it and said happily, you are doing such a meticulous job. Nancy’s general manager was also happy to say that this was Nancy’s credit.
Seeing that the guests and guests were satisfied, Nancy secretly summed up her experience and adjusted the menu in the afternoon according to the taste of the guests, removing abalone and other expensive dishes. This not only saved money, but also won the favor of the guests.
It seems that if an important business event is to be successful, the key is to be fully prepared, good communication is a prerequisite, and knowing the necessary business etiquette is the magic weapon to win!
Intimate reminder: I will introduce you to some details of business banquets
Restaurant selection: When to discuss business during the banquet: Generally, it is best to choose a private room with a sofa for a banquet. They were very familiar with each other. Before dinner, when everyone was not here, we talked about things first. The advantage of doing this is that it makes people feel at ease after eating. If you are familiar with the guest, and it is not a complicated matter, and it is just a gesture, don't say it while eating. Instead, just say "help me do it" when you see the guest off at the end. Of course, everything must be based on respecting the requirements of the guests.
There are rules for seating: the seat facing the door is where you pay the bill, and the right hand is the VIP. It is best to sit opposite your assistant (accompanied by the deputy host), which is convenient for ordering food and running errands. If there are about the same number of people coming from both parties, it is best to sit apart from each other to facilitate private communication. Don't sit on one side of the table and the other side, just like negotiating.
Toasting rules: Generally speaking, it is very disrespectful to toast guests too much, but it is okay to toast important guests too much. When others are toasting, don't mix it up. In addition, there are techniques for toasting as a deputy. Generally, you have to tactfully say "I would like to toast you on behalf of the boss." This can take into account the subtle differences in the positions of both parties.
How to eat Western food: You need to cut it with a knife and eat it one piece at a time. Roll the noodles with a fork. Bread needs to be torn off into small pieces with your hands and put into your mouth. Do not eat with your mouth. Don't make any noise when drinking soup. Fruit is served with a fork.
Use cutlery correctly: the left fork holds the food and the right knife cuts it. Cutlery is taken from outside to inside, and each cutlery is used once. Do not stack knives and forks on the right side before finishing the meal. The handles are all facing to the right, so the waiter will think you have finished your meal and will take your food away.
When invited to a meal by the boss vs. inviting the boss to a meal
When invited by the boss: When invited to a meal by the boss, generally do not bring companions, unless otherwise stated. When you accept an invitation from your boss, don't tell your colleagues in the office. They will be upset and may even have a negative impact on your relationship with colleagues for no reason. It is good to remain silent as a courtesy to your boss. If your boss doesn't invite you in public, he probably doesn't want others to know.
Be cautious when inviting your boss to dinner: As a subordinate, inviting your boss to dinner should be treated with caution. Even if you have a deep friendship, you should not be careless (it also depends on who your friend and boss are) Such people). Inviting the boss to dinner is of course a bit more complicated. It is appropriate to use special opportunities. For example, a very important job has come to an end (it is best to take a few days off within half a month after the work is completed and the task is successfully completed), you have been newly promoted, or during the Spring Festival, you want to make a very important statement to your boss. Suggestion...
If you are not very familiar with your boss, wait a few years before hiring him. If you have never had the chance to get to know him well, then there is no need to invite him, otherwise it will be awkward for both of you, which may not be beneficial to your future. Should a new manager treat his boss to dinner? Working lunches are okay and there will be lots to talk about, but it’s always a bit forced. It seems inappropriate to invite your boss to your home. If there is a relatively stable relative relationship, it depends on the timing. Etiquette for business banquets 2
The order of tables and seats should be arranged differently
The order of tables. The round table facing the door is the host and guest table, with 2, 4, 6, 8 on the left... 3, 5, 7, 9 on the right... until they meet. If it is a formal banquet, the arrangement of tables should be such that the first table is in the front and center. The principles of table arrangement for different numbers of tables are as follows:
1. When there is only one table, start from the direction of standing facing the door. See, the host should sit closer to the door, and the guest of honor should sit facing the door.
When there are two tables, from the direction of standing facing the door, the table on the right is the main table, and the table on the left is the secondary table.
When there are three or three tables, from the direction of standing facing the door, the middle table is the main table, the right is the secondary table, and the left is the auxiliary table.
If the four or four tables are arranged in a ring, from the direction of standing facing the door, the table in the first row in the middle farthest from the door is the main table, and the second row from the right is arranged in sequence as The second and third tables, the table in the third row closest to the door is the fourth table; if they are arranged in a straight line, from the direction of standing facing the door, the second table on the right is the main table. The third table is the second table, the first table on the right is the third table, and the table on the far left is the fourth table.
The five or five tables are arranged in a row around an axis. From the direction of standing facing the door, the table in the center is the main table, and the table on the right of the row far away from the door is the second table. times, the table on the left is the third table, the table on the right of the row closer to the door is the fourth table, and the table on the left is the fifth table; if the row is in the form of a plum blossom, from the direction of standing facing the door Look, the table in the first row farthest from the door is the main table, the table on the right in the second row is the second table, the table on the left is the third table, and the table on the right in the third row close to the door is the fourth table. The table on the left is the fifth table.
Seating. If it is a large banquet, the Chinese seating order also needs to be clarified.
Place the tableware carefully
1. Place card: Place it in front of the wine glass or place it flat on top of the tableware, but not on the dinner plate.
2. Bone tray: The bone tray will be placed on the table at an equal distance, with the signs facing upward, and about two finger widths away from the table, depending on the number of people present. Small sauce plates will be placed one finger apart on the upper left side of the bone plate, allowing guests to add seasonings according to their own taste preferences.
3. Napkin: Fold it into a flower and place it in a water glass or lay it flat on the bone plate.
4. Spoon: The spoon and spoon holder are arranged on the upper right side of the bone plate and parallel to the saucer, with the concave spoon facing left.
5. Chopsticks: At a formal banquet, chopsticks should be equipped with chopstick holders to facilitate guests to place their chopsticks. The chopstick holders should be placed one finger's width apart and horizontally on the upper right side of the spoon holder. The chopsticks should be level with the chopstick holder. If there is a logo, the text should face up.
6. Cups: The quantity and style should match the type of wine and beverages, and should be placed on the upper right side of the saucer. During Chinese meals, a male cup is usually placed on each table, about a finger's width away from the edge of the turntable, with the mouth of the cup facing to the left.
7. Condiment pot: The small condiment pot containing soy sauce and vinegar will be placed directly opposite the male cup, with the spout facing to the left.
8. Toothpicks: The toothpick cup is usually placed on the right side of the condiment pot.
9. Serving fork and spoon: To the right of the master's position, place a base with a long silver ladle and serving fork and spoon tilted.
10. Potted flowers: placed at the center of the turntable.
Chinese cuisine and wine
For the Chinese, eating is an art and a manifestation of culture.
Chinese food serving order. Most Chinese meals are served with cold cuts, drinks and wine first, then hot dishes, then staple food, and finally desserts and fruits. The principle of serving dinner is: guests first, then the host; first female guests, then male guests; first main guest, then other guests. Dishes are served in order, starting with the guests to the right of the host. The order of serving Chinese food is as follows:
1. Cold cuts and side dishes. Chinese cold dishes are divided into two types, one is side dishes, usually two to four plates are prepared.
2. Stir-fry. Chinese stir-fries usually come in four plates and are served after the appetizer platter, but many banquets now omit this dish.
3. Main course. Immediately after the appetizers, the main course continues, and the number of main courses is usually an even number such as four, six, eight, etc. The dishes use different materials, combined with the five flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty, and are prepared by various cooking methods such as deep-fried, steamed, boiled, pan-fried, roasted and stir-fried.
4. Special dishes. There are some special dishes in Chinese food that need to be eaten with your hands. For example, when wrapping roast duck in pancakes, be careful to wrap it tightly to prevent the filling from falling out. A considerate host should also prepare a finger-washing dish so that guests can clean off their greasy fingers after finishing the dishes.
5. Soup. You need to know the essentials when drinking soup, and be careful not to make any noise. Chinese people usually suck soup with their mouths, so they will make noise. If it is a formal dinner, it is very rude. You can follow the techniques of Westerners and drink the soup with a spoon. When you are about to finish drinking, do not pick up the soup bowl to eat. Instead, use your left thumb and index finger to gently hold the edge of the bowl and tilt it slightly towards the center of the table to get the soup.
6. Desserts. Generally, rice is not served at banquets, but cakes, cakes, noodles, steamed buns, dumplings, etc. are served instead.
7. Dessert.
Including snacks, such as pies and cakes; sweet soups, such as rock sugar lotus seeds, white fungus sweet soup, almond tofu, etc.
8. Fruit. There are many kinds of fruits, most of which are presented in fruit plates.
Chinese drinking culture. The Chinese drinking culture has a long history, and the drinking culture in China and the West is also different. Chinese wine is roughly classified into rice wine, fruit wine, beer, white wine, prepared wine, etc. Wine is used for many purposes, such as weddings and funerals, and entertaining guests. Toasting is an indispensable etiquette in Chinese banquets, but toasting should be done in moderation, and one should not force the person to drink, and drinking orders should not be done at a formal banquet.
Usually, after the guests and hosts are seated, the waiter will pour wine, first the hard liquor, then the fruit wine, beer, soda, etc. Usually, the guest of honor pours wine first from the right side of the host, then the female guest, then pours to the host, and then one by one in clockwise direction. Guests on the right side of the host should also pay attention to pouring first. Pour wine and water until it is eighty full. When toasting, toasts should be made in order from the chief to the toasters. The toasters do not need to drink up the wine in the glass, just take a small sip at a time. When men toast to their elders, they should hold the cup with both hands and stand up to toast; women, regardless of seniority, should hold the cup in their right hand and gently hold the bottom of the cup with their left hand, nod in greeting, and take a sip.
Dining Etiquette
Before meals. In Chinese banquets, most guests like to sit freely and choose their own partners. Couples often sit together. The hostess should invite all the guests to sit down one by one. The order of invitation is: the female companion of the distinguished guest should be seated first, and the position should be placed on the right hand side of the male host, and the distinguished guest should be placed on the right hand side of the hostess. If there is no special distinction between host and guest, let the elders take their seats first, and then the ladies can take their seats first.
To take a seat, you should enter from the left side, gently pull the back of the chair, and for ladies, let a man or a waiter do it for you, and then take your seat slowly. The sitting posture should be upright. Women should have their legs together, while men should sit naturally. Don't lean your hands on the table or the back of the chair next to you, and don't bend over to eat, as this will make you look lackluster. It is best to turn off your mobile phone or turn it to vibrate mode. If you need to answer an emergency call, please leave your seat and go to a suitable place to answer it. :
Personal items such as handbags, keys, mobile phones, cigarettes, lighters, etc. cannot be placed on the table to hinder others from eating. They should be placed in the handbag, and then the handbag should be placed between the back and the back of the chair. Instead of placing it on the dining table or on the floor. Long coats that are taken off cannot be draped directly on the back of the chair. Overcoats, coats, etc. should be given to the waiter for safekeeping in the cloakroom. The sitting posture should be maintained upright, but not stiff or unnatural, and be careful to maintain an appropriate distance from the dining table.
During meals. After a dish is served, you usually have to wait for the owner or elders to eat it before eating it. If you need to use male chopsticks or female spoons to eat, you should first use the male chopsticks to place the dish on your own plate, and then eat slowly with your own chopsticks. When picking up food, you should wait until the dish is in front of you before using your chopsticks. You should not pick up too many dishes at one time. Do not put the picked up dish back on the plate and then use your chopsticks to pick up another dish. This is very impolite. action. If you encounter someone sitting next to you while picking up food, be careful not to fight with your chopsticks. If there are foreign guests at the same table, you don’t need to persuade them repeatedly to order food, and don’t pick up food for them, because foreign guests generally don’t have this habit. In the past, serving dishes to guests showed Chinese hospitality. Now, guests should be allowed to take dishes according to their own preferences, which is more fashionable and hygienic.
For Chinese food, a large plate of dishes is usually placed on the table. Sometimes a waiter will help divide the dishes. If not, the man will help the woman to get the dishes, or he will take them in order. When eating, do not hold dishes and utensils in your hands. Use chopsticks to take bite-sized pieces of food and bring them to your mouth. Do not put too much food into your mouth at one time. When you want to spit out bones and thorns, you should cover your mouth with a napkin or your right hand, spit it out secretly in the palm of your left hand, and then place it gently in the bone plate. Do not throw it on the table or the ground. For food with bones or shells, avoid peeling and biting it with your hands. It is better to eat with chopsticks or spoons. Do not blow hot food into your mouth by blowing it with your mouth. You should wait until it cools down slightly before eating.
After meal. After finishing the meal, you must wait for the host and hostess to see off the guests before you can leave your seat. Never make loud noises or criticize guests before they leave. When seeing off guests, you should remind them of the items they are carrying or storing, bow to them, and try to wait until the guests are completely out of sight before returning to their seats. It is not advisable to settle the bill in front of the guests after the meal, nor is it appropriate to rush to pay the bill. If you really want to rush to pay the bill, you should find an appropriate time to settle the bill quietly.