BUSINESS ETIQUETTE Arkansas Business Education Association Greet and Eat, A Proper Dinner Terry D. Roach, Ph.D. Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro ASU-J 3 August 2010

Make the introduction. Say something about each person. Shake hands. Introduce yourselves.

Enter from the left. Exit from the right. Bags, purses, attaché cases, booksunder the table. Men may help a lady with her chairdont slide it under her. She can do that herself.

Do not lean a chair against a tableagainst fire code in all 50 states. Either put the napkin on the seat of the chair or put the napkin on the back of the chair.

Goes in your lap when: The all group members are seated at your table. The host places his/her napkin in his/her lap. The server places your napkin in your lap. Banquet style, when you sit. Does not go back on the table until everyone is leaving the table. Placed on the left when the meal is over. Goes in your chair seat if you leave the table between courses.

Breakfast Luncheon Family Dinner Formal Dinner Buffet

Are always on the right. Are arranged in order of service (Informal). Coffee cup, tea glass, water glass Are arranged in order of service(Formal). Sherry White wine Red wine Champagne Water NO coffee cup

Always on the left Butter knife on bread and butter plate Butter spreader on bread and butter plate

In center May be stacked May be brought with each course

All but two are on the left: rule of 4 Arranged according to service: outside toward plate Usually salad fork, fish fork, dinner/luncheon fork Salad fork may be placed in last position if formal as salad is a filler Dessert fork may be at top of place setting, last fork on left near service plate, or brought with dessert Cocktail fork is on right side in bowl of first spoon

All but one are on the right: rule of 5 Are arranged according to service: outside toward service plate. Usually (informal) coffee spoon, tall drink spoon, soup spoon Usually (formal) soup spoon Dessert spoon is at the top of the service plate, spoon nearest service plate, or brought with dessert

Arranged on the right side: rule of 5 Usually fish knife then dinner knife A steak knife may be placed after the dinner knife. The server will remove the knifes not needed for a meal after the entrée is ordered

Lemon Butter Salad dressing Salt and Pepper Sugar Bread

The person the common item is nearest starts the pass. Offer to your left Help yourself Pass to the right. If the order gets out of order, then all items go to the left or to the rightnot both ways.

Two sugar packets at a time. Excessive if more than two Tear sugar packets half way or three-fourths of the waythe packet stays as one piece of paper. Paper goes under the tea glass saucer or under the lip of the service plate.

Hold the lemon slice with the right hand. Cover right hand with left hand. Squeeze juice into the glass. Place used lemon on salad platenot in the glass. Neither lemon nor tea are served at a formal meal.

Stir the tea gently with the Tall Drink Spoon. Tap the spoon over the tea to remove drops. Place the spoon on the next service utensil to dry. Move to the table after it is reasonably dry Dont place a wet spoon on a white table cloth

First glass is Sherry for Soup Second glass is White Wine for Fish Course Third glass is Red Wine for Meat Coursethe rule of white wine for white meat and red wine for red meat has been eliminated in most restaurants. Order the wine you like. Fourth glass is Champagne for dessert Fifth glass is for water

If a coffee cup and saucer are in drink position (right) and you intend to have coffee with your meal, leave the cup and saucer alone. If you intend to have coffee with dessert, then move the cup and saucer to the center of the table. Bring them back to drink position just before dessert is served.

First: Fruit/Seafood Cocktailuse the cocktail fork. Second: Salad (informal)use the salad fork. You may use the dinner knife to cut salad greens. Third: Fish (formal)use the fish knife and fish fork. Fourth: Meatuse the dinner knife and dinner fork Fifth: Dessertuse the dessert fork and/or spoon. Move these into place position just before dessert is served.

Bread is placed on the Bread and Butter Plate. Bread is placed on the left lip of the service plate. Bread is broken one piece at a time, buttered one piece at a time, and eaten one piece at a time. Bread may be used to sop gravy or saucesI wouldnt do this at a formal meal.

Cream Soup Spoonthe bowl is rounded. Broth Soup Spoonthe bowl is oval. Put the spoon into the soup bowl and push away from you. Eat from the side of the spoonno slurping. When finished with the soup service: Leave the spoon in the bowl if no soup plate Place the spoon on the soup plate on the right Crackers are eaten one bit at a time. Do not make cracker sawdust in your soup.

If oyster crackers are offered, place one to three in your soup bowl. Dont order difficult soups such as French onion or jambalaya. Cut noodles with your spoon by pressing the noodle between the spoon and lip of the bowl. You may tilt the bowl away from you to get the last drop. I wouldnt at an interview.

Continental or European Style: Knife in the right hand and Fork in the left hand. American Style: knife in the right hand, fork in the left hand, cut, place knife at top of plate, move fork to right hand.

Use your Salad Fork (and your Dinner Knife). Place salad dressing on the side of the salad. You may ask for the salad dressing to be passed to you if you want more. If you dont eat salad, dont. And, dont make excuses. Say something like, I dont care for a salad today. If you use the Dinner Knife, place it at the top of the Salad Plate with the blade toward you for rest and the Fork at the 4-10 or 5-11 position for rest.

Use your Fish Fork and Fish Knife. Place at the 4-10 or 5-11 for rest. Blade of the Knife toward you. Use your Dinner Fork and Dinner Knife. Place at the 4-10 or 5-11 for rest. Blade of the Knife toward you.

Move the Dessert Fork to the left and move the Dessert Spoon to the right. Move the coffee cup to drink position. No toasting at the table without permission (formal).

If at an interview, dont order every course. Dropped a utensil or napkin on the floor: Ask for another; dont make excuses. Spilled food or drink, use your napkin and call for a server for more serious spills/messes. Leave the table between courses. Place your napkin on your chair. What goes in the mouth with the hand or utensil comes out of the mouth with the hand or utensil.

Your menu has no prices. Ask your host for suggestions. Dont experiment with menu items on anothers dollar. You dont drink alcoholic beverages. Ask for water, ginger ale, juice, or other non- alcoholic. Dont argue over who pays. Dont complain publicly. Tell your host or tell your server/manager.

No makeup/lipstick at the table. No handshaking before or during the meal. Turn your cell phone off. Alert your host if you must have your cell phone on. No eating off anothers plate (formal). No sharing food (formal). No doggie bags (formal)well, maybe. Dont argue over split tickets/bills.

Usually added to the bill if group meets a certain size (6 or more usually). 15 % or 20%. In Tennessee, use the sales tax and double. Add more if really good service or round down if not so good. Always Tipothers at your table may have had a great time. $1 for each person who drank alcohol. No more than $2 for each person who drank alcohol. Dont argue over the who pays the tip.

Napkin goes on the left. Thank your host and guest for a good time. Push your chair under the table. Go to the restroom if needed before you leave the restaurant.

Tell them what you told them.