Post-Meal
Dessert:
As the guest at a business dinner, you must follow the lead of the host to know whether or not you should order dessert. However, if you are the host than it is more than okay to suggest that dessert or after dinner coffee be served.
Business Conversation:
It is at this point in the night that, as the host, you should begin to bring up the more serious business matters that were not discussed during dinner. Saving the more serious of matters until after the meal has been cleared from the table is a wise decision because full concentration is required for important matters that you may have to discuss. If you are the host be sure to discuss all the important points before leaving the table. If you neglect to do this then the guests may think that a something you said after leaving the table was not as important. It is the hosts responsibility to signal the end of the business meeting by placing his napkin on the table and standing up. (Casperson)
Paying the Bill and Tipping:
As the guest of a business dinner meeting you should always be prepared to pay for the meal at hand. Do not think that just because you were invited to dinner that you do not have to pay. Etiquette says that if the bill is placed in front of you and the host does not reach for it then guess what, you pay. It is good to put it on a company credit card rather than cash because it looks more professional to whip out the plastic. Never squabble over the bill, this will make you look like a cheapskate, and no one wants to do business with a cheapskate. (Casperson)
When leaving a tip it is a good idea to tip at least 15%, however it is definitely more common to tip at least 20%. If the waiter has gone out of his way to make your dining experience that much better, there is no reason you should not tip him up and around 25%. One other occasion during a business dinner that might require a more hefty tip is when the group is larger and perhaps another waiter had to help. It is not uncommon for the restaurant to include the tip for larger groups with the bill. (Rose)
Post Meeting:
It is a good idea as the guest to send a handwritten thank-you note to the host within a couple of days. (Brody) In today’s high tech world a phone call or an e-mail is well within normal business etiquette.
Dessert:
As the guest at a business dinner, you must follow the lead of the host to know whether or not you should order dessert. However, if you are the host than it is more than okay to suggest that dessert or after dinner coffee be served.
Business Conversation:
It is at this point in the night that, as the host, you should begin to bring up the more serious business matters that were not discussed during dinner. Saving the more serious of matters until after the meal has been cleared from the table is a wise decision because full concentration is required for important matters that you may have to discuss. If you are the host be sure to discuss all the important points before leaving the table. If you neglect to do this then the guests may think that a something you said after leaving the table was not as important. It is the hosts responsibility to signal the end of the business meeting by placing his napkin on the table and standing up. (Casperson)
Paying the Bill and Tipping:
As the guest of a business dinner meeting you should always be prepared to pay for the meal at hand. Do not think that just because you were invited to dinner that you do not have to pay. Etiquette says that if the bill is placed in front of you and the host does not reach for it then guess what, you pay. It is good to put it on a company credit card rather than cash because it looks more professional to whip out the plastic. Never squabble over the bill, this will make you look like a cheapskate, and no one wants to do business with a cheapskate. (Casperson)
When leaving a tip it is a good idea to tip at least 15%, however it is definitely more common to tip at least 20%. If the waiter has gone out of his way to make your dining experience that much better, there is no reason you should not tip him up and around 25%. One other occasion during a business dinner that might require a more hefty tip is when the group is larger and perhaps another waiter had to help. It is not uncommon for the restaurant to include the tip for larger groups with the bill. (Rose)
Post Meeting:
It is a good idea as the guest to send a handwritten thank-you note to the host within a couple of days. (Brody) In today’s high tech world a phone call or an e-mail is well within normal business etiquette.
