Monday, November 5, 2012

Dining Etiquette


Our annual Etiquette Dinner will be held on Friday, November 9th in the Vaughn Center Crescent Club.  We expect over 150 students and 20 employer partners who will host the students at their tables for the meal.  Virginia Edwards, a nationally recognized etiquette and protocol expert, will again be the featured speaker.  In her October newsletter, she included a list of “Five Dining Ifs” that she allowed me to share with you.  These tips and many more will be shared at the dinner this Friday night.  If you haven’t made a reservation for this year, we’ll see you next year!

  

Five Dining Ifs

Handling oneself at the table during a business meal can be nerve racking.  Like anything else you have accomplished, it requires practice.  Here are just a few things to remember.

ü If your soup or beverage is too hot, do not blow on it or fish ice out of your water glass to cool it down.  It can be cooled by stirring with a spoon or left to cool naturally.

ü If you tend to “talk with your hands”, do not do so while holding your fork or knife.

ü If you are finished eating, do not push your plate away.  Leave it where placed when served.  Place your fork and knife in the “I’m finished” position as a signal to your server to remove the plate and utensils.

ü If you are not drinking coffee, do not turn your cup upside down in the saucer.  Place two fingers on the rim as the server approaches and say “No thank you.”

ü If you have separation anxiety when it comes to your cell phone, leave it turned off in your pocket when dining.  Even on vibrate it can be a distraction to you and to your dining companions as you constantly silence the buzz.

Don’t bring out your “manners” just for business occasions.  Practice makes perfect so remember to use proper dining skills at every meal.

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