In today’s generation, everyone is conscious about themselves regardless it may be about their look, their dressing sense and even what they eat. Even a single mistake can create a negative impression to the person you are trying to impress. Therefore every step must be taken carefully. While on a dinner for professional reasons there is a certain way you must behave to create a positive impression so that you get the result which you were expecting the dining would lead. Thus to help you make that great everlasting impression we have jotted down the most simple and impacting tips which you could use while dining.

1) The host is the head of the table –

Whether it is you or someone else, who is hosting the lunch or dinner for the office make sure that the host is never undermined. If you are the host for the evening make sure to call the restaurant before in hand and make appropriate seating arrangements as the last thing which should go wrong is that when you arrive at the restaurant and they say there are not seating available as of now. Make sure to be in complete control of the situation but never show your authoritative power.

2) Research of the restaurant –

Make sure to search about various restaurants and pick one which matches all your colleague’s diet requirements. To create an additional good impression on your college make sure you find out the restaurants special dishes and make sure to present them to everyone along with the prices.

3) Never pull out someone’s chair for them –

No matter what happens one must never pull out a chair for the other person. Holding the door for a guest is understandable but pulling out a chair for any gender may seem unprofessional and project gender imbalance which could seem to dominate.

4) Know where to keep the utensils and how to use them –

This could go either way even if you are a host or just attending a dinner with a few people. Make sure to know which utensil is used for eating which type of food and where each thing goes. This is considered as an important etiquette as this shows the mannerism and professionalism of a person.

5) Always break bread with your hands –

It is not compulsory that every food requires to be cut and eaten using forks and knives and especially at a professional gathering, this may seem extremely ill-mannered. When it comes to bread and other crust based foods such as rolls, it is perfectly acceptable to use your hands to tear them and eat using your fingers.

6) Do not make any sound while you eat –

This is one such point which applies both at an official professional colleague dinner or even at home. Regardless how good the food might taste make sure not to make any form of noise while eating it as for some it might be a pet peeve and the other reason being that it projects an ill-mannered impression of you. The same thing goes with the utensils on or near your plate.

7) Table tissues and napkins –

The tissue or napkin which is present on the table is not for blowing your nose or wiping your sweat. The table napkins primary use is to remove the small portions which smear on either end of your mouth and if you feel wish to blow your nose, it is best to excuse yourself to the washroom.

8) Do not touch your plates once you have eaten –

One of the most common mistakes which people make after eating their meal is that they push away the plate or pile them and get up. This form of action could be easily considered as unprofessional and rude. Once you are done with your meal just let the plates be where they are as restaurants have trained personals who know when to lift off a plate from the table and take it. Make sure never to leave the table and away if you have finished with your meal as this could be seen as rude and impolite. Either eat your meal slow with the pace of others or only get up under emergency circumstances.

9) The payment dilemma –

This is very simple, but not all situations can deal with the payment issue the same way. If its a professional dinner, then the host is bound to pay for the food and make sure not to remove your wallet and contribute as this could be seen as an act to undermine the host.

10) Make sure to be polite to the service staff –

It never hurts to say “ThankYou” and “ Please” especially to the people who serve your meal at a restaurant.