Thinking of putting together a swanky company dinner? Stop. Many corporate parties fall apart because business owners, or event planners, don’t plan things out properly. Here are the most important ingredients to a successful business dinner.
Research Your Attendees
Don’t sit down to dinner blind to your guests allergies and food sensitivities. If someone if your party is lactose intolerant, or has celiac’s, going out to an Italian restaurant is not going to be a great idea. Likewise, if any of your guests have nut allergies, you’re going to need to choose the menu very carefully, as many foods that come partially pre-packaged are processed in facilities that also process nuts. Restaurants always have some form of commercial refrigeration solution for storing their ingredients, so they should be fresh, but allergies and personal taste should still be accounted for when making a decision.
If possible, you should send out an email or put together a spreadsheet for your dinner party. Have people submit dietary restrictions or special needs. Make sure that these are handled promptly and courteously by the wait staff and chefs.
If you are having the meal in-house in a corporate dining hall, make sure your chefs know how to, and are willing to, accommodate different food preferences and dietary needs.
For example, a diabetic, or pre-diabetic, individual cannot have unregulated amounts of sugar or carbohydrates. Your chef should know how to adjust meals for this individual or create a menu that is inherently low in sugar or carbohydrates.
Arrive Early For The Event
Arrive early for the event. This is especially important if you’ve hired staff from hireawaiter.com.au as they will need to know the general plan for the evening. But, even if the event is being put on by professional caterers or at a restaurant, you should arrive early if only to help ensure that the dinner goes smoothly and your guests don’t get the impression that they’re in the wrong place when they first arrive.
Finally, if guests arrive before you, and you’re the host, they may not feel as though they are a high priority for you – this is not the impression you want to give clients. In addition to arriving early, you may also consider arriving in style and offering to pick up your guests with the help of Limo Rental Solutions.
Prepay For The Evening
Prepay the bill for the evening. Most restaurants will accommodate this option for you especially if you reserve a banquet room. It looks strange to see a bill come out after the fact. And, some guests might be uneasy, even if you’re paying the bill.
Match Client Meals
Let your guests order first. Then, follow suit. To keep balance throughout the meal, let your guests set the pace for the amount of food being eaten and the rate at which food is consumed.
So, for example, if your guests are ordering appetizers, feel free to order one for yourself. But, it would be a mistake to order appetizers for yourself while your guests wait for their entree.
If you must have something to eat, order appetizers for the whole party.
Order entrees that are about the same size as your guests, and let them order dessert. If your guests don’t order dessert, don’t order it for yourself.
Respect The Staff
Always respect the wait staff. They are your lifeline to the chef. In most restaurants, it’s customary to tip at least 18 percent for large dinner parties. Some restaurants enforce the issue by automatically adding it to your bill. However, if the service was amazing, you should consider tipping 20 percent or more. It’s not unusual for wait staff to be tipped 25 percent for an excellent meal and service.
Never tip less than 10 percent, unless you can’t get any service for your table.
Finally, when ordering, and when addressing the staff for additional services outside of regular meal ordering, call them aside and speak in a soft tone. Say “please,” ‘thank you,” and always ask if it would be too much trouble to accommodate you.
Never talk down to the staff or treat them like lowly servants. Remember, they’re bringing and handling your food. Treat them at least as equals, if not greater, than yourself.
Follow-up On Dinner Conversation
Dinner talk isn’t always small. Sometimes, it’s big. Million-dollar deals have been conducted over soup and salad. So, make sure you’re paying attention. And, follow through.
One of the biggest mistakes business owners, managers, and pretty much everyone else makes is that they’re good at taking in information and they’re terrible at the follow through. When someone tells you that they would like to be introduced to someone else, make sure you make that introduction before the night is over.
If you promise to get a piece of information for someone the following morning, make sure you do it. If you have to make a quick reminder for yourself on your smartphone, do it.
