Course Highlights
This dining etiquette course will:
- Outline the purpose of dining etiquette and how rules differ from culture to culture.
- Review the ins and outs of table manners.
- Explain the responsibilities of a host and guest.
- Arm participants with ideas for handling the unexpected during business meals.
Course Overview
“He eats like an animal, and we simply can’t have him out with clients.” “All she talks about is what she will and won’t eat. She makes the people around her miserable at lunch.” “Why he brought up politics, I will never know. We lost the account, and I don’t see us getting it back.” These comments highlight how poor dining etiquette can harm professional relationships. While dining has become more casual since the time of Downton Abbey and few places are using finger bowls these days, failing to understand the rules of the modern table can still hurt business.
This down-to-earth, interactive, and fast-paced workshop examines the ins and outs of dining etiquette and why knowing what to do still matters. Participants will learn to navigate a table setting, use dining implements correctly, carry on appropriate dinner conversations, and adapt to regional variations in dining etiquette. The course also covers how to handle unexpected situations gracefully.
The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).
Program Objectives
At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Explain the value of practicing good table manners.
- Describe a host’s responsibilities and a guest’s obligations.
- Navigate a table setting with ease.
- Use dining implements correctly.
- Carry on an appropriate dinner conversation.
- Adapt to regional variations in dining etiquette.
- Handle the unexpected.
Workshop Modules
- Passport to the Past and Preparing for the Future: Why Dining Etiquette Matters
- Rules for the Host and Rules for the Guest: Playing Your Part
- The Tools of the Table: Knowing What Goes Where and Why
- Dancing Through Dinner: Moving with Style and Grace
- Being Interested and Interesting: Your Job at the Table
- Stranger in a Strange Land: Understanding Different Customs
- Navigating Unfamiliar Food and Other Surprises: What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Target Audience
This workshop is designed for groups that want to:
- Learn the fundamentals of dining etiquette.
- Prepare for business meals.
- Practice the ins and outs of entertaining clients and doing business over meals.
Suggested Format
- Half-Day Onsite Training Course
Questions This Page Answers About Dining Etiquette Training
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