The working breakfast. The “power” lunch. The business dinner. All part of the working world, but also
situations ripe for breaches in etiquette. How can you successfully mix food and business? Here are some suggestions:

What to Eat

Most working meals are called for the purpose of doing business. Don’t forget that. Whether you’re looking over paperwork, signing contracts, or simply getting to know someone better to determine if you want to do business with them, your main purpose is to conduct business.

Unless you’re a food critic, you are not there to critique the food or challenge the chef’s culinary skills. With that in mind, here are some ordering guidelines:

Breakfast: Opt for coffee (or tea) and a danish, bagel, croissant, or toast. Don’t order the Eggs Benedict, bacon and eggs, steak and eggs, or all-you-can eat pancakes. Those are all too heavy and too expensive. Keep it light and healthy. Stick with items you’d find on a Continental Breakfast tray.

Lunch: Never order something you can’t pronounce. If you’re taking an important client to lunch, “case” the joint beforehand to determine the best table and best menu choices. Never order food that is difficult to eat, requires a lot of your attention, or squirts, slurps, and makes a mess.

Best choices: Salads, grilled meat or fish, omelets, or other low-attention foods. Worst choices: Anything out of season (too frivolous), lobster (too expensive and too much work), snails (same reason), or any food
with a lot of garlic or onion.

Dinner: Unless you’re socializing, try to avoid dinner invitations, particularly if it’s with someone you don’t know well. Dinner is open-ended. You can’t look at your watch and say, “I have to get back to the office.” It’s also presumptuous to think that someone you don’t know well would like to spend his or her evening with you. Unless you have a set agenda and a very good reason for meeting after 6 p.m., don’t do it.

The only exceptions to this guideline should be if the client (a) is from out of town, or (b) specifically suggests it. Ask the client what time he’d like to dine. Don’t assume he eats dinner at the same time as you. Use the “best” and “worst” choice ordering guidelines from the lunch suggestions, above.

Another word of advice about food: try to eat like a native to the extent that your body will allow. If you travel around, do try to adapt to the local food and lunching customs. If, however, you’re faced with the types of food that spawn heartburn or indigestion, avoid them. Feeling bad anywhere-but particularly on the road with no caring hands around — hampers your business purpose.

What To Drink

The “two martini” lunch of yesteryear has been replaced by bottled water and iced tea. Most businesses frown upon alcohol consumption during work hours, and won’t reimburse it on expense accounts. Still, it is considered good manners to offer a drink to a guest.