Some people think, "I'll never have an interview meal. Interview meals are for finance or accounting majors and law students." No matter what business you are in, you are always eating with others. There are meetings that run long, where sandwiches are ordered in; dining with clients or vendors; lunches and dinners with trade groups or at conventions; charitable fundraisers; company events with food; and if you have a cafeteria on site, you might lunch with many different people.
So what are some of the Interview Meal Quick Hits that apply to other business dining situations, too?
Keep pace with your dining partners - don't finish too far ahead or too far behind.
Don't order the most expensive items on the menu. Don't order the largest items on the menu.
Avoid messy items like spaghetti, a French Dip sandwich, or finger food like ribs.
Taste your food before seasoning it. Seasoning first makes you look like one who doesn't think before you leap.
Take small bites, so you can answer questions or discuss business.
Don't order things on the side. It makes you look high maintenance.
Don't try to cool hot soup or hot coffee with ice from your water glass. Waiting for things to cool shows patience.
Leave your plates where they are at the end of the meal. Don't stack them or push them away.
Turn off the cell phone or PDA and be attentive to the people around you.
Don't order a doggie bag in business. Your dog never has to know.
No grooming at the table - lipsticks, combs, nail files are to be used in the restroom, not at the table.
Kill the wait staff with kindness. How you treat them is a reflection of how you will treat co-workers, reports and clients.
The Etiquette Tip of the Week may be forwarded to others who really, really need it, pinned to billboards, taped to the water cooler, blogged, Tweeted or used to fill that last little hole in your newsletter. Giving credit to the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/ is the polite thing to do.