Las Vegas is known for its incredible shows and sprawling resorts but it is also a hub for meetings and, in particular, business lunches. Robin Jay is a long-time resident and has hosted more than 3,000 business lunches, making her ‘The Queen of the Business Lunch,’ something she writes about in her book The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 and 2.
How did she earn such a title?
“I used to work for a radio station that would sell ads for the drive-up tourist market between LA and Vegas,” says Jay, who is now a coach, speaker and the founder and president of the Las Vegas Convention Speakers Bureau. “My clients were the major hotels and I’d sell them advertising to broadcast on the four-hour drive from LA. To keep relationships strong, I hosted many business lunches.”
As for timing, Jay says 90 minutes is the perfect timeframe for a lunch. Working lunches can happen at off-site restaurants or even in office conference rooms. The important thing, she says, is to make the conversations during lunches about your clients.
“Don’t pitch the whole time,” she recommends. “Make your client feel special.”
Below are a few business lunch etiquette tips.
Make a Good First Impression
Good first impressions are important, so try to enter into your business luncheon with a calm demeanor and greet everyone with a friendly handshake. From there, sit down at the same time as everyone else (don’t sit down first or before everyone has arrived), and make sure you place your napkin in your lap. If you need to leave the table to use the restroom, put the napkin on your seat, not on the table.
Always wait until everyone has been served to start eating, and cut your food so you can make sure to fit each bite entirely in your mouth. Never chew with your mouth open or talk with a mouth full of food. And keep your elbows off the table at all times.
Worried you don’t know how to properly use your cutlery? Start by using the utensils on the outside first and work your way in. When you are finished with your meal, place your fork and knife parallel on the plate to indicate to your server that you’re ready for your plate to be cleared from the table.
Put Your Phone Away and Practice Active Listening
“Presence is powerful, so put the phone away and truly engage,” says Teresha Aird, co-founder and CMO of executive office suite brokerage Offices.net. “In-person attention is the cornerstone of effective business interaction and something we always try emphasize whether it’s a more casual business lunch or official function.”
She says that experiencing a client who is distracted at a business lunch can be both challenging and informative.
“I remember a lunch where a client continually checked her phone,” she says. “I finally asked, ‘Is there something urgent you need to attend to? Because I’m more than happy to reschedule if this is a bad time.’ It broke the ice and acknowledged that her being in a distracted state was noticeable, without sounding accusatory and cooling the overall mood of the lunch. By openly addressing it, we were then able to continue in a more mutually beneficial and engaged way."
As founder of global e-commerce logistics company YouParcel, Onur Kutlubay has a lot of experience with business lunches and says one of the best things to do is to actively listen to fellow diners.
“Pay close attention to your dining companion and engage in meaningful conversation,” he suggests. “This not only demonstrates your interest but also helps build rapport. I recall a lunch meeting with a potential business partner that taught me the value of active listening during such interactions. As we sat down for lunch, my companion shared his excitement about a recent project. While I had my own agenda to discuss, I chose to focus on his story first. By attentively listening and showing genuine interest, I not only learned more about his needs but also established a stronger rapport.
"Later in the conversation, I transitioned to discussing our collaboration. This approach demonstrated my respect for his perspective and allowed for a more natural and engaging exchange. The experience reinforced the significance of attentive listening in building fruitful connections over business lunches.”
Order Something Easy to Eat and Watch Your Alcohol Intake
If you’re heading to a business lunch, consider skipping the spaghetti. Instead, Kutlubay recommends ordering things that can be cut into smaller bites like salads and sandwiches.
Jay even suggests asking a server to pre-chop your salad before it being served so you aren’t dealing with having to cut large pieces of lettuce.
“Never order long noodles; the odds are good that you will end up wearing it,” she says. “You also never want to order anything that you can’t fit in your mouth.”
But what about alcohol?
During her book tour, Jay asked readers if they thought it was OK to have a cocktail at a business luncheon. Responses were split down the middle.
“I’d say let your client lead the way,” she says. “You don’t want to be drinking if your client isn’t drinking. And it is OK if you don’t want to drink at all.”
Be Mindful of Cultural Customs
Headed to a business lunch in another country? Jeremy Scott Foster, CEO of online travel site TravelFreak, says it is important to do research and follow cultural standards before sitting down for lunch.
“I was in Morocco, and it’s customary for even a business lunch to take on a ‘family style’ concept,” he remembers. “The host will generally offer food in a communal setting, allowing all guests to take what food they want from each plate. I felt that it was more about connection as opposed to ordering something separate from someone next to you. We all took from the same plates and enjoyed the same food and conversation.”
Ask About Dietary Preferences in Advance
Understanding dietary preferences, restrictions, and allergies in advance is especially important to a successful business networking lunch.
“I usually will ask clients casually in the email string that’s been used to set up the lunch, or during an informal phone call when making sure the date, time, and restaurant location is acceptable,” says Aird. “When broaching the subject, I feel it’s all about tone and context. For instance, a simple, ‘Any preferences or dietary needs I should know about for our lunch meeting?’ shows consideration without making it a focal point to hopefully avoid their feelings of inconveniencing me when I narrow down a restaurant selection.”
Be Punctual and Pay Early
Being on time – better yet, early – for a business lunch is incredibly important, as it sets the tone that you respect your fellow diners.
“I vividly remember a lunch meeting where I waited for nearly half an hour, which left a negative impression,” says Kutlubay. “While I understood that unexpected situations can arise, the prolonged wait created a sense of frustration and impatience. When running late, it's always courteous to send a quick text or call to inform the other party.”
And if you initiated the lunch, Jay recommends getting to the restaurant as early as 20 minutes before the event is scheduled to start to tell the server that you will be paying and hand them your credit card, “never pay in cash,” she says, before the meal even begins.
Follow Up After the Lunch
Business networking doesn’t end when the working lunch is over. Kutlubay recommends sending a brief thank you email immediately following the event.
“This thoughtful gesture reinforces your interest in the discussion and your respect for their time,” he says.
A version of this article was originally published on October 21, 2011.
Photo: Getty Images
