Wednesday, October 18, 2000
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Wednesday, October 18, 2000 |
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Take the quiz to check your holiday business dining etiquette Most of the year, your biggest dining dilemma might be keeping the ketchup off your clothes while you inhale a burger on your way to a meeting, or to pick up the kids. But the holiday season is on its way and with it come cocktail parties, the annual business bash and the opportunity to shine for --or be shamed by -- your dining etiquette. David and Barbara Rothschild of EATiQuette in Phoenix put together this hypothetical holiday celebration to help you gauge just how comfortable and confident you'll be at the upcoming festivities. Take the quiz to determine your etiquette quotient. And remember, even if you score low, there's still time to buff up your behavior before the holidays. 1) You receive an invitation to a holiday dinner at your boss' home. At the bottom, it reads, "Rsvp" and includes a phone number. What should you do? a. Call only if you won't be able to attend b. Mention to your boss, at work, that you'll be attending c. Call to let them know if you'll be attending 2) That invitation also says the party begins at 7:00. What time should you get there? a. Right at 7:00, or by 7:10 at the latest b. At 6:45 -- you want your boss to know you're eager to socialize with him c. Around 7:30 -- you hate being the first one to arrive at a party 3) When you arrive, you're offered champagne. How do you hold the glass? a. With your hand around the "bowl" so you don't drip any champagne on the carpet b. By the "stem", in your left hand c. By the "foot", in your right hand 4) Before dinner, hors d'oeuvres are passed. The Asian-style spareribs are tasty, but what do you do with the bone? a. Give it to the family's dog b. Place it in a paper napkin and find a trash receptacle c. Slip it in your pocket and dispose of it later 5) When dinner is served, you're seated at a table with your boss, his wife and several colleagues. When should you begin eating? a. As soon as you're served -- why let your food get cold? b. Wait for the boss to start -- it could make a difference in your holiday bonus c. After the boss' wife takes her first bite 6) You detest Brussels Sprouts, but there they are on your plate. Do you have to eat them? a. No, but don't groan or make disgusting remarks about them b. Yes, because you don't want to insult your boss c. No, but it's okay to put them on your bread plate so they don't touch the rest of your meal 7) To help ensure that your holiday bonus is generous, you propose a toast to your boss. Which of these is most appropriate? a. Stand, looking him straight in the eye and say, "To your health" b. Start off with a joke, then get the group to sing, "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" c. Wish him a happy holiday, then drain your entire champagne glass 8) After dessert and coffee have been served, you feel it's time to leave. Do you . . . a. Try to slip out the door unnoticed so you don't have to say goodbye to everyone? b. Seek out your boss and his wife and thank them for a wonderful evening? c. Wait until at least half of the group is gone, so your boss won't think you're leaving too soon? 9) Since it's a company party, should you send a thank you note? a. Not necessary -- it's your boss' way of thanking you for your work during the year b. Not necessary -- but be sure to mention to your boss what a great time you had c. Absolutely -- the boss and his wife will appreciate the gesture Answers: 1) c. Many things (amount of food, tables and chairs, servers, etc.) depend on the number of people attending. Since the party is at the boss' home, and you were given a phone number, it's not enough to tell him you'll attend -- call. Unless an invitation reads, "regrets only," call regardless of whether or not you'll be attending. 2) a. Try to arrive right at the appointed time. If you show up early, your host and hostess may still be getting dressed, or making final party preparations. And there's no such thing as "fashionably late"-being late is just plain rude. 3) b. Always hold a stemmed glass by the stem so you won't get fingerprints on the glass and the heat from your hand won't warm the wine. Holding the glass in your left hand allows you to shake hands without having to switch. 4) b. If you can't find somewhere to dispose of the bone, ask a server. You don't know the family pet's dietary restrictions, so don't offer it to the dog. And, though it may be okay to stash a frill pick in your pocket, bones don't belong there. 5) c. The boss' wife is the hostess of the event and, as such, should be the first one to begin eating. 6) a. As long as you don't make a scene about it, you don't have to eat the Brussels Sprouts. Scraping them onto your bread plate will only call attention to the fact that you're offended by them. 7) a. To show respect for your boss (or anyone else you're toasting), you should stand, look directly at him and wish him well. No one should take more than a sip from their glass when a toast is being made and the person being toasted should not drink, but should raise his glass to acknowledge the toast. |
