商務禮節美語第138期:如何訂商務晚餐

How to Order at the Business Dinner
如何訂商務晚餐

陳豪在北京的ABC美國公司工作，他跟美國同事Amy一起喝下午茶。

(Office ambience)

A: Chen Hao, you've been attending a lot of business dinners lately. Didn't your team go out again last night with the clients?

C: 沒錯。我老闆Mr. Brown決定請客人到附近剛開張的那家法國餐館去吃飯。

A: How did it go?

C: 飯菜的味道確實不錯，但是有個客人很失態。

A: What do you mean?

C: 首先，她點的菜都是菜單上價錢最貴的。

A: What did the others do?

C: 其他人點的都是中等價位的，我也一樣。

A: This client sounds as if she could use some business etiquette training. Unless Mr. Brown suggested that you all order certain pricey dishes, she should have chosen something moderately priced.

C: 我覺得也是。除非主人堅持，否則客人應該點一些普通的菜纔對。

A: It's rude to take advantage of your host like that. This client is not very savvy about business dining.

C: Savvy是什麼意思啊？

A: Savvy means having knowledge and experience.

C: 這個客戶確實不懂禮貌，而且還不只這些呢！

A: Let's head back to the office now. You can tell me on the way.

陳豪和Amy兩人一起往回走。

A: So there is more to this story?

C: 那個客人不僅點的都是最貴的，而且一道菜都不拉。

A: Like what?

C: 從湯開始，然後是頭臺、沙拉，主菜，最後還有特製的甜點，一樣不少。

A: What did everyone else do?

C: Mr. Brown雖然吃得很少，但也只好跟着她一道菜一道菜地點。

A: He was doing the correct thing as host by ordering the same as the client.

C: 作爲主人，一定要這麼做嗎？

A: When someone orders appetizers or other dishes in addition to the entrée, it is polite for others to order the same courses.

C: 那又是爲什麼呢？

A: That keeps the pace of the dinner even and avoids the awkwardness of one person eating a course by herself.

C: 如果沒有別人點湯的話，那個客戶自己吃的時候一定會覺得很尷尬。

A: At an informal dinner, some people have soup while others may select a different appetizer to have at the same time. Everyone should have an equal number of courses.

C: 那作爲請客的主人，在飯桌上能做些什麼呢？

A: Simple. The host can say, "Why don't we all have an appetizer?" Or he could ask, "Would anyone like something to start with?"

C: 這樣一來，你就能知道自己是不是唯一想點頭臺的人了。

A: Right. If no one else has a starter course, then you don't either.

C: 你真應該給昨天那個客人好好上一課。