Many business professionals hold meetings during lunch or dinner with clients, investors, or other business professionals. What if your meeting seems to be hindered by bad restaurant service? Should you complain? The answer is yes, always, but with diplomacy.
很多商业人士往往与客户、投资商或其他生意合作伙伴在就餐时间举行会议。如果会议被糟糕的餐馆服务破坏了怎么办?你应该抱怨吗?答案是肯定的,但是要讲点策略。

Proper restaurant social skills in a business setting are a little different from when you are out dining with your family. For example, it is okay to ask for a discount on bad service when you are with your family, but not when you are with a business associate.
适当的餐馆社交礼仪,在商业就餐和家庭就餐时是有区别的。比如说,与家人一起在餐馆就餐时,如果碰到了糟糕的服务可以要求折扣,而和生意合伙人同出就餐时就不可以这样做了。

If you are meeting someone at a restaurant arrive at least five minutes early. Be sure to greet them with a friendly business handshake.
如果预订在餐馆和别人见面,那你就要提早5分钟到达。见面时,友好的握手问好。

Ordering Etiquette 点餐礼节

Never order for your business associate. If they ask for help ordering or seem uncomfortably indecisive you can recommend something you may have previously tried or ask the waiter to help with a suggestion. When the waiter arrives at the table defer to your associate and let them order first.
不要替你的生意合伙人点餐。如果他们看起来难以决定点什么向你求助的话,你可以向他们推荐你曾经试过的菜或者让侍者推荐一些合适的菜色。当侍者来点菜时,让你的同伴先点。

Tipping 小费

In a business setting, tipping is not optional. Consider tipping mandatory when it comes to business entertaining expenses. Even if service is substandard still leave at least some tip.
在商业场合,小费是必不可少的。商业招待费用中,小费是一笔固定的支出。即使服务是不合格的,也要记得给一些小费。

When entertaining a business client it is important to tip an amount appropriate to the level and type of service. Tipping too much without merit is an insincere gesture that is not likely to impress your client. Over tipping is an emotional decision to a business transaction. In a private setting that is fine; in a business setting all your meal transactions should reflect business.
招待商务客户时,给出数额适当的小费以肯定餐馆的服务类型和服务水平是很重要的。但是,不考虑服务的质量,而给出太多的小费的话,只会让你的客户觉得虚伪,并不能让他们印象深刻。虽然在私人聚会中多给小费是可以的,但是在商业会餐中,多给小费被视作是感情用事。在商业会餐中,你的各项处理技巧都会影响到生意。

Tip Jars 小费盒

Tip jars are nothing more than counter-top pandering. The haul is usually divided among co-workers who do not rely on tips (like wait staff do) for income and even shared with employees who did not provide you with any direct counter service.
小费盒只不过是台面上的摆设而已。放在其中的小费通常用来分给在工作中得不到小费收入的同事(如接待人员),有时甚至是分给不给你提供直接服务的工作人员。

You should not feel obligated to chunk your change into a tip jar but if you are with a client and want to add to a tip jar for the sake of appearances, add a dollar bill, not your spare change.
你不必认为往小费盒里放钱是你的义务。但是当你和客户一起时,为了引起注意,可以放一美元进去,但是不要放零钱进去。

Resolving Problems with Bad Service 解决糟糕服务所带来的问题

If it is necessary to complain about the meal or service, remember that how you complain could make or break your business deal. Making a scene in public over cold spaghetti might get you a free meal next time, but it is not going to seal your business deal.
如果需要抱怨饭菜或者服务的话,记住你抱怨的方式有可能使你谈成生意或导致生意失败。大庭广众之下因为冷掉的意大利面大吵大闹或许可以让你获得下次免费用餐的机会,但是不会让你的商务谈判成功。

Instead of viewing bad service at a restaurant as a problem seize it as an opportunity to impress your business associate with your ability to remain calm, take charge, and handle a situation with finesse. Do not let bad service reflect poorly on you but ignoring the problem.
不要将餐馆的劣质服务看成问题,应该把这当做是一个机会来向你的客户展示你的处事不惊,负责,能巧妙的解决问题。面对餐馆的劣质服务时,不要选择忽视,因为这样会显得你对此无能为力。

Who Pays the Bill for a Business Lunch or Dinner?谁为商务招待买单?

If you invite someone to lunch or dinner to discuss business you should always expect to pay. If an associate invites you to discuss giving you their business or investing in yours, you should at least offer to pay the bill. If the associates say they will pay, you should offer to at least pay your half and just leave it at that. Never fight over a bill if someone else offers to pay; you can counter once, and then after that simply thank the person paying for the generosity and offer to pick up the tab the next time.
如果你邀请客户就餐商讨会议,那么你就应该付账。如果一位生意上的合作伙伴邀请你进餐,讨论给他们的生意给你做,或者给你投资,那么你至少应该为这顿饭买单。如果客户说他们会买单,那你也应该提出分担一半的账单,并且要适可而止。不要为了谁付账而牵扯不停。你可以坚持一次,然后谢谢对方的慷慨大方,并且承诺下次你来买单。

Always bring a credit card to pay for the meal, or, if you are paying in cash, bring twice the amount of cash that you expect the lunch to cost.
永远随身带着信用卡来买单,如果是带现金的话,要带比你预计的用餐费用多一倍的钱。

Business Lunch and Dinner Tip: Treat restaurants as an extension of your office and the restaurant staff with the same respect and courtesy you would give to your own employees.
商务会餐小帖士:将餐馆当着是办公室的延伸,对待餐馆的工作人员要像对待同事那样的礼貌,尊重他们。

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