Peter Drucker once commented "so many business decisions are made over lunch & dinner meetings, yet even the business schools do little to no training here".  We infer a lot about each other in the most common of social settings for business deals. . . lunch, Starbucks, and dinner.  Others intuitively make decisions about whether or not they want to do business with us based on our character, the real person underneath the cloak of the boardroom, office or shop.  That venue is most commonly the restaurant or the coffee shop.

1. The Invitation:  provide choices of 2-3 locations and the opportunity for the client to suggest their favorite (don't leave it up to the client to do all the work of deciding).
    
2. The Reservation:  you should make the reservation in your name & if you know the restaurant well, request a table with little noise and traffic.  If you have never been to the restaurant, it would be a good idea to drop-in and meet the maitre d' or owner prior to your reservation.
    
3. Arrive at least 10 minutes early:  you do not want to keep your client in the waiting area too long, so get there early and get things moving.
    
4. Seating Arrangements:  always offer the preferred seat (best view or most comfortable) to the client.  If there are several in the party, assign seating to members of your team & have your team wait until all the guests are seated before ya'll sit down.
    
5. The Napkin:  should go in your lap as soon as you sit down & stays in your lap the entire time you are in the restaurant.  If you need to get up, for any reason, place the napkin to the left of your plate (do not refold it or place it in your chair).
    
6. Ordering Drinks:  let the client order first and follow his lead.  If he does not order you should also decline, "no thank you or just the water" is all you have to say.  If the client orders a drink, you should too.  If she orders an alcoholic beverage and you prefer not to drink, order a club soda or non-alcoholic drink.
    
7. When to Talk business:  it is good manners not to talk business until the meal has been ordered.  Limit your business conversation to 1-2 topics.  It is your responsibility, as the host, to insure that everyone is being serviced properly by the waiter.
    
8. The Table Setting:  forks should be to the left and knives to the right.  There should never be more than 3 of each.  Forks & knives from the outside-in should be: fish, meat & salad (closest to the plate).  Sometimes the salad fork is on the outside (it can recognized as the smallest fork, unless there is an oyster fork).  The water goblet (should be the largest glass on the table) will be to your right.  Your bread & butter plate will be to your left.  HINT:  if you can't remember which bread or water is yours, rest each of your hands on your thighs & make the universal sign for "ok"; your left hand will form the letter "b" and your right the letter "d". . . "b" is for bread and "d" is for drink.
    
9. Signaling the Waiter Silently:  the position of your utensils is the silent code in the nicer restaurants.  Resting your fork across your knife (forming an "A" shape), tines down, on your plate when you are speaking (and not chewing) lets the waiter know that your are not finished eating (no need to interrupt your conversation to ask).  Conversely, when you are finished and want the waiter to take your plate, the signal is: place your knife & fork together (side-by-side), tines down, in your plate with the handles at 4 o'clock and the tines at 10 o'clock.
    
10. Closing the Meal:  you should encourage your guest to have desert and/or coffee.  Again, follow their lead, if they order, so should you.
     
11. Paying the Bill:  settle the bill quietly at the table.  If there are billing mistakes, do not challenge them at the table, settle them at the front desk.