In the corporate world it is a question that often goes unanswered, but at some point most assuredly needs addressed. Think of the last business lunch you coordinated. You may have connected via LinkedIn, Facebook or that referral from a friend. You may have been the one to send the invitation or may have accepted one sent to you. But in reality, in the back of your mind, you're curious about who's dime is going to fund the meal.
Chances are you're looking to expand your network. Today's digital life has provided a world of opportunity when it comes to the connections that can be made. You're often looking to take an acquaintance to the next level and what better way to do so than through the business lunch. The quintessential event of the business lunch requires some experience and etiquette. Location, time, and menu are all key points in the decision making process though price may also come into play. Your location of choice may indeed follow the caliber of client you're working with, but will obviously fit in some place between the fast-food folly and the 5-star foray. You find the middle-of-the-road, non-committal venue that doesn't say 'I'm a cheapskate' but doesn't scream 'I'm trying to take you home', you are, after all, business professionals. In either respect, your destination has been selected.
In all likelihood, your meeting will go famously, but in the end, the cost of the lunch breaks down to dollars and cents. Even the most magnificent connection ends with the awkward positioning of who's grabbing that little black folio that contains the cost of the past 60 minutes of conversation. There may be the typical diversion. You acknowledge the presence of the bill, but continue on with conversation. The solid silence. When the bill is dropped you pause for 30 seconds. Perhaps even the juxtaposition to the billfold. A slight movement toward the wallet to be mirrored by the cross table compatriot.
Typical business practice might suggest that the requesting party pick up the tab. In most cases it is the requestor that has the agenda. Understandably so, both parties often benefit from the mealtime mania, but protocol still suggests that that the liability look to the instigator. A couple of caveats come to mind. If the lunch goes beyond the original invite of one-to-one interaction to include additional parties (departments), then the ticket can be picked up by the party of greater numbers. An established relationship may also provide exception to the rule. In this case it you might adhere to an alternating payment schedule to share the cost. One faux pas you should steer clear of; insisting that you get the check. If someone is willing to pay, let them. Consider it a gift of gratitude. No sense in ruining the relationship over an ill-founded ego trip. In the end the lunch tab works best when communicated early, clearly and to the point. Now that we know who’s paying, when do we eat?
