French table manners
Inviting people and being invited to a banquet are important ways to build a harmonious and friendly relationship. According to a recent study, two-thirds of French business people have lunch at a restaurant, but in the Netherlands and the UK, more than 80% of business people devour a sandwich at their desk for lunch. According to the survey, nearly half of Britons and Germans believe that business lunches are a waste of time, while 70% of French people believe that it is an important part of negotiating business.
In France, there are fixed etiquette for eating. The etiquette of dining in many Western countries comes from France, so visitors should pay attention to some of the key etiquette.
Breakfast is usually coffee and rolls, but American-style nutritious breakfast is also beginning to be adopted by more and more French people.
Business lunches usually last two to three hours and require a lot of wine. In some cultures, pouring wine to the rim of the cup is a sign of generosity, but in France, other countries in Europe, and in North America, when you pour wine to each other, you only need to pour two-thirds of the glass. Don’t talk about business until after dessert, unless the host brings it up first.
Outside of Paris, it is common to be invited to a banquet held in someone else’s home. When you receive a similar invitation, be sure to accept it and arrive about fifteen minutes later than the pre-agreed time. What gift should you bring to the hostess when attending the banquet? Perhaps bringing flowers is not the best option: the hostess may not have time to find the right size vase for you. And you need to be careful that the number of flowers should be singular (but not thirteen!), no chrysanthemums (unless attending a funeral), no red roses (everyone will guess that you have an improper relationship with the hostess), and no yellow flowers (this indicates that the host has an improper relationship with someone else). It is also not very good to give wine as a gift. Bringing an ordinary bottle of cheap wine will only reduce your own status. But if you bring a bottle of high-end wine, it will be seen as mocking the host for not keeping enough wine. Therefore, the best solution is to bring a box of the best chocolates you can buy as a gift. Wait until the host invites you in. Wait until the host asks you to take off your coat. Guests can’t start eating until the host starts eating. If you are used to keeping your hands on your knees, don’t do that here. Because people will ask each other what you are doing with your hands under the table.
When eating salad, don’t cut the lettuce with a knife, but use your fork to fold it into small pieces. Remove the peel with a knife and eat with a fork. It is impolite to use two servings of cheese, especially not to cut it into small slices.
