商务实战：059 How to Order at the Business Dinner

会计考友

　　陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作，他跟美国同事Amy一起喝下午茶。
9 v/ Y! n  o; ?- }4 W2 x　　(Office ambience)
& ^! U" i/ B/ J; W　　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?
; s# W8 K+ J$ ?0 R& {/ s; w　　C：没错。我老板Mr. Brown决定请客人到附近刚开张的那家法国餐馆去吃饭。
1 \. C& |7 u; i- _　　A：How did it go?
2 E- A& q: a: t1 \/ @0 `. H+ `　　C：饭菜的味道确实不错，但是有个客人很失态。
* u  @  [0 ~5 B: z2 y0 D　　A：What do you mean?
　　C：首先，她点的菜都是菜单上价钱最贵的。
8 w; O$ S' N, v3 Y+ g6 r7 [2 i　　A：What did the others do?
3 L  S1 U! a) {( Y* U7 y4 f" Q　　C：其他人点的都是中等价位的，我也一样。
　　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.
6 x8 w" ~4 o+ |) E　　C：我觉得也是。除非主人坚持，否则客人应该点一些普通的菜才对。
　　A：It's rude to take advantage of your host like that. This client is not very savvy about business dining.
　　C： Savvy是什么意思啊？
2 v  Z1 M) r0 u- X$ j" i3 q& X　　A：Savvy means having knowledge and experience.
　　C：这个客户确实不懂礼貌，而且还不只这些呢！
　　A：Let's head back to the office now. You can tell me on the way.
　　******
, Q0 [1 J7 |3 U% W+ X　　陈豪和Amy两人一起往回走。
　　A：So there is more to this story?
　　C：那个客人不仅点的都是最贵的，而且一道菜都不拉。
3 I3 G4 J$ w5 t6 z; [7 |; \2 Y　　A：Like what?
7 i2 o! M( o1 s: ]7 y　　C：从汤开始，然后是头台、沙拉，主菜，最后还有特制的甜点，一样不少。
　　A：What did everyone else do?
　　C：Mr. Brown虽然吃得很少，但也只好跟着她一道菜一道菜地点。
　　A：He was doing the correct thing as host by ordering the same as the client.
　　C：作为主人，一定要这么做吗？
! x/ w- u! {& g　　A：When someone orders appetizers or other dishes in addition to the entrée, it is polite for others to order the same courses.
! m4 X% u- _: c7 x! N4 e　　C：那又是为什么呢？
　　A：That keeps the pace of the dinner even and avoids the awkwardness of one person eating a course by herself.
; o8 `& U( w1 B  {+ ?6 _- x( |* g　　C：如果没有别人点汤的话，那个客户自己吃的时候一定会觉得很尴尬。
! |( L$ L( c. Q　　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.
  x6 M. g0 D+ h0 [* Z1 V3 h& Z　　C：那作为请客的主人，在饭桌上能做些什么呢？
. R' X/ z3 Y3 u& r　　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：这样一来，你就能知道自己是不是唯一想点头台的人了。
　　A：Right. If no one else has a starter course, then you don't either.
　　C：你真应该给昨天那个客人好好上一课。