BMW
Today I want to pass along a handy little etiquette tip I learned years ago. Like many business professionals, I attend a lot of meal events (at conferences, seminars, meetings etc.). And, when you sit down for breakfast/lunch/dinner, the first thing everyone does is try to figure out which bread plate and glass belong to you.
Just think of the car BMW…
BMW stands for Bread – Meal – Water. That’s the order of your plates. Bread plate on the left, meal plate in the center and water glass on the right. Easy, eh?
What I like about this method is that you don’t have to make hand gestures to figure out your place setting (which can be a clear tip off that you don’t attend many banquet functions.) It’s easy to remember and it demonstrates to everyone at the table your level of comfort in this social situation. It’s really served me well over the years.
Anywho, I hope you find this piece of information useful. It can also be a great conversation topic when you attend banquets and your dining partners don’t know which plate to use.
Cheers!
BTW – I’m heading over to the ERE Fall Expo September 9 – 11 at the beautiful Westin Diplomat Resort (yes, this place is all that) in Hollywood, FL. I made a deal and friends of HR Bartender can save $200 by using promo code FL09ERE during registration. And who knows, you may just get the chance to use my handy banquet tip. Hope to see you there!