(1) Seating etiquette

In general banquets, except for buffets, tea parties and cocktail parties, the host must arrange seats for the guests and cannot sit casually, causing dissatisfaction among the host and other guests. Especially when there are diplomatic missions, ambassadors and representatives should be orderly and never give in to each other. Here, the order of tables and the seat ranking of each table are described as follows for readers' reference.

(2) the order of the tables

There are round tables in general family banquets and restaurants, so there is no distinction between the order of tables. However, if the banquet is held in a restaurant or auditorium, when there are two or more round tables, the size must be determined. The principle of its positioning is to take the back of the restaurant or auditorium as the right position, the right side is the largest and the left side is the smallest. If there are three tables in the meeting place, the largest in the middle, the second on the right and the smallest on the left.

(3) arranging seats After the guests are invited, they must arrange seats for the guests. At present, the Chinese round table banquet in China has two seats, Chinese and Western. The two methods are different, but the basic principle is the same. Generally speaking, we must pay attention to the following principles:

1, respect for the right, the table and seat arrangement above has already mentioned the principle of respect for the right, and the seat arrangement is also respect for the right and humility. Therefore, if men and women sit side by side, men are left and women are right, and the right side is the biggest. If there are two tables in the seat, the male and female hosts will chair them separately, and the table on the right is the largest. The same is true of the arrangement of guest seats, that is, the male and female hosts have the largest right side and the smallest left side.

2. People with high status or position are most respected. People with high status are seated according to their position, that is, the position of official rank is insurmountable.

3. If the positions or positions are the same, they must be positioned according to the traditional habits of official positions.

4. Observe diplomatic practice. According to the practice of various countries, when the head of government, such as the president or the prime minister, entertains foreign guests, the foreign minister ranks ahead of other ministers.

5. A woman's husband is the most important, ranking in the same order as her husband. That is, among many guests, male guests ranked first and his wife ranked second. However, if the invitee is a female guest, because she is a minister, and this gentleman's position is not obvious, such as the chairman of a large company, it will definitely rank behind all ministers, and the husband may not be as expensive as his wife.

6. When government officials, heads of social organizations and social elites attend the banquet, the order is government officials, heads of social organizations and social elites.

7. Europeans and Americans regard banquets as the best social occasions, so they are divided into seats, that is, men and women are divided into seats, and men and women are separated when ranking. Husband and wife, father and daughter, mother and son, brother and sister must be separated. If there are foreign guests present, China people will sit with them.

8. Abide by social morality, be orderly with children, and be different from teachers and students, especially in informal banquet occasions. If a gentleman is a minister and a professor is his mentor, in informal situations, the professor's ranking cannot be lower than that of the minister.

9. Female guests can't be arranged at the bottom of the seat.

10, when the host and hostess come forward to give a banquet, there are always two men and two women sitting side by side, whether it is a round table or a long table, when there are eight people, twelve people, sixteen people, twenty people and twenty-four people (and so on). This possibility is unavoidable. So the ideal seating arrangement is six people, ten people, fourteen people and eighteen people (and so on).

1 1. If the host or hostess invites his immediate superior and the manager invites his chairman to the banquet, the host or hostess must be humble and sit in the second place.

These are the principles of seating arrangement. Due to the arrangement of seats, once a guest sits at the table and looks around or around the guests, he will be pecked.

Second, China's table seating:

Dining table seating tip: In China's dining etiquette, it is very important to sit there. The main seat must be the person who pays the bill. The main seat refers to the right central position farthest from the door. The inviter's assistant sits opposite the main seat. The main guest and the deputy guest sit around the inviter, ranking third, and the fourth guest sits around the assistant. It is impolite to let the inviter sit face to face with the guest, or to let the guest sit at the main table.

People in China traditionally use square tables. Opposite the door, the seats are on both sides. When entertaining guests, the elderly, guests or people with high status are seated, the male and female hosts or accompanying guests are seated, and the rest of the guests are seated in the wrong order. In China, the left is the respect, and the right is the second; The first is respect, the second is time; China is the most important, followed by. In the west, right is the most important, and left is the second.

The inviter can designate the guest's seat. His subordinates or younger generations can also be arranged in a more important position than themselves. By allocating seats, China people hint at who is most important to him.

Second, table manners in western countries:

Western banquet forms, from formal to informal, are far more than those in China. Generally speaking, they have the following eight kinds of banquets: banquet with seats, buffet, formal lunch, reception, cocktail party, dinner party, picnic and tea party.

Both China and the West pay attention to the arrangement of formal banquets. Westerners treat guests with long tables, with male and female hosts sitting at both ends, and then arrange seats in the order of male and female guests and ordinary guests. For table rules, westerners eat with knives and forks, while China people use chopsticks. Of course, the use of knives, forks and chopsticks has its own rules.

Western banquet forms, from formal to informal, are far more than those in China. Generally speaking, they have the following eight kinds of banquets: banquet with seats, buffet, formal lunch, reception, cocktail party, dinner party, picnic and tea party.

Traditionally, Chinese people treat guests, regardless of length, respect, host and time. The table is full of rich tables and drinks, and the host frequently urges them to drink, and the guests are polite. People in China think that this kind of banquet can reflect the enthusiasm and sincerity of the host. In addition, when entertaining guests, advocate a lively and cheerful atmosphere, pay attention to face and ostentation and extravagance. The pomp and lively atmosphere are often breathtaking.

Secondly, there are great differences between Chinese and western ideas about banquets. People in China treat people to dinner, but the food itself is very important. The banquet must be colorful. If you can do it, it must be delicacies. Otherwise, it is hard to call it a kind of enjoyment. China people attach importance to food itself when entertaining guests, which stems from the traditional values of China people: food is the sky for the people; Food and color are also good. Among the four elements of life, food is the first.

Westerners' dietary concept is different from that of China. Mr. Lin Yutang said that British and American people "eat" just to inject fuel into a biological machine. As long as you can keep warm after eating, you will be able to resist the infection of germs, and nothing else will happen. Because of this, the food culture of English-speaking countries, especially in cooking, is not only inferior to China, but also far inferior to French and Italian. Their traditional diet is monotonous. But we should pay more attention to nutrition and strive for a light taste and a balanced diet.

The difference between China and English-speaking countries is also reflected in the etiquette of banquets. Both China and the West pay attention to the arrangement of formal banquets. Westerners treat guests with long tables, with male and female hosts sitting at both ends, and then arrange seats in the order of male and female guests and ordinary guests. People in China traditionally use square tables. Opposite the door, the seats are on both sides. When entertaining guests, the elderly, guests or people with high status are seated, the male and female hosts or accompanying guests are seated, and the rest of the guests are seated in the wrong order. In China, the left is the respect, and the right is the second; The first is respect, the second is time; China is the most important, followed by. In the west, right is the most important, and left is the second. For table rules, westerners eat with knives and forks, while China people use chopsticks. Of course, the use of knives, forks and chopsticks has its own rules.

Another big difference between Chinese and western banquets is the difference in table atmosphere. Generally speaking, the dining table in the west is quiet, while the dining table in China is mobile. Westerners are more active on weekdays, and body language such as waving and shrugging is particularly rich. But as soon as I sit at the dining table, I concentrate on cutting my own food quietly. People in China are usually quiet. As soon as they sit at the dinner table, they will talk endlessly, helping each other with food and persuading them to drink. The noise on the dining table in China and the quietness on the dining table in the west reflect the fundamental differences between Chinese and western food cultures. People in China regard food as their greatest pleasure in life, so people enjoy this delicious food at the table. The excitement at the dinner table reflects the heartfelt joy of the diners. Westerners regard diet as a necessary condition for survival, so it is natural to abide by certain operating norms to ensure the normal operation of the machine.