Job interviews often occur in offices and conference rooms, but they can also take place during a meal. How you present yourself in this type of social setting may make or break an employer's decision to hire you. What do your table manners say about you? Don't be caught using the wrong fork, wearing your soup, or even worse, double-dipping!

Description of an Etiquette Dinner

Student Programs' Housing and Dining Services offers a dinner program that will take you step-by-step through the elements of proper dining etiquette. This program provides an interactive approach to teaching the finer points of dining etiquette, as well as tips for interviewing over dinner and during other social situations.

This dinner program is perfect for students preparing for job interviews or anyone interested in improving their etiquette ease. Programs can be scheduled for classes, student organizations, and other University groups.

Each dinner program includes a 30-minute presentation prior to a five-course plated dinner served by trained wait staff, with additional instruction and interaction with participants between courses.

Topics Covered Include:

• Pre-dinner preparations
• Introductions
• Receptions
• Seating
• Ordering
• Place settings
• Tricky foods
• Dos and don'ts
• Dining disasters

Scheduling an Etiquette Dinner

In order to accomodate a larger number of groups and students, etiquette dinners have been pre-scheduled on various dates throughout the semester. Contact Personal Touch Catering (PTC) for current dates, menu information, dinner prices, and to make reservations. The cost for the dinner covers the five-course meal and presentation. Participants have a choice of a meat or vegetarian entrée. Other dietary requests can also be accomodated.

For groups of more than 50 people, private etiquette dinners can be arranged. Etiquette dinners should be contracted well in advance, at least 14 business days prior to your preferred date.

1. Contact Personal Touch Catering at (540) 231-5827 or e-mail ladeccam@vt.edu to schedule a presenter and select a location. Owens Banquet Room is the preferred location. Have a couple of dates selected in case your first choice is not available.

2. PTC will want to know your menu selections. A standard etiquette dinner menu includes the following:

Soup Course
Salad Course
Sorbet Course
Main Course
Dessert and Coffee Course

3. Provide PTC with a tentative guaranteed number of people attending. The contract must be signed and returned to the catering office by the date listed on the contract, or the event wll not be honored.

4. A guaranteed number of guests must be provided five business days prior to the event. For a complete list of catering policies, contact PTC at 231-5827.

Tips for Hosting a Successful Etiquette Dinner

• Encourage participants to dress in business attire, as if they are actually attending an interview during a formal dinner.


• To encourage interaction between participants, provide nametags. Place cards can be used to designate seating assignments. They can also be used to indicate whether a person has requested a vegetarian entrée.


• Many groups solicit sponsors to help offset the cost of the dinner. The sponsors are then invited to participate in the dinner and serve as hosts.


• During the fall and spring semesters, students can use their Flex Plan to pay for the dinner. However, no discounts apply and the amount of Flex dollars charged will be the actual total charge for the purchase). PTC also accepts cash, check, Visa/Mastercard, Dining Dollars, and Hokie Passport Account.

For further information about the Interviewing Over Dinner program, contact Personal Touch Catering at 231-5827 or ladeccam@vt.edu.

Description of an Etiquette Dinner

Etiquette Dinner Menu Options

Scheduling an Etiquette Dinner

Tips for Hosting a Successful Etiquette Dinner

Dine with Faculty

Table Talk Live

Table Card Program

Home Sweet Home Recipe Contest

Back to Dining Programs