Don’t Do Lunch! Why Meals Are Bad Settings for Deals
You’ve seen it in TV Shows, commercials and movies. High-powered men and women dressed to the nines at a fancy restaurant, making negotiating high-stakes deals at a power lunch. You may have even witnessed it in real life on a smaller scale, maybe a job interview or sales proposal. While deals are certainly made over lunches and dinners, there are some obvious reasons why this is a potentially disastrous idea.
You Can’t Take Notes
Let’s start with an obvious drawback to the business lunch: you only have two hands. It doesn’t matter whether you order a salad, a sandwich, or a steak. You will still need them both to eat. That means, if you need to write down an important name, financial figure, or a note for yourself for a question you need to ask later, it’s all but impossible to do this gracefully or efficiently.
Think about how easy this would be in a conference room, with a pen and paper or tablet if you’re more technologically inclined. You wouldn’t even have room to put them on the table at a restaurant!
Everything is a Distraction
It’s almost impossible to stay focused at a business lunch. You’re more than likely in a public place, where other parties are conversing. A restaurant is a symphony of ambient noise from waiters, kitchens, overhead music, happy customers laughing, or unhappy customers yelling.
Imagine you’re pitching for a six- or seven-figure contract with a savvy group of executives, every nuance of body language must be perfectly executed as it will be thoroughly investigated. To say that losing your train of thought could be costly would be a massive understatement!
There’s No Good Way to Present Anything
Let’s go back to our theoretical conference room for a moment. In that setting, you’d likely have access to audio and video equipment like computers, projectors, screens, maybe even dimmable lights. Even in a private room, you’re unlikely to have any of these at a business lunch. Even if you try to keep a presentation simple with hard copy handouts, good luck passing them around without spilling a drink or accidentally dipping it in sauce.
It boils down to this: there are too many variables beyond your control to risk making deals over lunch or dinner. If a potential partner suggests it, try to insist on having the meal as a social, getting-to-know-you affair and conduct the business later in an office setting. Just because people make deals over meals often, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea!
