It’s gratifying that such “non-trifles” continue to interest our loyal readers. Indeed, during seminars and trainings, the question of how to serve coffee and/or tea remains unchanged. Therefore, let's talk again about refreshments during negotiations.

Guest preferences

When preparing negotiations, it is important to know the preferences and wishes of visitors. This concerns primarily their gastronomic tastes.

In order to understand which guest should be served which drink, it is advisable to ask each person personally about their preferences or clarify this information with the secretary or personal assistant of the company whose representatives are coming to the meeting.

So, for example, the tastes, preferences, wishes of the guests are usually clarified, and it is found out whether there are any prohibitions. Some of your guests may have a ban on a particular dish/drink due to religious or national traditions, some are vegetarians, others may be allergic to certain foods. This is the protocol preparation of any business and cultural program.

You won't have any questions about business etiquette after reading the article at the link.

Such a clarification with modern means of communication seems to be an unspoken rule of good manners. Such issues are most often dealt with by the company's protocol service, but sometimes these functions fall on the secretary or personal assistant.

Water

When preparing a meeting table, they place water (preferably not carbonated) for drinking in glass bottles (a key is placed next to them for opening) and wine glasses/glasses in accordance with the number of meeting participants. The glasses are placed upside down on a tray - this guarantees their sterility. Today it is also possible to serve water in plastic bottles. Considering the current economic situation, it is quite possible to offer guests domestic water.

During one of the seminars, a participant asked a question about whether bottled water is needed if there is a decanter of water on the tea table in the manager’s office. Nowadays, such a decanter seems not entirely modern, because... you will have to constantly ensure that the water is fresh, wash it, etc. It is still preferable to offer bottled water.

How to serve the treat

They always offer a treat/cup of drink first to the guest - the chairman of the arriving delegation, then to the head of your delegation, then to the guests, and only last but not least - to their employees who came to the negotiations.

If there are few visitors and this is not a negotiation, but, for example, a courtesy visit or a short production meeting, then the manager can give a signal/ask the secretary to serve coffee or tea. At the same time, he can clarify himself which of the guests will drink and what exactly. The manager himself can pour a drink (tea or coffee) for a particularly respected guest. This will demonstrate his democracy and set him up for favorable relations.

Interesting information about business negotiations posted here.

There is an ethical rule: pairs (cup and saucer) for tea and coffee must be from a good set and must be the same for all participants in the negotiations. It is due to the fact that the leader should not demonstrate his superiority and thus separate himself from all participants in the negotiations - this is not very respectful towards them. So he is not served his “favorite” cup, but the same as everyone else.

It is important to properly prepare cups for tea and coffee.

Cups of tea should be 3/5 filled with liquid, the teaspoon should be either behind the cup with the handle to the right, or perpendicular to the handle of the cup (also to the right).

Coffee cups are usually smaller and thick-walled. If espresso coffee is served, then appropriate spoons should be prepared - not tea spoons, but small mocha spoons; if one of the guests wants cappuccino coffee, then spoons of the same name or tea spoons are served with it. It would be a mistake to serve tea with a small mocha spoon on a saucer or a cup of espresso coffee in combination with a teaspoon.

On sale you can find thick lace paper napkins for cups. Experts in the field of etiquette still differ in their opinions on the appropriateness of their use.

Some people strictly prohibit putting them under a cup of drink, because... if it spills, you will get an unpleasant mess of paper and liquid (especially if you put a regular white soft napkin). In addition, not all guests like what they are offered as a “bib”. Supporters of the approach of always putting napkins rightfully believe that this style creates solemnity and a decent level of reception and muffles the sound of a cup knocking on a saucer.

Thus, the decision on this issue - whether to use a napkin or not - depends on corporate standards and agreements.

Treat formats

Today, two formats of treats are possible.

First format

According to tradition, negotiators are served refreshments at the table at which they pass. This is tea and coffee, lump sugar in a sugar bowl, with tweezers, sliced ​​lemon on a separate saucer - with a two-pronged fork, sweets either in a box or in a vase (in a wrapper), dry cookies. If the number of negotiators is large, each of them is given two pieces of sugar on a teaspoon. For any type of treat, it is better to prefer lump sugar. This is due to the fact that sand from bags, especially from a sugar bowl, can spill out and then crunch either on the table or on the floor, or get on documents, which is not very pleasant.

The order in which drinks are served at the conference table is as follows. If a person takes a cup of drink from the tray herself, then it is served on the left side; if a coffee lady or secretary places the cups on the table independently, then on the right side. Remove used dishes from the left side of the person. This format is still preserved in some companies.

Sometimes you can observe not very comfortable meeting rooms, for example, a meeting room as narrow as a pencil case, where participants are seated on chairs in such a way that it is difficult for a coffee lady or secretary to walk between those sitting and the wall to put a cup on the table in front of everyone. In this case, you can discuss in advance with the manager the options for how to set up the treats, for example, breaking a long table into two so that you can walk between them, or choosing assistants of a very delicate physique. The main thing is to find and agree on an option so that all guests feel comfortable.

Second format

Today, during negotiations, another format of refreshments is accepted: coffee break, coffee break. During such an event, negotiators get up from the tables and go to tables outside the negotiation room, but more often the refreshments are on stands in the same room, where they are brought at a certain moment by agreement with the leader or in accordance with the plan - or at the beginning of the negotiations, or after a certain time (for example, after 1.5 hours).

During a coffee break or coffee break, the following are offered: coffee from a coffee machine or instant, various types of tea bags (black, green, etc.), sugar (preferably lump), canapés, sandwiches, pies, cakes. Organizers also need to prepare a container for garbage - used tea bags (you can supply a special container just for them), leftover food, etc.

Smoking

As you know, in 2013, an anti-tobacco law was adopted in Russia and an anti-tobacco campaign is underway (Federal Law dated February 23, 2013 No. 15-FZ (as amended on December 31, 2014) “On protecting the health of citizens from the effects of environmental tobacco smoke and the consequences of tobacco consumption”) . According to this law, smoking is prohibited in the workplace and work areas. Therefore, some companies provide a special smoking room. Negotiators can say this: “The smoking area is located...” and either explain where or lead to this room.

Aromatic coffee and steaming tea allow you to soften morals, gain additional favor from your interlocutors, take a break, show respect and hospitality. Without this treat it is impossible to imagine a visit to the office, negotiations, reception of a delegation...

Today, etiquette is not as strict as it used to be; there are innovations and relaxations. At the same time, there are, so to speak, fashion trends.

These trends include:

1. Deviation from the traditional protocol technique in the context of democratic formats and, accordingly, different serving.

The format of tea drinking (coffee drinking) depends on the status of the guests, the corporate culture of the company, the nature of the negotiations, the preparedness of the host party, etc.

Examples include: preferring green tea to traditional black tea, drinking tea bags and instant coffee, using a French press, and taking short coffee breaks between negotiations. etc.

2. Drinking green tea.

The table for green tea is set a little differently than for black tea. It is preferable to place already brewed tea in a teapot for one or two people. They drink green tea either without sugar at all, or serve lump brown sugar in a small vase (with tongs). Accordingly, white sugar is not served at all.

3. Drinking tea bags and instant coffee. Coffee can also be brewed in a French press.

Today they can display a set of different types of bagged tea, which can include both black tea and green, herbal, berry, so that everyone can choose a drink to their taste.

If you serve bagged tea (any kind) personally, then the bag is placed either on a saucer (certainly in a package) or on a special small saucer for bags. The used bag is placed either on this saucer, or on a saucer under the cup, if there is no special one, or on plates. It is strictly forbidden to put a used sachet in an ashtray!

A cruel violation of etiquette at all times is the “village” manner (with all my deep respect for the village workers who produce food for you and me): pour coffee and sugar (and stir the latter) into a guest’s cup.

If you serve tea and coffee according to traditional protocol rules, then it happens this way.

5-10 minutes after the start of negotiations, the coffee lady or secretary serves coffee and refreshments. The cups are placed on the table first. Then - sweets, cookies, sliced ​​lemon, to which a two-pronged fork is applied, napkins. If sweets are served in vases, then they must certainly be in pieces of paper. Or they serve sweets in open boxes. All products must be expensive and of high quality. It is recommended to serve dry cookies (not kurabye) in a vase.

Tea and coffee are brewed and poured Behind the door. Tea should be classic, black - not in bags and not green. Coffee - brewed.

It is customary to place the same number of cups of coffee and tea on the tray. This is done so that each participant in the negotiations can give preference to their favorite drink. Usually the secretary, offering a treat, asks with a smile "Coffee? Tea?". The negotiator indicates what he wants. The secretary, as a rule, knows about the preferences of his employees and regular partners, so he simply places a cup of coffee or tea on the table in front of the person sitting.

Cups are placed on the table on right. If the guest takes a cup from the tray himself, then they offer left. They remove from the left.

Today it is customary to place the spoon under the handle of the cup, which is turned towards the right hand. Place two pieces of sugar on a spoon. Sugar bowls are not placed on the table as before. Do not place a napkin on a saucer under a cup. Pour about 2/3 or even 3/4 cup.

The first cup is offered to the guest manager, the second to the host manager, the third and fourth to subordinate guests (the right side is honorary), the fifth and sixth to employees of the host company. According to modern rules of business etiquette There is no priority for ladies.

Guests' dishes are removed first. Ashtrays are changed by covering them with a napkin.

It happens that it is difficult to approach the table from a comfortable side. In this case, the cup with the drink is placed on the side that is convenient. The most important thing: decent smooth movements, no rush and it is better (if possible) not to carry anything in front of the person sitting.

The second time you can offer tea and coffee after about an hour. In this case, the dishes are not removed.

Tea and coffee cups differ in size and thickness. Tea cups are larger and thinner, coffee cups are correspondingly smaller and thicker in order to maintain the temperature of the drink longer.

If you work as a secretary or executive assistant, then your responsibilities probably include serving tea during negotiations and meetings.

This seemingly simple procedure has some subtleties, so we will talk about how to properly serve and how to serve tea in the office.

If your office has a coffee lady position, then she will serve; in all other cases, this will be done by the secretary. In secretarial courses, as a rule, they always teach how to file. You may be lucky and will be trained to serve coffee and tea according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Department. However, despite these recommendations, offices often have their own corporate etiquette for serving coffee, which may differ slightly from the generally accepted one.

To serve tea and coffee you will need a beautiful, comfortable one. If you have such dishes in your office, great. If not, then order it from an office manager, or, if you combine the functions of an office manager, buy it yourself. It is suggested that you have several sturdy large trays for serving coffee in large meetings, as well as several smaller trays.

You must have a set of beautiful coffee cups and tea cups with saucers, several vases for cookies, several sugar bowls, at least 12 tall straight and identical glasses for water, a set of teaspoons, several vases for sweets and fruits, sugar tweezers for each sugar bowl, special forks with two teeth for plates with lemon, napkins.

The company has its own policy on what kind of coffee to serve during negotiations: instant or instant. Both coffees must be prepared before you go to the meeting room.

When should the secretary be served tea in the office?

It may also depend on what is customary in the company. According to official protocol, it is customary to prepare tea and coffee outside the meeting room, and then bring it into the meeting room and ask each guest what he prefers: tea or coffee.

Another procedure is possible: 5 minutes after the start of the negotiations, the secretary enters the negotiation room, approaches each participant and quietly asks him what he will do. However, in official or very high-status negotiations, this approach may not be suitable.

Preliminary preparation for negotiations will greatly facilitate your task, after which you will only have to worry about how to serve the coffee.

As a rule, you know in advance the number of participants, so before the negotiations, bring sugar, bottles of mineral water, vases of cookies and sweets, fruits, plates with lemon, glasses, and napkins to the meeting room.

There are different opinions regarding the supply of sugar. Some sources recommend putting two pieces of sugar per teaspoon, which is placed on a saucer. In our opinion, this rule has a number of inconveniences. You don't know how many sugar cubes the guest wants to put in the cup. It's good if there are two or one. What if there are three? Therefore, you can simply put a bowl of lump sugar on the table. If there are a lot of guests, place several vases so that guests do not have to reach for sugar and, moreover, distract other participants in the negotiations by asking them to pass the sugar. Sugar tweezers must go with the sugar bowl.

Where should I put them? You can put them on a saucer next to the sugar bowl, but it is more convenient to hang the tweezers directly on the sugar bowl so that you don’t have to look for them and get distracted.

Before starting negotiations and before serving coffee, make sure that there is bottled mineral water in the meeting room, both sparkling and still. No need to open bottles. Sometimes in small offices and small negotiations bottles are not displayed, but water is brought in glasses along with coffee.

Liter bottles cannot be placed on the table.

When cutting lemon and fruit, make sure you do it immediately before the start of negotiations, otherwise they will become weathered and will look very unpresentable. Place the lemon in a circle on a small plate or saucer and be sure to place a special lemon fork on the plate or nearby so that you don’t have to pick it up with your hands. Cookies need to be removed from the packages and placed on the table in beautiful vases.

Do not order cookies that are too fatty, as they leave marks on clothes and documents. Also, do not order cookies that are too hard and require literally chewing. Serve wrapped candies wrapped; place boxed candies on tables in open boxes. Also place several plates on the table with an assortment of tea bags on them. The best way to serve tea in the office is this: you bring cups of hot water, and the guests themselves choose a bag and put it in the cup. You can’t put a bag or sugar in a cup.

Coffee is usually served in coffee cups, and tea in tea cups. When choosing coffee cups, do not buy ones that are too small. You can only serve espresso coffee in them, and most of the time they will remain idle, because... instant coffee, for example, is also inconvenient to drink in them.

Tea and coffee are not served in mugs or cups without saucers, and water is not served in plastic cups. Plastic spoons are also unacceptable. Do not serve cracked dishes or dishes with chipped edges.

When serving tea or coffee, also place a teaspoon on the saucer. Also, do not forget to put several vases with portioned cream on the table. In some offices it is customary to serve cream in special milk jugs rather than portioned cream. Make sure there are several on the table so people don't have to reach over.

To put or not to put a napkin on a saucer?

Official sources recommend not to put it. However, in many offices it is customary to place a nice paper napkin on a saucer and then place a cup on it. This is convenient because... When serving coffee, the cups do not clink and disturb anyone, and if a guest spills a little coffee, the moisture will be absorbed into the napkin. The official protocol is against this, because... It is believed that if a guest spills too much coffee, the napkin will form a slurry.

How to serve tea in the office?

It is better to serve tea on the side on which the door is located away from the guest. The fact is that the secretary must serve coffee without interrupting the progress of negotiations, doing this as discreetly and quietly as possible. If the door to the meeting room is to the right of the guest, it is better to approach him from the right than to climb from the left side and disturb everyone.

Who gets their coffee first?

First, coffee is served to guests, then to translators (if present), and only then to the boss. If there are a lot of guests, ask one of the other secretaries (and even the manager's office, if necessary) to help you carry the huge trays. It will be better than if you go back and forth many times.

When should I pick up the dishes?

It is best to do this after the end of the negotiations, so as not to disturb anyone. However, if the negotiations are delayed, for example, you can discuss this with your boss in advance whether it is convenient for you to come in during the negotiations to get the dishes and to ask whether more coffee will be served.

Some bosses prefer to call in such cases from the meeting room and ask to pick up the dishes.

And one moment.

For some reason, some secretaries are embarrassed to serve coffee and tea in the office, for some reason considering it a shameful thing. They think something like: “I studied at the institute for five (six) years not to serve coffee!” In our opinion, this is not an entirely correct position. Treat this issue differently - as if this is your office, and you are the mistress of it. At home, you don’t hesitate to serve coffee, bring drinks to your guests so that they feel comfortable with you and know that you are happy to see them? It's the same in the office. These are your guests too. Make sure they enjoy being in your office. Offer tea or coffee to the negotiator who is waiting to meet with the boss. Do it with joy, and people will be very pleased to come to your company’s office!

Distribution of tea and coffee to company guests occurs as follows. The secretary with a tray or cart containing refreshments usually appears 5-10 minutes after the start of negotiations. The cups are placed on the table first. Then - sweets, cookies, sliced ​​lemon, to which a two-pronged fork is applied, napkins. If sweets are served in vases, then they must certainly be in pieces of paper. Or they serve sweets in open boxes. Of course, all products must be expensive and of high quality. It is recommended to serve dry cookies (not kurabye) in a vase.

Tea and coffee are brewed and served outside the door, not in the meeting room on a side table. Tea should be classic, black - not in bags and not green. Ground coffee.

It is customary to place the same number of cups of coffee and tea on the tray. This is done so that each participant in the negotiations can give preference to their favorite drink.

Usually the secretary, offering a treat, asks with a smile: “Coffee? Tea?” The negotiator indicates what he wants. The secretary, as a rule, knows about the preferences of his employees and regular partners, so he simply places a cup of coffee or tea on the table in front of the person sitting.

According to the recommendation of the Department of State Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cups are placed on the table to the left. They also clean up on the left. The spoon is placed under the handle of the cup, which is turned towards the right hand. Place two pieces of sugar on a spoon. Sugar bowls are not put on the table as before. Do not place a napkin on a saucer under a cup. Pour about 2/3 or even 3/4 cup.

By the way, if a meeting takes place with the participation of an interpreter, tea is served to him first. When a business conversation begins, the translator simply will not have time to drink tea. Otherwise, perhaps he will have time to take a few sips while you serve tea to others.

Do not forget about the order of service: first of all, you serve food to the senior guest and your manager, then to all the women on the guest side, to the men on the guest side, and then serve the employees of your organization in the same order.

Guests' dishes are removed first. Ashtrays are changed by covering them with a napkin.

The second time you can offer tea and coffee after about an hour. In this case, the dishes are not removed.

The Ministry's protocol for distributing tea and coffee is described here. In office life, everything is different. Therefore, each secretary makes his own choice: try to persuade the manager to general traditions or accept office rules as a given.

source: “Secretariat in Questions and Answers”

Tea is a psychostimulant

Tea is considered a psychostimulant, as it enhances and accelerates many mental processes and sharpens the work of sensory analyzers. It especially enhances vision. In general, tea increases the sensitivity and receptivity of the nervous system, increases reaction speed, promotes the assimilation and memorization of new information, and facilitates concentration and attention switching. Tea speeds up the thinking process and there has been a connection between drinking tea and creative thinking.

At the same time, tea is an antidepressant and a mood enhancer. However, drinking too much strong tea is harmful to the nervous system. An overdose of strong tea may result in the effect of “tea intoxication,” which is accompanied by euphoria, talkativeness, laughter and other symptoms that occur during mild intoxication.

Tell your friends about this page

updated 06/10/2013

Study, education

Gives strength and vigor; in the evening a cup of your favorite tea will allow you to relax and calm down. Tea has long been used to treat various ailments. And, of course, it is offered to guests. Tea ceremonies are held differently in each country. In China and Japan, they are given special attention; in order to conduct such a ceremony, it is necessary to undergo special training.

The British have their own tea drinking ritual. The whole family gathers for tea, guests are invited, and various treats and sweets are served on the table. You can devote a lot of time to each of these tea rituals, but first you should figure out how to serve tea correctly if you are a secretary in the office, or a hospitable hostess receiving guests at home.

Serving tea in the office

The duties of the manager's secretary often include such duties as serving tea or coffee. You need to make sure that you always have everything you need to make tea at hand. There are two preparation options: brewing in a teapot or using tea bags. The choice depends on the status of the institution and the preferences of the management. The reception area should always have sugar, fresh cream or milk, lemon, and different types of tea. Based on the boss’s preferences, you can stock up on candy and other sweets. Napkins, beautiful dishes, and cutlery are required.

How to serve tea correctly so that everyone is happy? You should always serve tea with a smile on your face, because this is the main sign of hospitality and openness. Before serving tea, it is worth asking what kind of tea your visitors prefer. It is better to give preference to freshly brewed tea, especially when it comes to long-term negotiations and partnerships. Tea is brewed in a teapot, cups are taken according to the number of guests. Tea is spilled, but it is considered unacceptable for tea leaves to get into the cups.

Cups of tea are placed on saucers and then on a tray with a napkin so that they do not slip. A small spoon is placed on the edge of the saucer. The first cup is given to the eldest among the visitors, then to his boss, and then to the rest of the guests. Place a sugar bowl with sugar on the table, and serve lemon skewers on a separate saucer. If one of the visitors wants tea with milk, it is worth bringing a small milk jug, placing it on the right side of the guest.

When is tea offered?

In a working atmosphere, a secretary can offer tea in several cases:

• if the visitor has to wait for the manager for more than seven minutes, serving tea will be a sign of your good taste and will serve as an apology;
• before the start of the dialogue in the director’s office;
• during a long conversation, an hour and a half after the start of negotiations, if the door to the office is open, or at the personal request of management;
• during breaks that take place during negotiations, presentations and meetings.

The manager is offered tea in the morning, immediately after the greeting, during the day depending on the circumstances.

When organizing a tea party in the office, it is worth remembering some rules:

• Tea is not added to cups 1 cm to the top.
• High-quality tea is brewed at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 250 ml of water.
• Sweets in boxes are served for tea with the lid removed, chocolate, unpacked to the foil and broken into slices.
• All confectionery products are served on plates with the packaging removed.
• It is necessary to take care of sugar tweezers, a cake spatula, a knife, spoons for each guest, and napkins.
• During cleaning, unused dishes are removed first, then everything else.

Serving tea at home

When receiving guests at home, it is not necessary to arrange a magnificent feast. It is enough to set the tea table. To do this, you should lay out a clean, beautiful tablecloth, lay out cutlery, and put out a tea set. Green or black tea is brewed in a teapot, following certain rules. But the hostess must pour tea into cups in the presence of guests, passing the cup of tea from hand to hand clockwise.
The tea table can be decorated with sweets and pastries. A sugar bowl with sugar, a milk jug with cream, and a plate with lemon are placed in the middle of the table.

Serving tea with jam involves a common vase with it, and each guest should have a small rosette for jam and a spoon. Honey can be served in the same way. At a home tea party, bagels, gingerbread cookies, pies, cakes and even sandwiches are appropriate.
Properly brewed and served tea will lift your spirits, put you in the right mood, encourage conversation, cooperation, and show how hospitable and kind you are.