What are the dietary options preferred by your guest/s? Are there any vegans among the guests? What kind of dining event is it? What etiquette to follow?
The dining out event, whether it is for business or pleasure, begins when you choose the restaurant depending on the food choices of your guest/s, the ambience you seek and the budget you have planned for it. Following that, do the booking to save the embarrassment of finding any table free after arriving at the venue.
As the host of the dinner/lunch, you need to be in charge of the show. The onus is on you to show your guest/s to the seat/s (but no, you do not need to pull out the chair for the guest/s to sit), and even recommend items on the menu if you have a better knowledge of the restaurant chosen.
Being the host also requires you to keep the food options balanced with that of your guest/s. So if your guest/s wants to have a full three-course meal, it is gracious on your part to do the same to avoid making your guest/s feel uncomfortable with the order. Your guest/s should, at no time, feel confined to order only particular items or dishes under certain price ranges. If you have any price reservations, choose a restaurant that has dishes that fit your budget.
Aside from being sensitive to your guest/s food options, remember not to take your host status a step further by stacking dishes. That is a definite no-no when you are dining out. The waiting staff will do that job.
Do not forget your ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.