Paying for management dinner

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September 25, 2024

by a searcher in New York, NY, USA

When meeting with management of a potential acquisition target, I'm curious whether searchers / independent sponsors are paying for dinner when doing a site visit. What are the norms around this?

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Reply by a searcher
from University College Dublin in San Diego, CA, USA
As a buyer you should definitely be paying. It sends a very poor signal if you are expecting them to pay. I would always pay. However, I met a target company for lunch this week and the owner insisted he pays. Because I had traveled a long way, it wasn't an expensive lunch and he was very insistent I let him pay Ordinary I would pay but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it.
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Reply by a searcher
from Harvard University in San Juan, Puerto Rico
You should always make the intent to pay. Sometimes, the seller won't let you and will insist on paying, which is fine. Splitting bills has only recently become socially acceptable in millenial and younger circles. The old school way is whoever invites pays. I'm old school as well on this, I hate it when people invite to dinner and then want to split bills.
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