International Dining Etiquette Tips

One of the best ways to acquaint yourself with a culture’s traditions and customs is to pull up a chair at the dinner table. Behaviors surrounding food and meals are often the most varied display of cultural norms. When dining in the countries below, remember the following tips to enjoy the local cuisine and avoid offending others.

Most Asian countries serve meals with a side of chopsticks. In fact, it is considered uncouth to consume rice or noodles in Thailand with a fork. Forks can be found on dinner tables, but are typically only used to collect the food and transfer it to a spoon. A fork should not be used to deliver food into the mouth. On the other hand, in Chile, all provided dining utensils should be used, regardless of the type of food on the table.

In the Philippines, diners only eat with their right hands while the left hand remains off the table. The same rule applies in other Muslim countries as the left hand is thought to be unclean.

In South Korea, the much-respected oldest person at the table should start eating first, with the rest of the diners following suit.

When in Italy, it can be easy to fall into American habits by cutting up pasta before consuming. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do and twirl the pasta onto your fork before eating, with the assistance of a spoon, if needed. Buon appetito!