{"id":7513,"date":"2020-12-17T17:40:03","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T17:40:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/costa-verde.com\/?p=7513"},"modified":"2025-07-18T11:42:02","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T10:42:02","slug":"table-etiquette-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/costa-verde.celsoalmeida.pt\/en\/table-etiquette-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Curiosities and table etiquette rules around the world!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Table etiquette rules<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0should not only apply when you go to hotels and restaurants<\/a>\u00a0or are invited to a meal at someone’s house. If you keep up these good uses every day as a family, as you will be setting a good example for the youngest ones. On the other hand, cultivating etiquette rules<\/a>\u00a0as routines helps you keeping them and applying them naturally, wherever you are.<\/p>\n

Uses in society vary greatly from country to country, according to their cultures and traditions<\/a>. In this article, we will be sharing with you some of the most curious table etiquette rules<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0in different parts of the world.<\/p>\n

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6 Table etiquette rules around the world<\/h2>\n

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1. <\/b>Take off your shoes to eat<\/h3>\n

Before entering Japanese houses, it is usual to take off the shoes worn outside. If you are invited to visit someone’s home in Japan<\/b><\/strong>, for a meal, for example, remember to take off your shoes before entering. This use is seen as a sign of respect towards your hosts.<\/p>\n

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2. <\/b>Eating with your hands<\/h3>\n

If you are in Chile<\/b><\/strong>, think twice before putting the cutlery down and touching the food with your hands. In this country, this use is considered a serious lack of hygiene, so you should never take any food directly with your hands.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, in Mexico<\/b><\/strong>, table etiquette rules<\/a>\u00a0are more informal. In this country, someone who uses cutlery for everything, throughout the meal, might be seen as a pretentious and arrogant person.<\/p>\n

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3. <\/b>Arriving elegantly late<\/h3>\n

In certain parts of the world, arriving a few minutes after the scheduled time is not considered as a lack of education. A small delay in social commitments, such as a meal, can even be perceived as elegant.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, in the vast majority of the European countries, this use is considered a lack of respect and should always be avoided.<\/p>\n

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4. <\/b>Sipping soup noisily<\/h3>\n

In some Eastern countries, such as Japan<\/b><\/strong>, eating the soup making noise is interpreted as a sign of pleasure and a form of praise to those who prepared it.<\/p>\n

However, if you are in the UK<\/b><\/strong>, sipping the soup, or the tea<\/a>, with noise is considered inelegant and a serious breach of the most basic table\u00a0etiquette rules<\/b><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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5. <\/b>Kissing the bread<\/h3>\n

In many cultures around the world, bread is seen as an almost sacred food. In the Middle East<\/b><\/strong>, if you drop bread on the ground during a meal, do not throw it away. You must pick it up, shake off any impurities and kiss it before putting it back on the table.<\/p>\n

In certain regions of Italy, and even in Portugal, we can observe this use amongst the elderly.<\/p>\n

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6. <\/b>Eating with chopsticks<\/h3>\n

In Asian countries, the cutlery we are used to in Europe (knife, fork and spoon) is replaced by two chopsticks, usually made of bamboo<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0(hashi<\/i><\/em>).<\/p>\n

In addition to requiring some skill in handling them, know that you should never leave them upright in a bowl. This is considered as a serious outrage towards those who have prepared the meal!<\/p>\n

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As we have seen, table etiquette rules<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0are widely variable. Uses considered as normal, in some countries, can be considered as inelegant (or even offensive) in other cultures.<\/p>\n

The most important thing when it comes to good manners is knowing how to behave yourself, but also how to adapt yourself.<\/p>\n

If you are travelling to a very different country, culturally speaking, you should inform yourself beforehand about the etiquette standards<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0practiced there. This way, you will always look good at the table!<\/p>\n

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