When it comes to dining abroad, it’s not just about the food—it’s about the customs too. Every culture has its own unique table manners, from how to use utensils to the proper way to share a meal. What might seem polite at home could be considered rude or even offensive somewhere else.
No matter where you’re traveling, knowing the do’s and don’ts can help you avoid awkward moments and show respect for local traditions. These fascinating customs will elevate your dining experience and help you connect with the culture on a deeper level.
Here are 12 surprising dining etiquette tips from around the world that might just change the way you eat!
Japan: DON’T Stick Chopsticks Upright in Rice
In Japan, placing chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice is a major faux pas. This practice resembles an offering made during funerals and is deeply associated with death rituals.
Instead, use the chopstick rest or lay them horizontally on the edge of your plate when not in use. Avoid passing food directly from chopstick to chopstick as well, as this mirrors another funeral tradition.
Italy: DON’T Order Cappuccino After 11 AM
Italians are serious about their coffee culture, and cappuccino is strictly a morning beverage. After 11 AM, locals switch to espresso or macchiato.
Drinking a cappuccino after a meal is considered odd because of the milk—it’s thought to interfere with digestion. To blend in, save your frothy indulgence for breakfast.
Thailand: Don’t Use Your Fork to Eat
In Thailand, forks are not used to bring food to your mouth. Instead, you use the fork in your left hand to push food onto a spoon in your right hand.
This custom applies to rice-based dishes, while chopsticks are reserved for noodle dishes, so using them for other foods might seem out of place.
India: DO Eat With Your Right Hand Only
In Indian culture, the left hand is considered unclean, as it’s traditionally reserved for personal hygiene. Always use your right hand to eat or pass dishes to others.
If a utensil is needed, hold it in your right hand too. This rule is particularly important when eating with your hands, which is common for foods like roti and curry.
France: DO Keep Both Hands on the Table
In France, table manners are taken seriously. Resting your hands in your lap during a meal is considered bad form. Instead, keep both hands on the table, but avoid placing elbows on it.
This custom dates back to times when hands-on-table behavior conveyed honesty (no sneaky weapons or tricks!).
Mexico: DON’T Use a Knife and Fork for Tacos
In Mexico, tacos are a quintessential street food, meant to be eaten with your hands. Using utensils is seen as overly formal and even a bit pretentious.
To do it right, fold the taco, lean slightly forward, and take a bite—embracing the casual and communal spirit of Mexican dining.
China: DON’T Flip Your Fish
Flipping a whole fish is a big no-no in Chinese culture, especially in coastal regions. Doing so is believed to bring bad luck, as it symbolizes a fishing boat capsizing.
To access the underside, eat the top of the fish then remove all the bones in the middle completely to move on to the bottom portion.
Ethiopia: DO Share From the Same Plate
In Ethiopia, meals are traditionally served on a communal platter of injera—a spongy flatbread topped with various stews and vegetables. Diners tear off pieces of injera and scoop up food with their hands, emphasizing the shared experience.
Feeding someone else a bite is seen as a gesture of love or respect, so don’t be surprised if someone offers you a piece directly.
Russia: DON’T Mix Vodka With Anything
In Russia, vodka is more than a drink—it’s a cultural staple. Traditionally, it’s consumed neat, at room temperature, and in one shot. Adding mixers, ice, or even lime can be perceived as diluting the spirit’s integrity.
Pair your vodka with zakuski (small snacks) like pickles or cured fish for the full experience.
South Korea: DO Wait for the Elders to Begin
South Korea places high importance on respect for elders, especially at the dinner table. It’s customary to wait until the oldest person at the table takes their first bite before you begin eating.
Pouring drinks for others (but never for yourself) and turning your head away while sipping alcohol in front of elders are also key gestures of respect.
Brazil: DO Keep Your Knife and Fork in the Right Hands
Brazilians use the continental style of dining, where the fork stays in the left hand and the knife in the right throughout the meal. Unlike the American style, there’s no switching hands after cutting food.
This method is considered both practical and polite, reflecting Brazil’s European influence.
Germany: DO Clink Glasses While Maintaining Eye Contact
When toasting in Germany, you’ll hear “Prost!” as glasses clink. But there’s more to it—maintaining eye contact with each person you toast is a must.
Failing to do so isn’t just bad manners; it’s said to bring seven years of bad luck in the love department. To avoid the superstition, look your companions directly in the eye, smile, and enjoy the moment.
