Dining Etiquette Around The World That Would Amuse You!

The best way to travel is eating with locals, or so it is said, But did you know that every culture has its own twisted tale with dining mannerism that you might not even know of? Well, they do. If you want to enjoy your holiday by interacting with the locals and breaking bread with them, read on about crazy table manners that people around the world follow… 

Slurp it loud 
In Asian countries like Japan and China, the louder you slurp food off the bowl will suggest how good the food is. Although, on the flip side, licking chopsticks, cross them or sticking them in your rice bowl vertically could be considered rude. Don’t do that!

No lattes or frappes after the meal
Italians believe that milk post a meal can disrupt your digestion. So if you need that caffeine hit, ask for an espresso shot instead. No one would yell you for getting yourself milk coffee, but you will grab attention and get tagged as a tourist.

No chopstick passes
Do you pass food from spoon to spoon? Or fork to fork? No right? Then don’t pass food from one chopstick to another they consider it a taboo. One of the major reasons for it being a complete no no, is that Japanese funerals have a ritual where they pass set of bones from one set of chopstick to the other. 

Eat with a spoon and not a fork
In Thailand use a fork only to shovel food over the spoon. By rule, eat off the spoon and not the fork.

Wait for the elders
In Korea; you must wait for the elderly people on the table to start eating before you jump on to the food. One they have started eating you could go and help yourself. Till then hold your hunger. 

Right hand only
In India, and parts of Middle East, it is socially unacceptable to eat with left hand for a simple reason that it is associated with not so pleasant bodily functions.

One big plate
Ethiopians feel eating in individual plates is considered a waste! The family eats outs out off a single plate with hands.

Don’t ask for table salt
In Portugal if you ask for salt and pepper, the chef might not take it well. Just eat it the way it has been made.

No hands
In Chile, it is considered ill-mannered to eat with your hands. So eat your pizza, burger or even fries with a fork!

Don’t split the bill
French are classy! If you are dinning in France, either pay the bill completely or don’t pay it at all!

Now that you know of these dinning rules, make sure you don’t goof up on your trips abroad! Blend in with the locals and impress them too.