The world is full of interesting food, interesting people, and interesting rules. Today, your favorite Bergen County restaurant is here with some of the most interesting (or quirky) dining etiquette from around the world. Make sure you pay attention, in case you visit the country some time!
Don’t finish what you’re served in China
Mashed.com says: “Ever been scolded for not finishing everything that’s on your plate? There are hungry children out there, and it’s disrespectful not to finish, right?” According to The Huffington Post, falling back on what Mom and Dad always taught you and finishing off every last crumb is a major faux pas in China.
Cleaning your plate suggests you’re still hungry, and it implies your host didn’t give you enough food. Needless to say, that’s a big insult… but if you’re in India or Japan, leaving even a little bit on your plate is just as bad. There, it implies a disrespect toward the host and the food, and it’s seen as wasteful. Just how differently an empty plate is interpreted is the perfect example of why you should read up on etiquette before you travel!”
Don’t say “thank you” in India
When being served food by friends or family in India, never say “thank you”, or you may offend someone. Trip Savvy explains:
“If you’re in a formal situation, saying “thank you” is perfectly fine. But if you’re hanging out with friends and family around a dinner table, thanking them is implying they’ve gone out of their way to do something special for you. From a cultural point of view, though, those things — like passing dishes or making visitors feel comfortable — are just things that go along with being friends and family.
Deepak Singh wrote an entire piece for The Atlantic on just how hard it was to get used to saying “thank you” in a casual setting when he moved to the U.S., after growing up in a culture where it would come off as sarcastic, inadequate, or as an acknowledgement of something so notable it was a favor that needed to be returned one day. In a casual atmosphere, or among friends? Don’t say it, because it implies you view your relationship as more formal than friendly.”
Throw your garbage to the floor in Spain
You’ll never find garbage on the floor in a good Bergen County restaurant. However, if you travel to Spain, the more garbage you see on the floor, the better the restaurant! From mashed.com: “Spain has some incredible food, along with a bizarre way of advertising just how good a restaurant’s food is. According to La Tortuga Viajera, anyone looking for a good tapas place should look for the place with the most amount of garbage on the floor. What? Really! That’s anything from napkins and pits to discarded food waste, and here’s why that’s actually a thing. The reasoning went that the better food a place had, the more busy it was, the more busy it was, the more people were in and out the door — which means a ton of garbage building up.
So, if there’s garbage on the floor, go ahead and add to it off your own plate. Spanish Sabores adds, though, not all restaurants in Spain follow that line of thinking, so check the floor then do as the locals do.”
Don’t clink your glasses in Hungary
If you clink your glasses in Hungary to say “Cheers”, your hosts may consider it downright rude. In fact, it’s a politically-charged action that may even get you yelled at by older folks! Here’s the reasoning behind this reaction, according to mashed.com:
“When the Austrian government suppressed a Hungarian uprising in 1848, Austrian leaders celebrated very publicly by toasting the execution of Hungarian rebels. They, of course, clinked their glasses, and doing it is a reminder of that particularly dark chapter in Hungarian history. Some places say the tradition of not clinking glasses was only supposed to last 150 years, and since the first pledge not to clink glasses was made on January 1, 1850, the tradition should have ended on January 1, 2000. It’s still observed, though, so just don’t do it.”
Never put your fork in your mouth in Thailand
Mashed.com elaborates: “Thai food is so delicious you might be tempted to head there just for the authentic eating, and you probably already know rice is a key part of the cuisine. If rice is on the table, though, that makes etiquette a bit tricky.
According to Trip Savvy, you’ll get chopsticks for noodle dishes and a fork and spoon for everything else. The fork goes in your left hand and the spoon in the right, but you’re not going to use that fork for eating. It’s strictly for getting food from the plate to the spoon, or cutting chunks into smaller pieces. The fork absolutely doesn’t go in your mouth. Also, sticky rice is eaten with your fingers, and don’t forget to take lots of small portions instead of a few large ones.”
You don’t have to worry about complex dining etiquette at your favorite Bergen County restaurant. We’re like home. However, if you’d like to brush up on Italian dining etiquette, you can brush up on your skills by reading our blog on the subject.
Follow drinking rules in Russia, or get scoffed at
Russians take their drinking seriously, and if you ever visit Russia, you should, too. Mashed.com says: “It’s no secret Russians love their vodka, and they love the traditions that have grown up around it, too. Etiquette says you’d better be prepared to drink up throughout the work day, and according to PRI, visitors often say it’s easier to just go along with it than endure the scorn that comes with declining a drink — an action that’s seen as rude.
Modern Drunkard Magazine says it’s also a major insult not to offer someone a drink if you’re hosting a gathering, and if you’re late, you’d better be prepared to accept a full glass of whatever’s going around to catch up. Don’t refuse one last drink before you go, don’t open a bottle you don’t plan on finishing, don’t turn down food offered alongside your drink, and don’t contaminate your vodka with anything else. Easy enough… right?”
Pass the port to the left in Britain
According to tradition, a decanter of port should always be passed clockwise around the table. So make sure you pass the port to your left when having a meal with friends or family in Britain. The explanation? No one really knows, but some say it’s so your right hand is free to grab a sword, while others say it’s because “port” means the left side of a ship.
However, thanks don’t always go smoothly. Mashed.com says: “What if someone next to you gets distracted, and doesn’t hand you the port? Etiquette says you don’t ask for it directly, instead, you ask, “Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?” People in the know will immediately know it’s a reference to pass the port, and The Telegraph says if someone doesn’t get it, the accepted follow-up is, “He’s a terribly good chap, but he always forgets to pass the port.” Taylor’s says that likely started with Henry Bathurst, who served as Bishop until 1837. In his advanced age, his failing eyesight made him likely to miss the fact the port had stopped at him, and occasionally, he was known to nod off during a meal, too. This little bit of etiquette developed as a polite way to remind him there were others waiting along the table.”
You won’t be ordering in a group in Thailand
When going to a Bergen County restaurant, you’d probably place your own order. However, that won’t happen in Thailand. According to Trip Savvy, the oldest woman in the group is responsible for ordering for the entire group. You shouldn’t make any suggestions – not even if you have dietary restrictions or allergies. This may seem weird because you won’t be able to get something you like, but when the dishes arrive there’ll be plenty of choice, so you can choose something you like, or turn down something you don’t want to (or can’t) eat without a particular reason.
Getting a table can be tricky in Spain
From mashed.com: “Getting a table in some Spanish restaurants can be much, much harder than you expect, and there’s some strange dining etiquette you’ll have to partake in if you ever want to grab a seat.
According to Spanish Sabores, a nice, sit-down restaurant will often have wait staff ready to seat you as soon as a table opens up. But in a tapas bar, patio bar, or other crowded, casual venue, there’s no wait list, no reservations, and the wait staff has other things to do. You’re on your own, and that can mean lurking near tables filled with diners who look like they’re finishing up their meal. As soon as they get up to leave, it’s completely fine to swoop in and grab the table for yourself, and rest assured, there are other groups waiting to do exactly that. Be quick if you want a seat!”
This was a list of quirky dining etiquette from around the world. Visit Aldo’s – a premier Bergen County restaurant for a good, old-fashioned Italian dining experience. No fancy etiquette necessary!