I’ll be moving to the former USSR as soon as I legally can, because in Russia, it is considered rude to turn down another drink. Someone offering you a drink is a sign of trust and friendship. Can you imagine telling Boris the Bullet Dodger (i.e. Boris the Blade) you don’t want to be his friend?
In Italy, coffee is considered a digestive, not a dessert. Don’t sweeten it up with mocha, chai or whatever unicorns shit out at Starbucks. Don’t even think about pumpkin spice, Karen!
In Korea, it is customary for the elder at the table to eat first. So, if grandpa needs to reapply his Fixodent, you might be waiting a while.
In China, it is considered poor etiquette to finish all the food on your plate. It is believed that leaving a little food on your plate signals that you were provided with more than enough food to fulfill yourself.
In Egypt, it is considered poor manners to get up and refill your own drink. Instead, rise to refill your neighbors drink and they will return the favor.
If you’re in India eating their delicious cuisine with your hands, be sure you eat with your right hand and never put your fingers in your mouth. Use your thumb to push the food in. In India, the left hand is/was reserved for other, less sanitary things.
In Thailand, eating from your fork makes you look like uncultured swine. Instead, use the fork to push food onto your spoon and dump it into the cavernous pit that is your mouth.
That’s right, because in France it is considered poor etiquette to eat bread before the rest of the meal arrives. So, you carboholics who live for never-ending breadsticks might want to stick to America’s little Italy.
Because in Hungary, it is insulting to perform a toast by raising a beer. Hungary’s defeat at the hands of Austria in 1848 was celebrated with beer. So yeah, they’re not fans of the idea.
Shocker, right? Few things will piss off an Italian faster than adding parmesan, hot sauce or other toppings to a pizza. Don’t even fucking think about reaching for that ranch dressing. Do they even have ranch dressing in Italy?
Tipping is actually frowned upon in Japan. Just accept their service and compliment them.
In Portugal, it’s considered a mortal sin to ask for salt and pepper. Ok, not really, but it is considered offensive to the chef. At least taste it before you drown it in heart disease.
Ok, that was a terrible pun, but not as bad as eating with your fingers in this South American country. Even French fries should be eaten with a fork in Chile. Tacos though?
If you get up from a meal for any reason while dining on rice in Japan, don’t stab your chopsticks into the rice. In Buddhist tradition, chopsticks placed vertically in rice is an offering for the dead. Remember that scene in the Japanese restaurant in “IT“? Yeah, chopsticks in rice is worse.
Also, in Russia, you don’t mix vodka, vodka mix you! It is against Russian etiquette, yeah that’s a thing, to mix your vodka with anything.
… when someone offers you food in Korea. This is a sign of respect and gratitude and also means you can lump more noodles in your bowl, fatty.
• Don't insult other visitors. Offensive comments will be deleted without warning.
• Comments are accepted in English only.
• No swearing words in comments, otherwise such comments will be censored.
• Your nickname and avatar are randomly selected. If you don't post comments for 7 days, they both are reset.
• To choose another avatar, click the ‘Random avatar’ link.
