---
title: "From slurping ramen to late-night dinners in Spain: 8 countries where table manners will surprise a Ukrainian"
description: "The XAB.info editorial team has gathered unusual table etiquette rules from eight countries — from slurping ramen in Japan to late-night dinners in Spain. We break down which gestures at the table are considered a compliment and which are a rude violation."
date: 2026-09-22T14:32:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/unusual-table-manners-rules-in-different-countries-en
tags: [table-manners, etiquette, travel, japan, korea, italy, georgia, india, thailand, france, spain, food-culture]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# From slurping ramen to late-night dinners in Spain: 8 countries where table manners will surprise a Ukrainian

![Family dining together at a restaurant: illustration for an article on table manners around the world](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/22/neobychnye-pravila-etiketa-za-stolom-v-raznyh-stranah/neobychnye-pravila-etiketa-za-stolom-v-raznyh-stranah-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- In Japan, slurping noodles is the norm, but sticking chopsticks into rice is forbidden due to its association with funeral rites
- In South Korea, the spoon is no less important than chopsticks, and banchan allow each guest to assemble their own set
- The stereotype that Italians do not combine coffee with savory foods is refuted by the practice in Genoa
- In Georgia, the tamada sets the rhythm of the supra, and interrupting him is considered rude
- In Spain, dinner often starts after 9:00 PM, so an empty restaurant in the evening is not a sign of its unpopularity

What is considered perfectly normal behavior at one table may seem strange or even rude in another country. In some places, eating noodles with a loud slurp is encouraged; in others, you should not rush to the last piece from a shared plate; and in some cultures, it matters greatly who starts eating first. The XAB.info editorial team has compiled a selection of unusual table etiquette rules from eight countries around the world that will be useful for travelers and help them avoid awkward situations at someone else's table.

### Japan: slurping is a compliment, but sticking chopsticks in rice is taboo

If you are eating ramen, soba, or udon in Japan and hear a characteristic slurping sound, it does not necessarily mean that someone has forgotten the rules of etiquette. On the contrary, for noodles this way of eating is quite acceptable and even encouraged: the Japanese tourism organization notes that this is a common practice which, in the opinion of locals, highlights the freshness and flavor of the dish. As for chopsticks, it is better to be more careful. They should not be stuck vertically into a bowl of rice — this gesture is associated with funeral rites and is perceived as an extremely bad omen. You should also avoid passing food directly from one pair of chopsticks to another, since this gesture is also associated with the ritual of cremating remains. One more detail: in a company, people usually do not rush to start eating until dishes have been served to everyone. And if the last piece is left on a shared plate, it is polite to first ask whether you may take it.

### South Korea: the spoon matters more than chopsticks, and banchan is your building kit

Korean cuisine is associated with chopsticks, but at a traditional table the spoon plays an equally important role. It is used to eat rice and soup, as well as to mix and transfer food. On the table, numerous small plates with various side dishes — banchan — usually appear right away. You can combine them with rice to your own taste, so the same dinner for each guest may consist of completely different combinations. This makes a Korean meal both a collective and a deeply individual experience.

### Italy: morning coffee and the myth of the "sweet" breakfast

Italy has its own culture of morning coffee. The country's official tourism portal describes the traditional Italian breakfast as sweet — with coffee and pastries. However, the stereotype that Italians never combine coffee with savory foods is more of a myth. In Genoa, for example, focaccia with a cappuccino or coffee with milk is a perfectly common combination. Therefore, travelers are better off following the local customs of a specific region rather than relying on generalized ideas about the Italian table.

### Georgia: supra, tamada, and the rhythm of toasts

A Georgian meal is not just dinner, but a full-fledged social event, an important part of which is the supra. At the table there is a tamada — a person who gives toasts and sets the rhythm of the feast. Interrupting the tamada or demonstratively rushing to finish the dinner can turn out to be extremely out of place. Toasts here are not a formality, but part of the very culture of communication at the table, and a guest who does not grasp this logic risks seeming indifferent or rude.

### India, Thailand, France, and Spain: the little things that make a difference

In traditional Indian culture, food is often eaten with the hands, but it is important which hand is used. The right hand is used for eating, while the left hand is traditionally associated with hygiene procedures, so it is not customary to take food with it during a shared meal. At the same time, India has many regional traditions, and the rules can vary depending on the region, family, and type of establishment. In Thailand, a fork is often used together with a spoon, but the main utensil is precisely the spoon, with which most dishes are eaten. The fork is used to push food onto the spoon, not to bring it directly to the mouth. In French culture, bread is traditionally placed directly on the table, not on the plate, and a baguette is not cut into pieces with a knife — it is broken by hand. In Spain, dinner takes place much later than many tourists are used to — often after 9:00 PM, so an almost empty restaurant in a small town at seven in the evening does not yet mean that it is not popular.

### Contradictory data

The most notable discrepancy among sources concerns the Italian breakfast. A widespread stereotype claims that Italians categorically do not combine coffee with savory foods and limit themselves exclusively to sweet pastries. However, according to data cited in a WAVE (RBC-Ukraine) publication referencing regional practice, in Genoa focaccia with a cappuccino is an everyday and perfectly normal combination. Thus, there is no single "correct" answer: the rules vary depending on the region, and generalized statements about the Italian table can be misleading. A similar caveat applies to India as well: the general rules (eating with the right hand) are supplemented by numerous local exceptions that cannot be reduced to a single code.

Familiarizing yourself with these nuances does not require memorizing dozens of rules, but it helps show respect for the local culture and turn an ordinary dinner into a small cultural discovery. As practice shows, most "inconveniences" at someone else's table arise not from violating strict norms, but from not knowing the context in which these norms exist.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [From chopsticks in rice to late-night dinners: unusual etiquette rules in different countries of the world](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/taste/vid-palichok-risi-piznoyi-vecheri-nezvichni-1790084718.html) - Первичный источник статьи. Содержит описание правил этикета для Японии, Кореи, Италии, Грузии, Индии, Таиланда, Франции и Испании. Ссылки на японскую туристическую организацию и итальянский туристический портал упомянуты, но прямые URL не приведены.
- [The 3 rudest mistakes at the table: an etiquette coach — please, do not do this](https://focus.ua/lifestyle/737529-pravila-etiketa-za-stolom-otvety-na-vse-voprosy-ot-tatyany-kurganskoy) - Дополнительный контекст по общим правилам этикета за столом. Не противоречит основным тезисам статьи.
- [Easter etiquette: an expert explained what is and is not allowed at the festive table](https://www.metronews.ru/novosti/reviews/pashalnyy-etiket-ekspert-rasskazala-chto-mozhno-i-nelzya-za-prazdnichnym-stolom-2187261/) - Контекстный источник по этикету за праздничным столом. Не содержит прямых фактов, используемых в статье, но подтверждает общую тему.
- [No offense: how to delicately decline a dish at the table](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/science-life/_bez-obid-kak-delikatno-otkazatsya-ot-blyuda-za-stolom/1242243) - Дополнительный контекст по застольному этикету. Не противоречит материалам статьи.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Is it okay to eat noodles noisily in Japan?
**A:** Yes, in Japan slurping ramen, soba, or udon is considered normal and even a sign that the dish is fresh and tasty. The Japanese tourism organization confirms that this is a common practice.

### Q: Why is it not allowed to stick chopsticks into rice in Japan?
**A:** Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice is associated with funeral rites and is perceived as an extremely bad sign. For the same reason, you should also avoid passing food from one pair of chopsticks to another.

### Q: Do Italians really never eat coffee with savory foods?
**A:** This is a myth. Although the traditional Italian breakfast is described as sweet, in Genoa focaccia with a cappuccino or coffee with milk is an everyday practice. The rules depend on the region.

### Q: What is a tamada at a Georgian feast?
**A:** The tamada is the host of the feast who gives toasts and sets the rhythm of the supra. Interrupting him or rushing to leave the table is considered rude, because toasts are part of the culture of communication.

### Q: Which hand do people eat with in India?
**A:** The right hand. The left hand is traditionally associated with hygiene procedures, so it is not customary to take food with it during a shared meal. However, the rules can vary depending on the region and family.

### Q: Why are restaurants empty in the evening in Spain?
**A:** In Spain, dinner traditionally starts much later than in most European countries — often after 9:00 PM. Therefore, an almost empty restaurant at 7:00 PM does not yet mean that it is unpopular.