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What's the most interesting traditional or formal politeness behaviour or table manners in your culture? Or for any service personnel, in your restaurant? (kbin.social)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I love all the ritualized behaviour, secret meanings and unexpected taboos - standing up when someone of higher status stands, elaborate rules for serving and eating, tapping the table to thank the server, never refuse a toast from a superior, stuff like that.

Whether it's about meals or anything else, I'd love to hear about any uncommon politeness standard or similar social behaviour that goes on in your location, culture or restaurant!

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 7 months ago (11 children)

One thing that I think is very foreign to some people, that Americans take for granted, is that a table server is always watching you when you dine. If the patron looks unhappy, or us even just sitting up and looking around, a good server will be there as soon as they can to see if something is needed. Hand-in-hand with that, signalling a server, especially with a loud noise, is extremely rude, basically an accusation that they're not doing their job. Which, okay, sometimes we aren't and it's appropriate. But to wave or stand is an indictment, and to snap or whistle is way over the line.

Correspondingly, a good waitress doesn't interrupt a meal or conversation, but merely glides by or hovers until the party is ready for his attention.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Yeah, I miss living in Australia where you didn't have your own waiter but on the other hand that meant that it wasn't rude to flag down any of the wait staff if you need anything rather than being restricted to having to go through a single person.

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