AN ETIQUETTE

GUIDE TO
FORMAL DINING
IN MEXICO

Prepared by: Kathia Gonzalez and Amanda White

 ARRIVAL
• Dinner is usually served around 9:00 p.m.
• If dinning at someone’s home, it is
customary to arrive 30 minutes after the
invited arrival time.
 GREETINGS
• Proper practice is a handshake.
-After a relationship is developed or among
associates of the same sex, a kiss on the check is
acceptable
• Greet others with a respectful smile.
• At a large party, you can introduce yourself.
-Introduce yourself to every person
individually
• At a small party, the host will introduce everyone
individually.
• Wait until being invited before using a person’s
first name.
GIFTING PROCEDURES
• It is not a requirement, but a small gift is appreciated.
-never inquire about what your host would like
• Good Gift Ideas:
-invitation out to dinner
-items with your company’s logo
-candy
-flowers
-Souvenir from your home region (book about your
city)
• Gifts to Avoid:
-Yellow Flowers: Symbolize Death
-Red Flowers: Cast Spells
-Silver: Mexico has some of the best silver in the world
• If you receive a gift, open it immediately and react
positively.
 DRESS ATTIRE
• Men’s Formal Attire:
-conservative, dark colored suites
-white or light blue shirts are acceptable
-suits should have classic lines and tailoring in
gray or navy

• Women’s Formal Attire:

-business suites, conservative dresses, or a
skirt with a blouse
-clothing should have classic lines
-skirts should have a classic length
-good colors: gray, navy, white, and ivory
• Men’s Business Casual:
-dress pants/slacks and a light shirt
-good colors: gray, navy, white, and
ivory
• Women’s Business Casual:
-blouse with pants or a skirt
-good colors: gray, blue, camel, white,
and ivory
 CONVERSATION TOPICS
• Good Topics Include:
- culture, history, art, & museums

• Topics to Avoid Include:

- the Mexican-American War,
poverty, immigration issues, &
earthquakes
 DINNING
ETIQUETTE
1. Salad plate (can be placed in center of dinner plate or optionally to the left of the dinner
napkin)
2. Napkin (can also be placed in the center of the dinner plate)
3. Salad fork (the smaller-sized fork)
4. Dinner fork
5. Dinner plate
6. Dinner knife
7. Teaspoon
8. Soup spoon
9. Bread & butter plate (optional)
10. Water/Iced tea glass (usually placed at the tip of the knife)
11. Wine glass (optional, placed to the right at a slant to the water/iced tea glass)
 GENERAL TIPS
• Do not begin eating until the hostess does.
• Only men give toasts.
• It is polite to leave some food on your plate at the
end of the meal.
• Do not talk with your mouth full or make loud
chewing noises.
• Do not use a toothpick, finger, knife, or any other
item to remove food from between your teeth.
• Do not ask to taste other people’s food.
• Do not apply make-up or comb your hair at the
table.
ACCEPTABLE FOODS TO EAT
WITH YOUR HANDS
• Olives
• French Fries
• Crisp Bacon
• Pizza
• Unpeeled Shrimp
• Artichokes
• Asparagus without sauce
• Sandwiches
• Tacos
• Tortillas
• Cherry tomatoes
 PROBLEMATIC FOODS
INCLUDE:
• Spaghetti
• Linguini
• Whole Fish
• Whole Chicken
• Lobster
• Crab
• Tacos
• Club Sandwiches
• French onion soup
• Peas
• Artichokes
• Corn on the cob
 SEATING
• Do not sit until you are invited to sit and told
where to do so
• Nothing goes on the table unless it is part of the
meal
-Do not place cell phones, beepers, briefcases,
purses, wallets, sunglasses, folders, notebooks, etc.
on the table
• Always keep your hands visible
-Your wrists should be placed on the edge of
the table
• Always keep a good posture while sitting
 NAPKIN
• Immediately unfold and place in your lap.
• The napkin should be used to catch food that falls
in your lap or to lightly dab the corners of your
mouth.
• It should remain invisible during most of the meal.
• If you leave the table during the meal, place your
napkin on top of your chair and push your chair
in.
• When finished eating, the napkin should be placed
in a neat wad on the left side of your plate.
 UTENSILS
• Once a utensil is used, do not return it to the
table.
-Place the utensil completely on the plate
-Do not rest the utensil on the table
• Remove the ice tea spoon before drinking
from the glass.
• When you have finished eating, place your
knife and fork across your plate with the
prongs facing downward and the handles
facing to the right.
 KNIFE USUAGE
• American Style:
-For a right handed person: When cutting
meat, the knife is in the right hand and the fork is
in the left hand. After cutting, the knife is placed
at the top of the plate and the fork is switched to
the right hand (tines up)
• Continental Style:
-For a right handed person: When cutting
meat, the knife is in the right hand and the fork is
in the left hand. After cutting, the fork (tines
down) and the knife remain in the same hands.
• Do not switch knife styles during the meal.
• Never have your knife blade facing outward.
 SEASONING FOOD
• Do not ask for sauces/seasonings at an
expensive restaurant.
• Always taste your food before adding salt
and/or pepper.
 PASSING ITEMS
• Salt & Pepper:
-Always pass the two together.
-The person closest to the salt & pepper should
begin passing the two to his/her right. They should
pass to the right until the requestor receives them.
The requestor should be the first person to use the
salt/pepper.
• Community Food (Bread Basket, Salad Dressing,
etc.)
-The person sitting closest to the community
food item(s) should begin passing the item(s) to
his/her right. This person should be the last one to
remove the bread from the basket or to use the
salad dressing.
 BUTTERING BREAD
• Do not butter the whole piece of bread.
• Do not cut a piece of bread off with your
knife.
• Do break off a piece of bread & butter each
piece separately.
 PAYMENT & TIPPING
• When paying for a meal at a restaurant, one
should place his/her cash or credit card
directly into the hand of the waiter.
• It is customary to tip the waiter 10-15%.
• Often, the busboy is tipped as well.
• You can tip with Mexican coins or paper
currency.
-Do not tip with foreign coins because
they cannot easily be exchanged.
 DEPARTURE
• Say good-bye to every person individually