Dining Etiquette

Dining is also one of the Togolese culture, customs, and etiquette that you should know before traveling to Togo. Togo's table manners are comparable to those of its neighboring Western African nations. The majority of meals are consumed in a sizable communal bowl and are not accompanied by utensils. All meals consumed without the use of utensils in Togo are to be consumed with the right hand exclusively because the left hand is seen as filthy and indecent. Even food preparation fits under this theory. Never use your left hand to handle food while cooking, women.

The Togolese are gracious dinner hosts who take great satisfaction in amusing their visitors. A guest is expected to show gratitude and appreciation for the food they are served. It's rude to the host to inquire about the ingredients of a meal or smell it before you eat it. At the conclusion of the dinner, a small burp is considered courteous and a show of contentment. Because Togolian meals are so sociable in nature, they frequently last long after dining is finished.