Dining Etiquette & Table Manners

If you are welcomed into a home in Uruguay, you should put on appropriate attire. For men, a jacket and tie are required. For women, a dress or a skirt and blouse are appropriate. Compared to their neighbors in Latin America, Uruguayans prefer to dress a little more formally. Arrival times are extremely flexible. Arrive 30 to 40 minutes later than the scheduled time of arrival. Business dinners or lunches are designed to be social occasions. They are not a forum for conducting business.

Attend to the host or hostess' instructions regarding where to sit. There might be a seating arrangement. Continental table manners dictate that when eating, the fork should be held in the left hand and the knife in the right. Wait until the hostess invites you to start eating before you do so. When eating, always keep your hands out in plain sight; nevertheless, never put your elbows on the table.

Before taking a taste of your beverage, wait for a toast to be offered. When you are done eating, it is considered courteous to leave a tiny portion of food on your plate. When you're done eating, lay your knife and fork across your plate with their handles pointing to the right and their prongs downward.