Eating Etiquette

It is polite to always offer someone part of your meal if you are in the middle of eating when you run into them. Regardless of whether they would truly like to eat some or not, the person is subsequently expected to formally decline the initial invitation.

Early in the afternoon, around 2:00 or 3:00, is when lunch is consumed. While supper is eaten later in the day and is smaller than breakfast, it is typically the largest meal of the day. Observant Muslims will not consume anything that has even a small amount of alcohol or pork in it. Many secular Muslims nevertheless frequently ingest items that are normally forbidden by the Islamic script. For instance, drinking alcohol is common among some Syrian Muslims.

Restaurant and cafe bills are never split. Traditionally, men buy women's food and quarrel over splitting the tab. It is best to insist on making a contribution before granting permission for the oldest or wealthiest person to pay in a polite dispute about who should make the payment. Close friends, however, who eat meals together frequently, will alternate.