Table Manners

Planning a trip to Mexico any time soon? Listen up, this is for you. 

Americans eat according to a schedule throughout the day. I know that I happen to get hungry when the clock strikes twelve and that signals to me it's lunchtime! We tend to eat around our work or errands that we need to do for that specific day, but the people of Mexico work around their eating schedule. Portion sizes and meal times differ greatly from our American times, but the Mexican diet is unique.

An article from whatguanajuato.com explains the diet well:

Breakfast (el desayuno):

• Between 7 am to 10 am
• The average breakfast can range from a regular cup of coffee to a popular spread featuring Heuvos Rancheros (corn tortillas filled with fried eggs, chili sauce, tomato, and onion)
• Popular breakfast foods: sweet breads, tropical fruits, toast, granola and yogurt

Lunch (la comida) 

• Between 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm 
• Lunch is the main meal of the day- EAT A LOT!!
• Lunch consists of an appetizer, a soup or salad, and main course (usually seafood, meat or poultry, rice and beans, hot tortillas 
• Lunch is the time to chat (Sounds like my kinda meal!) 

Dinner (la cena)

• Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Eaten in the evening 
• A lighter meal of the day, usually consists of soup or tacos (YUM!) 

Some tips for the table! 

• Keep your hands visible, NOT under the table 
• If you happen to make friends during your travels and they invite you to their home, do not be an early bird-show up at least 30 minutes late (it is rude to be early) 
• WAIT TO BE SEATED and wait for the hostess to begin eating 
• No matter how amazing the food is, leave a little on your plate because it is considered polite 
• Only the men toast in Mexico 
• When you have finished, you should put the fork and knife across your plate, handles facing right and fork prongs facing the plate 

Tipping: 

When out with close friends or family, the Mexicans do not normally split the bill, but rather one party will treat everyone else at the meal. If you invite someone to a meal you should plan on paying. At a restaurant the waitstaff receives 10 to 15% of the bill, HOWEVER foreigners are expected to tip higher than natives. A customer can choose how much to tip based on the service of their waiter or waitress that night, but tipping is always mandatory in Mexico. 

Hope this makes you blend in on your trip! 

Until next time!

-Gillian

Sources:
https://www.expatify.com/mexico/eating-customs-in-mexico.htm

http://www.whatguanajuato.com/customs.html

http://moon.com/2014/01/everyday-customs-etiquette-in-mexico/