6 Hong Kong Dining Etiquette Tips You Should Know
October 2020 | 5 Mins Read
Knock Knock! Have you ever wondered why your friends knock on the table when you pour them some tea?
Whether you are dining in a cha chann teng (local fast food restaurant) or a Michelin star restaurant, knowing the Hong Kong dining etiquette would be useful and help you to prevent upsetting your guests. Different families have their own dining etiquette to follow, some may care about a particular one more than others. In this blog post, we would like to share with you six general dining etiquette tips. Remember, spending quality time with your guests during the meal is what matters the most. Knowing the etiquette is a way to be polite and show respect to your guests.
Knock the table
Have you ever noticed when you pour tea for someone in Hong Kong especially when you are having a dim sum meal aka yum cha, they will knock on the table a few times with their fingers? You might be thinking: are they rushing me on it? The person was actually trying to thank you. It is a tradition that originated from the Qing dynasty (so tells an ancient story) when Emperor Qian Long, dressed in casual wear, pretended to be a commoner and visited the town together with his servants. When he poured tea to his servants in a restaurant, the servants could not bow to him in public lest they reveal the Emperor’s identity. So, instead, they made a hand gesture folding their index finger and ring finger on the table and tapping their middle finger to represent their bowing to the emperor with their heads. Since then, this gesture has become a way for people in Hong Kong and many cities in China to show gratitude and respect when someone pours tea on them.
Use Chopsticks Properly
Holding chopsticks in a proper way is considered good table manners especially when you are dining with elders as this is something they care about. You have probably heard many locals tell childhood stories of how they got told off by their parents for not holding chopsticks in the traditional way. Read The Essential Guides to Chopsticks Etiquette to learn more.
How you place your chopsticks when you are not using them during the meal is as important as holding the chopsticks properly. The polite way to place the chopsticks is to lay both of the chopsticks together flat on the table or on the chopsticks holder if there is one. Do not separate the pair of chopsticks or do not place your chopsticks vertically in your bowl of rice or noodles. This is considered impolite as this behavior is similar to how people put incense sticks into a pot for their ancestors.
The act of tea Pouring
When you would like to fill up your empty cup while dining with others, make sure you always pour tea to everyone on the table first before pouring your own cup. When the teapot is empty, open the lid and leave it on top of the teapot. This is a way to let the restaurant staffs know that the teapot is empty and they will refill it for you.
the last piece on the dish
You have probably noticed that sometimes there is a tiny piece of food left on each dish for quite a while before someone takes it to their bowl. Traditionally, people in Hong Kong left a tiny piece of food on each dish as a way to be polite and show the host that they have served them enough food. Today, wasting food is considered poor behavior across the world. Instead of wasting the last piece of food, people in Hong Kong would politely ask whether anyone at the table would like to have the final piece of the dish before taking it to their own bowl.
Getting food from the dish
When you are having a Hong Kong meal, you are sharing the dishes with people you dine with. There are a few things to pay attention to when you are getting food from the dishes. When you are getting a piece of food from the dish, always get the piece closest to you. You should also never move any pieces of food on the dish with your chopsticks to pick your favourite piece. This is considered extremely impolite. When someone is getting food from a dish, wait until they have finished for your turn and never go underneath a person’s arm to reach the dish.
Don’t flip the fish
Ordering a whole steam fish to share is common in Hong Kong. You may have about it is rude to flip the fish over when one of the sides has no more meat left. This dining etiquette started in the old days by people who live on the boat. Flipping the fish has the meaning of the boat slipping and is considered bad luck to people who live on the sea. Many families whose ancestors lived on the sea still carry this tradition. If you are not sure about whether the people you dine with care about this tradition, don’t stress about it. All you need to do is to politely ask your guests whether it is fine for you to flip the fish over so it is easier for everyone to eat. For many casual dinners, your guests wouldn't mind it at all.
Thank you for being an appreciative reader as always. Hong Kong has been named by many people as a foodie heaven. Enjoy trying different kinds of Hong Kong food! If you enjoyed reading this blog post, please share it with your family and friends. Thank you and we will be sharing with you stories of craftsmanship, and culture again very soon. Until then, take care.
About the Author
The Qraftie blog aims to provide you stories related to craftsmanship, culture and lifestyle around Hong Kong.
