A cultural travel guide to the world

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Understanding local customs is where a journey begins. Find the topics that matter to you and feel at ease wherever you go.

13 rules found

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Germany

Germany: Greet with a handshake and use Herr or Frau with the surname

Do

  • Greet new people with a firm handshake and eye contact
  • Say Guten Tag in formal settings; Hallo is fine among friends
  • Address people as Herr or Frau plus their surname
  • Switch to first names only when the other person suggests it
  • In Bavaria you can reply with Grüß Gott; in the north, Moin is common

Don’t

  • Don't hug or kiss on the cheek at a first meeting
  • Don't use first names before a relationship has been established

Getting it wrong is rarely a big deal, but being too casual at a first meeting can seem rude. Guten Tag is the safest choice in formal settings.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Fly Homes: How to greet in Germany

Local customsTippingCountry-wide guidance · Germany

Germany: Tell the server the total including tip; don't leave it on the table

Do

  • When paying, tell the server the total you want to pay, tip included
  • For example, on a €24.80 bill, say "28"
  • Around 5%–10% is usual; for small bills, just round up
  • By card, choose a tip on the terminal, or pay the bill by card and tip in cash

Don’t

  • Don't leave the tip on the table
  • Don't feel bound by the terminal's preset percentages
  • Don't add 15%–20% as you might in the US

A tip is a voluntary thank-you: no one will reproach you for not tipping, and you can skip it for poor service. German restaurants generally don't add a separate service charge, and prices usually include tax.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: German to Go: In cafés and restaurants

Local customsRestaurants & barsCountry-wide guidance · France

France: Put bread on the tablecloth and tear it by hand

Do

  • Wait until everyone is served and the host says Bon appétit
  • Put your bread straight on the tablecloth beside your plate
  • Tear off bite-sized pieces by hand
  • Rest your wrists on the table edge with your hands in view
  • Make eye contact when toasting and say Santé
  • Ask for une carafe d'eau for free tap water

Don’t

  • Don't put bread on your plate or cut it with a knife
  • Don't bite into a whole piece of bread
  • Don't plant your elbows on the table during the meal
  • Don't cut lettuce with a knife; fold it into a small parcel with your fork
  • Don't switch your fork to your right hand after cutting, American-style

Nothing happens if you slip up, but you will come across as unfamiliar with French table manners. Tap water is free; bottled water is charged.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: La Minute Française: French dining etiquette

Local customsTippingCountry-wide guidance · France

France: Service is included in the price, so tipping is optional

Do

  • Look for "service compris" (service included) on the menu or bill
  • If service was good, you can leave a small tip (pourboire) as thanks
  • Round up to the nearest euro for coffee; leave €1–2 per person at ordinary restaurants
  • At upscale restaurants, leave 5%–10% for especially attentive service
  • Tip in cash where possible, so it is sure to reach your server

Don’t

  • Don't assume you must pay an extra service charge; it is already in the price
  • Don't wait for the bill to arrive on its own; signal when you are ready to pay

Tipping is entirely voluntary and not tipping is not rude; knowing what "service compris" means saves you from paying twice. French law requires restaurant prices to include service (commonly said to be about 15%), and meals are unhurried, so servers rarely bring the bill unasked.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: AFAR: When and how much to tip in France

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · United Kingdom

UK: Greet with a handshake and follow how people introduce themselves

Do

  • Greet new people with a firm handshake and eye contact
  • If someone introduces themselves by first name, use it
  • With older people or in traditional settings, start with title and surname
  • Address peers below duke as "Lord" plus their title, and a duke as "Duke"
  • Use please and thank you freely

Don’t

  • Don't go in for a cheek kiss with someone you have just met
  • Don't offer a limp handshake; it can suggest you are holding back
  • Don't ask new acquaintances intrusive personal questions

Nothing happens if you get it wrong, but a surprise kiss may make people recoil, and being either too stiff or too familiar makes others uneasy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Commisceo Global: British business etiquette

Local customsTippingCountry-wide guidance · United Kingdom

UK: Tipping is optional, so check the bill for a service charge first

Do

  • Check whether the bill already includes a discretionary service charge, often 10%–12.5%
  • If there is none and service was good, leave around 10%
  • In cafés, rounding up is a welcome thank-you
  • If service was genuinely poor, you may politely ask to remove the service charge

Don’t

  • Don't tip again when a service charge is already on the bill
  • Don't feel obliged to tip for fast food, takeaway or drinks at the bar

Tipping is entirely voluntary and nobody will chase you for it, but tipping on top of a service charge means paying twice. Since 2024, UK law requires employers to pass all tips and service charges on to staff.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Official site: Visit London tipping guide

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Staying at a ryokan: no slippers on tatami, keep to meal times, mind the curfew

Do

  • Take off even your indoor slippers before stepping onto tatami
  • Leave luggage at the entrance or the designated spot
  • Eat dinner and breakfast at the times the inn sets, and call ahead if you will be late
  • Note the curfew and ask before going out late
  • Put valuables in the room safe
  • Ask the inn whether you may go out in the inn's yukata

Don’t

  • Don't drag a suitcase across the tatami
  • Don't put personal belongings in the tokonoma alcove
  • Don't take the inn's yukata, towels or other items home
  • Don't strip or wash the bedding yourself

Ryokan dinners are served at set times, so arriving late may mean missing the meal; most ryokan have a curfew, and coming back after it may leave you locked out.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Japan Ryokan Association: Staying at a ryokan

Local customsRestaurants & barsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Izakaya: wait for the toast before drinking, and order at least one dish each

Do

  • When seated, ask whether there is a time limit (e.g. for all-you-can-drink plans)
  • Wait until everyone's drinks arrive and someone calls "kanpai" before your first sip
  • Order according to group size: at least one dish per person
  • Check the smoking sign at the door: some places have smoking seats, others are fully non-smoking
  • Confirm how to pay: usually one person settles the whole bill at the end; standing bars often take payment as you order

Don’t

  • Don't start drinking before the toast
  • Don't occupy a table for a long time while ordering almost nothing
  • Don't smoke in non-smoking areas or seats

Drinking before the toast or taking up a table without ordering comes across as not knowing the rules and inconveniences your companions and the shop; smoking in a non-smoking area will be stopped by staff and may lead to complaints or penalties.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: LetsGoJP: Izakaya etiquette

Local customsTemples & religious sitesCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Temple visits: join your hands and bow, no clapping; fan out incense

Do

  • Bow once at the main gate before entering
  • Step over the threshold rather than on it
  • Join your hands and bow quietly before the Buddha
  • Light the incense, wave out the flame with your hand, then place it in the burner
  • Take off your shoes when asked inside halls; wear shoes that slip off easily
  • Check signs such as 撮影禁止 (no photography) before taking photos

Don’t

  • Do not step on the threshold of the gate or hall
  • Do not clap as you would at a shrine
  • Do not blow out the incense flame
  • Do not take photos inside the main hall where it is prohibited

These are customs, not rules: nothing happens if you get them wrong, but following them shows respect. Taking photos in a no-photo area will be stopped by staff.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: photoru: How to Visit a Temple

Local customsTemples & religious sitesCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Shrine visits: two bows, two claps, one bow

Do

  • Bow once when you pass through the torii, both coming and going
  • Walk along the sides of the approach; the center is left for the deity
  • At the purification fountain, wash your left hand, then your right, then rinse your mouth
  • At the offering box, ring the bell and make your offering to announce your visit
  • Pray with two bows, two claps, and one bow
  • Where the shrine posts its own instructions, follow them

Don’t

  • Do not walk down the middle of the approach
  • Do not touch the ladle with your lips when rinsing
  • Do not photograph or film in front of the main hall
  • Do not bring drones into the shrine grounds

These are customs, not rules: nothing happens if you get them wrong, but following them shows respect. Bans on photos and drones depend on each shrine's rules.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Two Bows and Two Claps – the Ins and Outs of Shinto Shrines

Local customsPublic transportCountry-wide guidance · United Kingdom

London Underground escalators: stand on the right

Do

  • Stand on the right on Underground escalators and leave the left for people in a hurry

Don’t

  • Standing still side by side on the left of the escalator

There is no penalty, but you block people behind you. The habit dates back to 1921, when Underground announcements first told passengers to 'stand on the right'.

Not yet verifiedSource: Wikipedia: London Underground

Local customsTippingCountry-wide guidance · Japan

There is no tipping in Japan

Do

  • Say thank you with 'arigatō gozaimashita'

Don’t

  • Pressing loose change on staff

Japan is a no-tipping country and bills usually include service; if you press a tip on staff, some will politely refuse.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese table manners