If you’re expecting dinner at 6 p.m., think again.
Trying new restaurants and cafes is one of the best parts of traveling.
But dont worry, we have you covered with some advice.
Rushing through your meal.
Remember dreaming of long, drawn-out lunches while planning your summer vacation to the Mediterranean?
The United States is a very go, go, go kind of culture.
But rushing through a meal isnt the norm everywhere else.
They savor the experience of dining, and the restaurants wont feel rushed to turn the table.
It took me a while to slow down and truly appreciate all the elements of every dish.
Timon van Basten, who is a tour guide in Spain, echoed that sentiment.
They enjoy taking their time in multiple courses.
Of course this isnt only something to be aware of in Europe.
Chris Atkins, owner ofCentral America Fishingsaid he comes across this a lot in Central America as well.
Expecting to eat dinner at 6 p.m.
This could mean heading out to dinner at 9 p.m. instead of your usual 6 p.m. Sometravel destinationshave a thriving, late-night food scene.
However, it is incorrect to assume that every country offers this convenience.
I suggest you avoid wandering around at night expecting to find an open fast-food joint or restaurant.
Instead, you must plan to have dinner earlier or explore local street food options during the day.
Being a bit too loud at dinner.
When dining out, being loud and boisterous isnt always the way to go.
In many European countries, its expected to have a quiet, almost hushed tone during meals.
It took some adjustment on our parts to dial it back after years of lively mealtime conversations at home.
We found that respecting that custom led to a much more relaxing experience.
Expecting takeaway coffee.
If youre a coffee fiend, exploring local cafes each morning is one of the best aspects of traveling.
Taking business calls or working from your laptop at dinner.
Planning to work through lunch or dinner?
Take a look around to see if anyone else is doing the same.
If not, you may want to leave your laptop at home.
Loud electronics in small European restaurants can disturb other diners, so we avoid this to not be annoying.
Expecting free refills.
In many countries, beverage orders have distinct differences from how theyre handled in the U.S.
When heading somewhere new, you may want to adjust your expectations so you dont expect free refills.
Expecting your bill will be brought to your table quickly.
But this isnt the norm everywhere.
