dining etiquette Arabic restaurant clapping hands for table service? (coffee, shrimp, meals)

[mr bolo]

I read that in the middle east in Arabic restaurants it is common to clap your hands a couple times to get table service or call the waiter to your table?

What if you were dining in a middle eastern restaurant like a YEMENI / IRAQI / SAUDI restaurant in the USA? is it OK to clap your hands for table service if you need something? or would that be inappropriate here in the states?

[elnina]

I have dined in many Arabic restaurants in the States and overseas, and never heard about such customs, nor experienced it. (I used to live in Middle Eastern for a while)
I think, in general - clapping hands is an act of jaahiliyyah (ignorance) and actually very inappropriate.
Saudi Arabia | International Dining Etiquette | Etiquette Scholar
How to be respectful to the Arab Culture - What to Do When You're a Guest at Dinner

[mr bolo]

here is what I read:

Yemen | International Dining Etiquette | Etiquette Scholar


Dining etiquette for the meal’s end. Typically, after you finish your meal, you get up to wash your hands, and then go into the salon for coffee. If you are in a restaurant, you can summon the waiter by clapping your hands together once or twice.


Dining in Yemen is a little different as well, as meals do not constitute the formal hosting events they are elsewhere in the Arab world. ... If you are in a restaurant, you can summon the waiter by clapping your hands together once or twice.

[elnina]

Hmmm... perhaps things changed since I was there...
Maybe you should post this on World or Travel Forums

[manhattangirl]

I would not do this in the USA unless you see someone else do it.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by manhattangirl

I would not do this in the USA unless you see someone else do it.

Not unless you want boogers in your food.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by manhattangirl

I would not do this in the USA unless you see someone else do it.

I once whistled for a waitress, in my youthful days ,,and tht didn't go over well

[eok]

The idea of clapping for a waiter sounds ok to me. I'm not giving it a standing ovation, but it's a good enough idea for a weak round of applause.

[Nov3]

if that is their custom...then its okay I suppose.

I went to a middle eastern restaurant...and barely got thru the meal....

The slurping and lip smacking...with Foods being shared by each person- reaching over to dip, slurp and talk away....Apparently that is also standard .

[elnina]

^^^ I guess, you should get some info about the dining etiquette before going to an ethnic restaurant. You would be spared some surprises.
http://respecingarabculture.weebly.c...at-dinner.html

I was shocked to see how people in the US spear their meat with a fork held vertically in clenched fist and cut it into little bits before swapping hands and scooping up mouthfuls with a fork held like a shrimping net.