#4 Iran / Middle East

In the Middle East, in general, it is not uncommon to eat with your hands. In Iran, bread is commonly served whole on the centre of the table (sometimes directly on the table), and guests are expected to help themselves to the bread using their hands. Sometimes, accompanying side dishes are also served at the centre of the table. Tear small pieces of the bread and use the bread to scoop up the accompanying dishes. Do not lick or put your fingers in your mouth when eating with your hands.

In Iran, you’ll also find that during the hot summers, lunch is taken rather heavily and followed by a period of rest, where shopkeepers and merchants close their shops for a couple of hours to escape the heat. So make sure you grab a meal before then.