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Basic Etiquette

• Americans place great importance on time management and punctuality. Delays and lateness often reflect poorly on people and may be interpreted as disrespectful or rude. However, lateness can be acceptable in some contexts (for example, when attending large parties or social gatherings).
• It is normal for Americans to initiate conversations with strangers without introducing themselves, e.g. standing in a queue or sitting next to each other at an event.
• Avoid speaking loudly on cell phones around other people, especially in enclosed public places (such as trains, restaurants, museums, waiting rooms, and elevators). This behaviour is considered rude and inconsiderate anywhere in public – including outdoor spaces.
• It is inappropriate to ask questions about someone's weight or age, especially to a woman.
• It is impolite to talk about someone's personal finances. Questions about a person's salary, wealth, or how much things cost are considered an invasion of privacy and very rude.
• Clothing styles vary by social status, region, occupation and climate, as well as between social settings (e.g. a job interview vs. a barbeque). Casual clothing (e.g. sweatpants or active gear) is commonly worn in public, during day-to-day activities or errands. It is an accepted norm for women to wear clothing that reveals their legs, arms or torso in many contexts.
• The rates of cigarette smoking have decreased in the U.S., and it has become frowned upon to smoke cigarettes near a crowd. People may request a smoker to extinguish their cigarette if they are smoking too close to others. Ask permission before lighting a cigarette around other people.
• It is impolite to pick your teeth in public. You should excuse yourself to do it privately in a restroom with a toothpick.
• Hold a door or elevator open for someone approaching close behind you.
• If you arrive at a door or queue at the same time as someone else, allowing them to go ahead of you is polite. Say 'thank you' when others perform these acts of courtesy for you.
• It is rude to push in line or skip a queue. If you are in an urgent rush, you should ask the person before you whether they would allow you to move ahead of them.

Paying/Tipping

• American restaurant and bar menus indicate prices without sales taxes and tips. As a result, the items ordered from a menu often cost about 21% to 26% more.
• Hospitality wages in America can be quite low. Therefore, waiters, waitresses and service attendants often depend on tips. Accordingly, restaurants that offer table service do not include the service charge in the cost of the bill.
• Americans usually tip 15-20% of the cost of the meal as a general standard. Less or more can be tipped depending on the quality of the service.
• Taxi drivers, hairdressers and barbers also expect similar tip percentages.
• Bellhops or valet parkers only expect about $1 as a tip.

Visiting

• Visits to American households are fairly informal. However, this can also vary depending on the purpose of the visit or the level of conservatism of the family.
• Organise your visit in advance. Americans rarely visit each other without making plans to do so.
• Many Americans have pets (e.g. dogs and cats). If you are allergic to an animal or feel uncomfortable being in the same room as an animal, you should let your host know in advance.
• Do not bring other friends and family unless you’ve asked your host beforehand.
• If it is an intimate visit (e.g. just you and the host), be as punctual as possible. It is best to notify your host if you are running late.
• If it is a larger social gathering or party, Americans commonly arrive roughly 30 minutes to an hour after the stated time. This is especially common if the guest doesn’t know the host very personally or does not know many of the other people attending.
• People usually enter a home without removing their shoes unless the host specifically requests them to do so.
• In American households, it is considered good manners to offer drinks to guests. However, at larger gatherings, hosts may direct people to where they can serve themselves (e.g. "There's soda in the fridge" or "There are water cups in the cupboard above left of the stove”).
• It is very common for Americans to offer alcoholic beverages when hosting a BBQ, dinner party or having friends over to watch a sporting game.
• Hosts typically do not routinely offer food or snacks during a social visit – unless the guest has arrived at a meal time.
• If the host asks whether you want food, you are expected to answer honestly. Americans generally take their guests’ answers at face value and are unlikely to be offended when a guest declines food. If you politely decline (e.g. "No thanks, I'm not hungry"), do not expect your host to serve you regardless.
• Avoid overstaying your welcome by remaining at a person's home longer than expected unless they explicitly ask you to stay.

Eating

• American cuisines vary across regions in the United States. For example, fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread are typical southern-style dishes (often called "American comfort food").
• Cuisines may also differ depending on the dominant migration populations in the region. For example, it is common to find a blend of South American and Mexican cooking styles throughout the states closer to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. This includes chilli and burritos and relies heavily on shredded cheese and beans.
• Wait until everyone has been seated and served before eating. The host often indicates when it is time to begin.
• In some religious households, families may say a blessing before eating (known as saying ‘grace’).
• In homes, dishes are usually passed around so everyone can get a portion. If you do not want one of the dishes passed around, you may refuse it by continuing to pass it along.
• Ask someone to pass a dish to you instead of reaching across the table to grab it.
• Napkins should be placed on your lap during the meal.
• Americans use cutlery to eat food unless eating certain fast foods.
• Hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand when cutting food. After cutting a bite-sized portion, the knife is placed down, and the fork is swapped to the right hand to stab or scoop the food. Food is put into the mouth with the fork tongs curving upward.
• The American norm of swapping the fork between hands differs from the European use of cutlery. The fork remains in the left hand, and food is placed in the mouth with tongs facing downwards.
• Do not cut up all the food on your plate at once. This is the way food is fed to young children.
• The pause to swap the fork between hands to cut food slows eating and allows for more conversation over the meal.
• Americans have a distinct set of ‘finger foods’ that are expected to be eaten with fingers, such as pizza, tacos, or burgers. They may think it is strange or unusual if you eat pizza with a fork or cut a burrito into smaller bites.
• It is polite to offer to refill other people’s drinks or pass them dishes at the table.
• It is rude to eat with your mouth open, lick your plate, bowl or knife, talk while there is still food in your mouth, burp out loud, or lick food off your fingers.
• It is acceptable to mop up any remaining food in your plate/bowl with bread served as part of the meal. This is a sign that you enjoyed the meal and is a compliment to the cook.
• Guests may accept second servings when offered. This indicates they find the meal tasty and appreciate the host's generosity.
• Children will frequently be seated at a separate ‘kids table’, allowing adults to have more discreet conversations over meals. Children will sometimes be presented with a different menu selection of simpler foods and may eat at a different (usually earlier) time.
• If children are seated at the same table as adults, they may ask to be excused from the table once they have finished eating. This is a polite way of exiting if they do not want to sit quietly or join the adults’ conversation.
• American restaurants tend to serve quite large portion sizes. It is acceptable to ask to have any leftover food repackaged to take home with you after eating out.
• If eating the meal in someone’s home, it is polite for guests to offer to help clear the table or wipe up dishes after the meal to reciprocate the host’s generosity and show gratitude.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are usually given on special occasions and are often accompanied by a card.
• People tend to open gifts in the presence of the person it's from. They may be opened immediately upon receiving them or later, along with other presents.
• For occasions that require a gift (e.g. birthday, wedding, baby shower), a modest value of about 5 is acceptable unless you know the recipient well.
• It is rude to ask directly how much a gift costs.
• It is also generally inappropriate to give someone a gift of cash unless previously agreed upon.
• Gifts are often grander or more heartfelt when given as a personal gesture outside of a special occasion. For example, to reflect deep gratitude for a favour someone has done for you, you may give them sports tickets or take them to an expensive restaurant.
• It is polite to bring a small gift as a gesture of appreciation when invited to someone’s house or a dinner party (e.g. wine, chocolate).
• The receiver is expected to praise a gift regardless of its size, appeal, monetary worth, etc. It is common for the receiver to state how they intend to use the gift as a gesture of genuine appreciation.
• Complaints or negative comments about a gift are considered extremely rude, even if the gift was broken, unusual or inappropriate. Commenting that you already have the same item is also considered rude.
• It is insulting to give away, re-gift or throw away a gift. If you do so, do not make this known to the gift-giver.