Leaving food on a plate in Russia
As the title said, is it customary to leave food on a plate in Russia? I'm talking in the home, not at restaurants. The reason I was asking is if the host is poor or somewhere close and still invited you to their home and you finish the food on your plate, then the host may feel they did not have enough to feed you, so you should always leave food so the host thinks they fed you enough. I guess this could be anywhere in the world. If it is true then what about if they have money?
I know that leaving food on a plate could lead to thinking the food isn't good - what do you people think?
In a restaurant i'm going to eat everything I can -- I'm paying.
Another question: if you start drinking vodka with people in Russia, it's customary to finish the whole bottle (from the TV show Person of Interest) - is this true?
Best Answer
I'm answering this as a Russian person.
As the title said, is it customary to leave food on a plate in Russia?
Yes, its generally fine. While some people would ask why you didn't finish your meal, a simple "I'm full" comment should be sufficient. Unless you're visiting a survivor of the Siege of Leningrad, your host shouldn't be particularly offended.
if you start drinking vodka with people in Russia, it's customary to finish the whole bottle (from the TV show Person of Interest) - is this true?
No, there's no such rule unless you're hanging out with gopniks. People routinely take a few shots from a bottle before putting it back into the freezer.
Pictures about "Leaving food on a plate in Russia"
What is the dining etiquette in Russia?
Eating. Do not eat until your host begins eating. Russians use standard European table manners, so the fork belongs in the left hand and the knife, if present, belongs in the right. Keep your hands visible for the duration of the meal and keep your elbows off the table.Is it polite to leave a little food on your plate?
Traditionally, you should leave a bite on your plate to convey that you enjoyed the meal and were served enough to be satisfied. Today, diners (and especially children) shouldn't be excepted to join the #CleanPlateClub or feel bad if they finish their meal. Instead, just eat until you're full.In which country is it polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate?
Always leave food on your plate in China. Finishing your plate when dining at someone's home in China suggests the food wasn't filling enough, and that your host was skimping on the portion size. Always leave behind a little food to show the host that their meal was filling and satisfying.What do Russians do before eating?
Dining etiquette for beginning to eat. Do not begin eating until all the guests have received food on their plates and your host invites you to begin; this is usually done by saying, "Pree yat na vah appeteetah". Dining etiquette for utensils. The knife remains in the right hand, and the fork remains in the left.Why I don't leave food on the plate
More answers regarding leaving food on a plate in Russia
Answer 2
I don't think finishing everything on your plate would ever be deemed offensive in Russia. First time I hear about such a concept applied to Russian culture.
Leaving the food, on the other hand, is somewhat different. While it's not a general rule, some older people, especially those who survived harder times might see it as food being wasted. Just as often I witnessed people being upset that you haven't finished your portion because cooking might not be good enough for you. Honestly, if you encounter this mindset, it's hard to win unless you just eat A LOT. People would tend to try to convince you to taste everything available and eat as much as you can, and will get offended when you say "no please no more". It's kind of a stereotypical thing and while what I'm talking about might be a bit extreme, I've been in such situations more than once or twice.
The best strategy in shared platters environment is to take on the duty of taking your own food. Otherwise the host might think you're too shy and would keep giving you more until you're no longer able to stand up.
So, as a general rule, it's better to finish your portion than not. Look at others at your table and pick up the ques. Younger crowd is unlikely to care (but the most important is your host though).
As a foreigner, though, people will cut you some slack. Just praise the food and say "I wish I could eat more, I simply can't!"
With vodka - I think it's more of a lighthearted stereotype in that context. However, if you are in a company which has more than one bottle of vodka on a table (per <10 people, and maybe other alcohol), then it's better to feign some kind of disease, because it's likely they would make it their duty to make you dead drunk otherwise. I think it isn't really unique to Russia, among people using alcohol as their main entertainment fuel.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Klaus Nielsen, Rachel Claire, Rachel Claire, Rachel Claire