| Meeting People | | | | The tip is generally already included in the price at a |
| When meeting people for the first time it is appropriate | | | | restaurant. A standard tip for a taxi driver is 10 percent. |
| to wait to be introduced. You will generally be | | | | Bellmen usually receive 1 Euro per bag. |
| introduced to the oldest person first followed by the | | | | Appropriate Dress |
| women. | | | | In general Italians dress much more formally than |
| | | | Americans. Italians value "quality" in their clothing and |
| Physical Greetings | | | | are much more likely to own 2 very nice expensive |
| When greeting someone a handshake accompanied | | | | suits than 6 decent cheaper suits. Black and muted |
| by a "Pleased to meet you" is appropriate. When | | | | colors are common in combination with brighter colored |
| departing be sure to shake everyone's hand, a general | | | | accessories. |
| group wave as is often done in the United States is | | | | Italian women tend to wear more makeup than |
| not looked on favorably. | | | | American women and also wear nylons all year round. |
| An "air kiss" is an appropriate greeting once you have | | | | Meal Time |
| established a relationship with someone. | | | | Breakfast is generally from 8 to 8:30 AM |
| Physical Space | | | | A standard Italian breakfast is coffee (espresso is |
| Italians stand much closer to one another than | | | | generally served after dinner) with a croissant or a |
| Americans do and it is common for men to walk down | | | | couple of cookies. |
| the street arm and arm and also women to walk | | | | Lunch is generally served from 1 to 3 PM |
| down the street arm and arm. | | | | In the south lunch is the biggest and longest meal of |
| Eye Contact | | | | the day, in the North it is often the biggest meal of the |
| Intense direct eye contact is common, looking away is | | | | day but during the business week it does not last as |
| a sign of disinterest and/or that you are behaving rude. | | | | long as it does on the weekend. A typical lunch |
| Good Topics of Discussion | | | | includes soup, bread and olive oil, a main meal and/or |
| Food, wine, soccer (the national pastime), politics (if you | | | | soup, salad and a desert of fruit. Wine and sparkling |
| know what you are talking about), music, philosophy | | | | mineral water usually accompanies the meal. |
| and current events. | | | | Dinner is generally served from 8 to 10 PM |
| Bad Topics of Discussion | | | | If the main meal of the day was lunch, then dinner is |
| Inquiring about private family matters, personal income, | | | | often a light affair taken at home. If however it was |
| stereotypes, World War II and Vatican politics. Also the | | | | not a typical dinner is quite elaborate. Formal Italian |
| common American question "what do you do?" is | | | | meals consist of: antipasto (such as proscuitto, |
| considered rude and too personal. | | | | bruschetta, or fruit), soup, pasta, main dish (usually |
| Communication Style | | | | meat), salad, cheese, desert, fruit and an espresso. |
| Moments of silence are rare in Italy and repeated | | | | Wine is also commonly taken with dinner. |
| interruptions signify interest. | | | | Table Manners |
| Whistling and winking at women is meant as a | | | | The Italians do not switch their knife and fork as |
| compliment and is not used in a degrading way. If a | | | | people do in the States. The fork remains in the left |
| woman is interested she will acknowledge the | | | | hand and the knife in the right hand. |
| whistlers with eye contact, if she is not she will ignore | | | | Placing your utensils down on your plate signifies to |
| them. | | | | wait staff that you are finished. |
| Italians often gesture with their hands and one does | | | | When not using your utensils your hands should be |
| not converse with their hands in their pockets. Italians | | | | kept visible above the table. |
| place great importance on maintaining a "Bella Figura" | | | | Dishes are passed to the left. |
| (Beautiful Figure/ Image) and slouching and leaning | | | | To get a waiters attention you should make contact, |
| against things is just not done. | | | | waving your hand or calling out is considered to be |
| Waiting in Line | | | | rude. |
| Lines do not exist in Italy, do not be surprised if | | | | Often times in an informal restaurant you will be |
| someone just walks up to the counter and is served | | | | seated at a table with a stranger, if this is the case |
| before you, despite the fact that you were next and | | | | conversation is not expected. |
| have been waiting in "line" for the past 20 minutes. | | | | Who Pays? |
| Walking | | | | In general the person who does the inviting also does |
| The evening "passeggiata" is a common occurrence in | | | | the paying, although the guest is expected to protest. |
| Italy. Strolling the streets, seeing who is out and | | | | When a woman is seated at a table with men the |
| catching up with friends is a nightly occurrence in Italy. | | | | men (despite a woman's protest) will always pick up |
| Shopping | | | | the bill. |
| Customer service is not as "in your face" as it is in the | | | | Punctuality |
| United States. Generally a salesclerk will ignore you | | | | The further south you go the less importance is placed |
| until eye contact is made signaling service is required. | | | | on being on time. For social events being a half an hour |
| Public Transportation | | | | to an hour late is common. When people are late resist |
| The easiest way to catch a taxi cab is at a taxi stand. | | | | the American temptation to request the reason. |
| On public transportation it is customary for the younger | | | | Lateness is generally because a person was involved |
| to give up their seats to the older and men to give up | | | | in obligations that involved superiors, family or old |
| their seats to women. | | | | friends (and it would have been rude to cut it short). |
| Tipping | | | | |