What special rules must you follow when dining in Spain?

Keep your hands visible: Place your hands on either side of the plate when not eating. Hiding your hands is seen as suspicious. Be sure to keep your elbows off of the table, while keeping your hands visible. Don't dip your bread in the soup: In Spain, it is considered rude to dip your bread in the soup.



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Tipping servers in restaurants and cafés in Spain, while appreciated, isn't mandatory. It's tough for Americans to get used to not leaving a tip, but locals generally don't leave anything extra at all in more casual eateries. In fine-dining restaurants, a tip may already be included in the check.

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In Spain, you can simply say la cuenta, por favor (the check, please) when you catch your server's attention. Another common phrase many locals use is ¿Nos cobras cuando puedas? (literally Can you charge us when you can?). Either one is a perfectly fine way to ask your server to bring the bill.

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In Spain, people toast by saying “Salud!” (Health!). It is impolite to waste food. Therefore, try to eat everything on your plate. It is better to decline a large portion or second serving rather than leaving food on your plate.

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In Spain, there is a sales tax that is called “IVA” or VAT (in Spanish “Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido), a tax applied on retail sales or services provided by professionals. Basically, the vast majority of purchases (big and small) you make on a day-to-day basis are taxed with this sales or VAT tax.

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