One of the American dining practices that stands out in contrast to eastern cultures is how food is served and eaten, in a traditional restaurant setting. Each person is expected to order an entrée for himself, along with any appetizer, salad, soup, or desserts he wishes to have. Over the course of the meal each dish is served sequentially, usually at a rectangular table, and everybody concentrates on his own dish with sharing kept to a minimum unless among closer friends or relatives. Napkins are used to keep off messy stains and loud eating noise is usually considered bad form.
On the other hand, a traditional Chinese meal would involve a collection of different dishes of meats and vegetables, soup, all served together with bowls of personal servings of rice to consumed with the dishes. Instead of forks and knives, each person is equipped with a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon that he or she uses to pick up food from the communal dishes. The sharing of these different dishes is facilitated with a round table that places each person at equal distances to them. Chewing food with your mouth open, resting your elbow on the table top, and leaving your chopsticks standing in the middle of your rice bowl are all considered bad manners, especially the last since it symbolizes incense burnt at a funeral. For someone from a Chinese cultural background, having a formal dinner with his American companions might be a difficult experience. He will probably be tempted to try out everyone's dishes at the table, have difficulties cutting his steak with a pair of knife and fork, and kept comparing how his meal will taste like with steamed rice or noodles. .
In comparing the seating styles, the Americans have a rigid and well defined personal space as opposed to the Chinese who would try to fit as many people as possible into a table. Even the geometric shapes of the dining tables show a contrasting social practice.
