Dining is usually formal and hospitable: wait to be seated or invited, use your right hand for eating and passing food, and dress modestly in public restaurants, especially during
Ramadan when eating, drinking, or smoking in daylight is restricted in many places. In Emirati homes and traditional gatherings, it is common to be offered
Arabic coffee and
dates first, and in some settings shared platters and eating with the hand are still part of the etiquette.