Why Brits And Americans Use Forks And Knives Differently

At some point in your childhood, you probably remember learning proper table manners from your parents (or perhaps from your favorite movie). The basics — using utensils instead of your fingers and a napkin instead of your shirt — are ingrained in most of us. Having proper manners at the dinner table seems relatively universal but, in reality, some things are taught differently depending on one's geographical location. Take Britain, for example. Home of the royals and hearty dishes like fish and chips, the Brits have a different approach to eating with forks and knives compared with Americans. In Britain, people generally hold their fork in the left hand and their knife in the right; it's as simple as that.

In contrast, Americans have long been using what's known as the "cut-and-switch" method: They typically start with a knife in their right hand and a fork in their left and cut their food this way. Once finished, they transfer the fork to their right hand and continue eating. There's usually a rhyme or reason for (mostly) everything in history. Theories suggest that the cut-and-switch method was popular in France until the mid-1800s and that Americans likely picked up the trend from there. Although France isn't using the cut-and-switch method anymore, a good portion of the U.S. still dines this way.

After discovering Britain and the U.S. approach dining utensils differently, it's not shocking to learn that other countries around the world also have unique ways of eating. Diners in most East Asian countries, like Japan, China, and Vietnam, primarily use different types of chopsticks. Depending on the location, these vary in size, shape, and the material they're made out of. Typically, people living in these areas use their dominant hand, rather than a specific hand, when using chopsticks.

In many parts of India, utensils are rarely used. Although this means there are no fancy forks or knives to remember, Indian dining etiquette tends to favor one hand over the other. The right hand is for eating and picking up food, while the left hand is primarily used for clean-up, like using a napkin. In countries like Thailand and Cambodia, forks are paired with a spoon rather than a knife. When it's time to nosh on popular vegetable and noodle soups, diners in Thailand and Cambodia tend to use chopsticks and a spoon.