Dining Guide / When Things Go Wrong
Declining a Drink
A brief word before it’s poured, or a fingertip resting on the rim of your glass, is all it takes. No explanation is needed.
Try what you’ve read in questions based on real dining situations. · 6 min
Practice: Glasses and Wine
Key Points
- Before anything is poured, say, “No, thank you.”
- Lightly resting your fingertips on the rim of the glass gets the message across quietly.
- You don’t need to explain why.
- For a toast, simply raise a juice or other soft drink. Some people consider toasting with water bad luck, so a soft drink is the safer choice.
Do
- Speak up briefly, before it’s poured
- Order a non-alcoholic drink from the start
Avoid
- Turning your glass upside down
- Giving a long explanation
- Sitting out the toast
Handy Tip
Leaving a little in your glass makes a top-up less likely, but a quick word is more reliable.
Practice in a Lesson
- Glasses and Wine — 6 min · Practice in a Lesson
Read next
Occasions where this helps
- Business Dinner — You have a client dinner next week
- Starting Your Career — You're starting a new job, and there's a welcome dinner
Sources
- Japan National Tourism Organization, “Japanese Food Etiquette Guide” — Japanese place settings, chopsticks, shared dishes and pouring drinks.
- Debrett's, “Essential Table Manners” — Posture, shared dishes, inedible items and discreet refusals.