Soup Etiquette Debate Settled

“When eating soup, avoid making a noise.” – When it comes to the soup course, whether it be a hearty stew or a bouillon, etiquette dictates that you are “eating” the soup, not “drinking” the soup. Unless, of course, you have a soup bowl with handles or a soup mug with one handle. In that case, you may eat as much as possible with your spoon, then you may lift the bowl or mug by the handles to “drink” the remaining soup. This is the only time one may lift a soup bowl or cup to one’s mouth when dining in the American or Continental manner.

  

A Reader’s Soup Query from San Francisco 

Whether, one eats soup or drinks soup depends upon the condition of the soup. Some soups are so thin that it is impossible to eat them, but one swallows them in spoonfuls, while, others are so thick that one has to masticate the ingredients, therefore one must eat such. Books on etiquette say: “Soup is always served first; eat it from the side of your spoon.” And, “When eating soup, avoid making a noise.” – San Francisco Call, 1904

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia