ThemaindifferencebetweenChineseandWesterneatinghabitsisthatunliketheWest,whereeveryonehastheirownplateoffood,inChinathedishesareplacedonthetableandeverybodyshares.IfyouarebeingtreatedbyaChinesehost,bepreparedforatonoffood.Chineseareveryproudoftheircultureoffoodandwilldotheirbesttogiveyouatasteofmanydifferenttypesofcuisine.Amongfriends,theywilljustorderenoughforthepeoplethere.Iftheyaretakingsomebodyoutfordinnerandtherelationshipispolitetosemi-polite,thentheywillusuallyorderonemoredishthanthenumberofguests(e.g.fourpeople,fivedishes).Ifitisabusinessdinneroraveryformaloccasion,thereislikelytobeahugeamountoffoodthatwillbeimpossibletofinish.

　　Atypicalmealstartswithsomecolddishes,likeboiledpeanutsandsmashedcucumberwithgarlic.Thesearefollowedbythemaincourses,hotmeatandvegetabledishes.Finallysoupisbroughtout,whichisfollowedbythestarchy"staple"food,whichisusuallyriceornoodlesorsometimesdumplings.ManyChineseeatrice(ornoodlesorwhatever)last,butifyouliketohaveyourricetogetherwithotherdishes,youshouldsaysoearlyon.