When you’re offered coffee, tea, or a snack at the start of a meeting, accept it, even a small taste or a few sips is enough. Don’t feel obligated to finish it, the acceptance itself is what matters, not how much you actually consume.
If you genuinely can’t have what’s offered (dietary restriction, allergy), a polite explanation works fine, this isn’t about forcing food down, it’s about not flatly waving away the gesture without any acknowledgment.
- This applies even right after a big meal — “I just ate” is a reason to take a small amount rather than a reason to decline outright.
- The same instinct extends to home visits, not just business settings — Filipino hospitality generally expects a guest to accept what’s offered rather than refuse it outright.