Take the cup with your right hand when it’s offered, dates are usually served alongside, eat one first, then sip the coffee, the sweetness is meant to balance the coffee’s bitterness.
Expect a small pour, about a third of the cup, that’s normal, not a stingy portion, and expect it to be refilled without you asking. When you’ve had enough, give the empty cup a gentle side-to-side shake before handing it back, that’s the signal to stop pouring, said without a word.
- Don’t set the cup down if you want more — your host will keep refilling until you shake it, so an empty, still cup left in your hand (rather than handed back) can just read as a pause, not a stop signal.
- Always return the cup with your right hand, same as receiving it, this is one of the more visible spots where the general right-hand norm gets tested in real time.