JEDDAH: When US President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia Saturday he was first treated to a traditional coffee at the airport in Riyadh.
King Salman enjoyed a cup of coffee with the American president and also taught him the traditional technique of asking a server to stop pouring.
The Saudi king was filmed shaking his cup, a typically Saudi way to indicate that you have finished enjoying your coffee and do not wish for a top up.
It is tradition that servers will continue to serve the coffee until the drinker declines by shaking their cup or by placing their free hand on top of their cup. In the video, Trump seems to enjoy his coffee and requests more.
Traditional Saudi coffee is stronger than its American counterpart and is typically drunk without milk or sugar and in small cups.
In a similar incident, Prince Muqrin Al Saud explained Arabic coffee drinking etiquette to the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump. He was filmed teaching her how to shake the cup to inform the server if she no longer wanted any coffee.
Prince Muqrin Al Saud explains to @IvankaTrump #Arabic #Coffee "shake the cup once finished" etiquette#RiyadhSummit pic.twitter.com/vW5daLiFF7
— Arab News (@Arab_News) May 20, 2017
