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Social interaction is marked by strong gender segregation and respect for age diffrences. An egalitarian ethos and a high value placed on polite behavior also prevail.Men and women seldom interact across the gender divide outside the domestic space of families, and many of society's most powerful do's and don'ts aim to regulate such interaction beyond the confines of a home.

Thus male-female interaction in a commercial shop should be formal and strictly limited to the process of buying and selling.

Generally, men and women should refrain from making specific references to individuals of the other gender.

Although it is appropriate and common for one to inquire about the well-being of another individual's "family" or "house"—

concepts which are understood as circumlocutions for significant others of the opposite gender.

Deference should be shown to those who are older, and relations between generations are often characterized by strict formality

and the maintenance of decorum in social gatherings.

Most social interaction takes place in groups that are gender- and age-specific. Social visiting within such contexts is very common and occurs on both an everyday basis and for special events. The latter especially include visits to convey condolences for a death or, conversely, to express congratulations for a happy occurrence such as a wedding, a graduation or promotion, or a safe return from a trip.

A guest, upon arrival, should greet individually the host and all others present by shaking hands or, if well-known to each other and of similar age, by kissing on the cheeks three or more times. The individual being greeted should stand.

The guest must be offered refreshments of coffee and tea. An invitation to lunch or dinner should also be offered by the host.

An animated and relatively long exchange of greetings is expected between host and guest and between the guest and others present.

Each individual inquires about the other's health and wishes him/her God's protection.

The offering of refreshments and the exchange of greetings is extended to office and shop settings (at least among people of the same gender); failure to observe them is very rude. Meanwhile, gender segregation is maintained in public places such as airports or banks, where separate lines for men and women are usual.

People tend to remain in close physical contact during social interaction. Walking arm-in-arm or holding hands and gently slapping or touching a person's outstretched palm while talking is common, especially among people of the same gender who know each other well.

Gazing, and especially staring, at strangers is rude. In public, people should avoid direct eye-contact with passers-by.

When greeting a stranger or an acquaintance, it is appropriate for the person who arrives first to say, in Arabic,

"Peace be upon you," to which the proper reply is, "And upon you peace."

When saying goodbye, it is proper to say, in Arabic, "In the custody of God," the reply being "In the custody of the Generous One."

Generally, the same patterns of etiquette hold throughout Saudi Arabia.

Greater formality, however, prevails among Bedouin and rural people, while more relaxed,

informal interaction occurs among younger urbanites.

The same patterns, but in attenuated forms, apply between local citizens and immigrants.

The arrival of a guest at one's home is an event that leads to a special meal in honor of the visitor.

Traditional etiquette required that sheep, goat, or camel be sacrificially slaughtered, and this is still often done.

However, chicken may be substituted, and in many urban households meat dishes have replaced eating the whole animal.

Major ritual occasions associated with Islamic feasts, weddings, reunions of family and kin,

and other social events still require the sacrificial slaughter of sheep or, less commonly, goats or young camels.

For these events, meat is boiled in huge pots, and part of the soup is passed among the guests,

with the rest poured over large trays of rice on top of which the cooked meat is placed.

Traditionally, male guests and older men gather around the tray and eat first, using the right hand;

they are followed by younger men and finally boys. Women and girls eat separately, often food prepared specially for them.

Multiple rounds of coffee and tea are served.