Please, whats the thing with braking plates at Greek restaurants ?

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hard_n_tender26

We dont break plates in Greek restaurants anymore. That was like in 50s or 60s. Its strictly forbidden nowadays. I guess you have never travelled in Greece, right?

galisnick44

lol :-) when people have very much fun (usually at special restaurants with very loud greek folk music called buzukia) they through wither plates or flowers, (plates are the best!)
It is either a siqn of how much the particular person likes the partucular occasion and song, or how much they are happy and celebrate a special friends occasion such us wedding etc.
hope this answers your question.

ping pong grannie

Just like the Russians throwing their vodka glasses into the fireplace, it used to symbolize great joy and abandon. In the 60's and 70's when everyone got ...mmm, "happy" on wine, they would sort of lose control and smash plates around the feet of a male dancer or perhaps a singer at a club, to show his skill in sidestepping all the shards and appreciation for his (or her) artistry. Over the years, they began to use special unglazed crockery that was not so dangerous, but eventually, that ended, too, when people got hurt. So now, in Greece, they throw gardenias. Smells better, but definitely not as much fun! Oh, also, in the clubs, one had to pay for the dishes one broke, so breaking a whole stack of plates was a way of showing off how much money you could spend and not care.

Nowadays, in the States, sometimes we still break plates at family gatherings. It's just for fun.

Jonathan M

http://gogreece.about.com/cs/folkloreevents/a/smashingplates.htm
found the above site for you to read
hope it answers your question

soubassakis

Hello dear!
Well, there are not prompt answers for every subject while for others it is very difficult to identify or present them.
An explanation for your question goes into very ancient times.
While our friend, relative or companion is dancing, we feel proud, secure, excited. In parallel to the Olympics winners, we need to show we do not need material goods and property, protection or anything! For the Olympics winners, symbolically they were destroying part of the walls of the city for the winner to enter! Similarly, in modern Greece they brake the plates showing that they don;t need anything having such friends! Additional, braking plates makes noise that at some time they could do it such a way to give rhythm! Don't forget that in most times people were dancing while singing and there were no musical instruments, thus using whatever to keep the rhythm - initially, accidentally some of those would brake, eventually, as we do have instruments, radios, stereos, etc., we do not need the plates thus, what to do with them? Let's brake them!.

Ms_S

Breaking plates is a custom that they dont do alot here anymore. My husband says to me that its sort of a liability, perhaps you can get a fine or something from the police because of the dangers to the people around. But people still do it though. When I'm at a nightclub and the sad and emotional music comes on and someone goes into the centre of the floor to do their own private dance people throw flowers and many break their glasses. Sometimes someone will buy some champagne (usually the cheap stuff) and offer a glass to the dancer which the dancer will drink and then break the glass.
Plates can also be broken at weddings and things like that. Its a sign of happiness, of emotion, to show that money doesnt mean anything, that money isnt more important that your love and happiness and your family. I've seen people do the same sort of gesture by burning a 50 euro note on the bar.
But to tell you the truth I havent seen anyone break expensive plates or glasses. I dont know if the people breaking them care or not, but the bar and club owners certainly do! A bar owner once told me that he buys crates of cheap glasses every year because by the end of the summer at least half of them are broken, whether in drunken accidents or for this very reason. :o)

Hector of Troy

According to:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900561,00.html?iid=chix-sphere
..a popular song urges Greek revellers:
"Ola spasta, ola kapsta [Smash all, burn all]."

A well-smashed plate expressed approval of the local bouzouki music as well as the manly exuberance of the throwerâ€”presumably well-fueled on ouzo, the potent, anise-flavored Greek liqueur. Performers measured their success by the depth of the debris around their feet. Taverna owners loved it, since they were able to pay their bands by selling crockery to customers for up to a dollar a plate.

This tradition is now fast disappearing..
According to: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/23/ngreek23.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/11/23/ixhome.html
The tradition of smashing plates at Greek restaurants is disappearing because of a "compensation culture" which hundreds of owners fear will lead to them being sued by customers hit by flying crockery.

johnny cee

This type of activity goes quite well with a type of Greek
music called Rembetiko.
I Cr 13;8a

lelars30

I personally, don't understand it myself, but my boyfriend is Greek and he says that's to confuse evil spirits at joyous occasions. also a symbol of joy like at weddings.

Leonarda

We dont do it anymore, indeed this is something uncivilised.I has been doing in the 70s, 60s maybe, and in some places not of the best qualities.Now in Greece they throw flowers,(i hope they dont take them from cemetaries hehe), but the ntertainment is very civilised, and one of the best in the worls(in this category)

slaveof12gods

no ,more after a lady got hurt!

T Quin

Do a research, google it and you'll eventually see what the real reason behind it, also ask some 'greek' friends.

I can imagine if dropping 'EXPENSIVE PLATES', the $$ is down the drain. I love traditional wedding celebrations, and the style of dropping plates is...A myth thing?

rachel j

it is for a birthday.

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