Do and don't, eating in France
 

It ALMOST makes me want to eat in another country!!!

The only thing JR and I were guilty of was trying to talk to everyone! We totally messed up about the water though. If you are in an outside facility, asking for a pitcher of tap water can be a real PITA for the server.

It's an excellent guide to restaurant etiquette for the first time visitor to Paris, or just about anywhere else in Europe.

A lot of the points are accurate, but some are absolute crap. For example:

<i>DON’T leave small coin change as a tip unless you are in a coffee shop. It is insulting.

Forget all the conflicting tipping information out there… DO leave a 10% tip in cash on the table before leaving if you enjoyed the service.<i>

This absolutely proves that the author knows little about France.

Here are my rules of etiquette for dining in France:

Bring straws and shove them up your nose. If the French think Jerry Lewis is a riot, they will love this.

Tell the sommelier the wine is awful. And when you insist he taste it, tickle him so he will snort it out.

Call everyone garçon, including old women.

Do not be shy and taste other people's food, without asking, when returning from the bathroom. Just take it off their plate. Be sure to ask them for their napkin to wipe your hands. Otherwise it would be rude. This is a very common practice in Paris.

Bring your own butter. Bring it in an insulated bag. Did you think I was going to tell you just to put it in your pocket?

Ask the waiter how much he makes and then tip him accordingly.

Always carry a big pair of pliers, so you can remove a stick from people's a..es whenever necessary.

I thought there were some good points particularly about having realistic expectations.

Big Al, Big LOL!

Thanks for posting this, cigale. Guilty as charged for requestng milk for my espresso - can't drink it otherwise and I can't say any waiter has snorted in disgust. I quite enjoy eating in Paris: love the formality and professional attitude of the waitstaff and the ambience of the restaurateur's "home."

well the link has been broken and replaced which was a bit of a pain, still good that they explained Paris is in France :-0

but I struggled through and discovered a long, long piece (my goodness was he paid by the word) and containing somenonsense, his details on wine was insulting, the tip info was just wrong and neighbours on other tables do not act behind glass screens and at least nod or say hello.

I've subscribed...oy....if I was only 40 years younger..those chefs!!

I liked the article...I will like more.

"DO understand that the French DON’T treat a meal like a social happy hour – out to make friends with total strangers at the next table. The minute they sit down, imaginary walls go up around their table to keep their meal private and you should do the same".

The next time someone in France asks me if I am American and do I speak French, I shall remind them.

((I))

Thanks Cath.

My sister-in-law, although well traveled in Spain and Italy, had never visited France until last year. She was intimidated by the stories regarding the French and was traveling alone. She went a moderately priced restaurant and when she saw two women of a certain whom she assumed were French, she just ordered everything they did and did every thing they did and hoped no one noticed.

While I am reasonably well behaved in restaurants, I have perfected the "Bonjour" in that sing-songy Julia Child voice whenever I enter a retail establishment, even though I am a man.

That was my friend and I your sister was copying. Fail.

well, who knew that the rules for french bistros and restaurants were so different?

I've been eating in both for years and have managed very well without this nugget of information.

much of this is obvious and some of it seems plain daft. I've never found dining in France that different from dining elsewhere. Except that generally the food's better.

I remember my first time in Paris, a young woman from Boston who was accustomed to picking up merchandise to see the sleeve length or whatever and was scolded. I thought she was nasty until , later friends told me I was supposed to ask to see the item.

Sorry - but I agree about the not being best friends with th e folks at the next table.

The same is true in NYC. You both happen to be dining in the same spot. so what? No need to commend or converse. Tables are close enough together - give people some privacy.

This is the same rule as not meeting people's eye in the subway (or Metro there). It's just polite. And much safer.

That was my friend and I your sister was copying. Fail.
____
Were you copying my SIL because you thought she knew what she doing?
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I liked some of what was said in the article ( the point that the restaurant is like the chefs home and his staff are family) but sorry , totally disagree about the tipping.. if I had a great experience in a nice restaurant I would feel fine leaving 5% , if I am in a café I am leaving coins, and if I just thought it was so so , I leave nothing with no guilt whatsoever..
When I read the authors take on tipping it made me not trust him much ... hes obviously coming from another point of view, and I don't think in this case anyways, that its the same as the average locals.

And btw, Amex cards are not taken in a lot of places in Europe, and guess what, my shop in Victoria BC does not take them either!! Visa is I think the most widely accepted cc in the world.

Amex cards charge too much for the small restaurants to survive. That's why they don't accept them.

Interesting up until the comments about tipping. If this author had any credibility, it ended with the 10% tip suggestion. Only someone completely unaware would purpose such such nonsense.