justineparis

Yes no need to tip in France either, just round up and leave change if happy

Michael

According to this article: http://www.fodors.com/news/story_3483.html in Italy one tips 10% if no service charge is included in the bill. And I have come across instances where no service charge was on the bill.

bvlenci

Let's put it this way: Italians don't tip, unless they're *very* impressed with the service. In touristic areas, waiters are beginning to expect tips, especially from American tourists.

I live in a rural area, where they're likely to run after you saying, "You forgot to take your change!" I've actually seen that happen, more than once.

nytraveler

Sorry - I have not spent my life drinking "big gulps". We avoid chain restaurants unless stuck on a highway with no other place to eat.

However, when the OP asks about "family restaurants" I'm assuming that they eat in a lot of chain places which often offer unlimited soda refills and a lot of teens easily drink 2 or 3 large sodas at a sitting. Even at 3 euros for a mini-soda that means at each meal the teens can easily run up 20 to 25 euros just for soft drinks alone. So this is $28 or more per meal versus the 44 total they are used to.

It's only fair to make the adults aware of this so they can plan in advance how they will handle this - as in asking for tap water etc.

nytraveler

Sorry - the $4 they are used to in many US "family restaurants".

PalenQ

FLUNCH is really popular with French families - an all you can eat for everything but meat dishes - self-serve from a buffet and about the cheapest way to each out in Paris - typical French family fare - something kids will love - even the french fries.

They are all over France.

https://www.google.com/search?q=FLUN...w=1455&bih=977

topeater

Paris is a huge city. Include where you are staying and ask about restaurants in that area. Paris is full of reasonable, good restaurants located everywhere! You could get several recommendations from posters and none of them might be close to you.

Christina

Given the kids are teenagers, I'm not sure what they mean by family restaurants, either -- with little kids, I get the idea. You don't want some fancy place where people don't usually take children, nor even a quiet, small bistro where that is not the norm. I know Paris but not the other places, and I agree with the Chez Clement recommendation. good food, wide menu, pleasant atmosphere. Mid-priced.

I don't agree with the concept that teens should be encouraged to drink alcohol, and it's just not true that wine is so much cheaper than a Coke in Paris, for example. Yes, a drink of Coke can be $4, but so is a glass of wine. Sometimes in some cheap restaurants, the very cheapest wine can be 1-2 euro cheaper than a soft drink, that is true (but a glass of wine is often about 5 euro or more, depending on what you ask for). But bottled water, including Badoit or Perrier, costs the same as Coke. Only tap water is free.

nytraveler

Sorry to give the wrong impression - teen daughters were not drinking a glass of wine to save money - they actually preferred water (bottled) to sodas - we just think a glass of wine with dinner is fine for teens. Helps teach them to drink responsibly - so when they're on their own they don;t try to down a whole of pint of Ye Olde Sweatsocks - as many older HS and college kids do.