tammyjo

I was told that in Paris theres a restaurant called Flunch which is the French version of Old Country Buffet but with French foods. Is their food any good for first time visitors and is it all you can eat?

MorganB

Its a basic cafeteria chain with adequate food. Nothing of great interest. It is not all you can eat.

StCirq

Flunch is not all you can eat - I don't think the French have grasped that concept yet. It's pretty low-end stuff, but edible and inexpensive. It's not where I would choose to eat as a first-time or many-time visitor, as there are so many other better options, but I did take my kids to one once in Bordeaux because it was there when we were hungry and we didn't feel like traipsing around looking for something better.

Sher

It is about the same quality as OLd Country Buffet but not all you can eat.
We had lunch there somewhere in Provence because we were hungry also and in a hurry.
It is fairly inexpensive and has a large selection of food.
I wouldn't seek one out, but it was fine for what it was.

TPaxe

Thank God the French have not "grasped" the "all you can eat" concept.

60% of Americans are obese because of this disgusting habit.
PS: I'm from the US.

elberko

tammyjo,

If the person who recommended Flunch is the same one who recommended "Hotel dog droppings", perhaps you should get travel info elsewhere...

capo

It's the Very Old Country Buffet.

They serve inexpensive -- and, as Morgan said, adequate -- food that, regardless of what food snobs may say, won't kill you or make you sick. I've actually heard rumors that real French people eat there.

Ziana

???
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

But it is OLD

Travelnut

We've eaten at a Paris 'Flunch' a couple of times. It's a good inexpensive place especially if you've got kids. (no, it isn't a high-quality French restaurant, but it has decent, affordable, edible food with lots of choices). Good for if you need to balance the budget with plain fare in order to splurge on a couple of nice restaurants, for instance. Has a salad bar, fruit bar, menu with 3-6 hot plates (steak/frites, for instance), cold case with wine, bottled water, or get a fountain drink with ICE. Circle around the 'cafeteria' area with your tray, pay the cashier, go sit and eat. Average price for one person probably 8-12 Euro. And, you can eat "French" there instead of McDonald's to avoid that onslaught of outrage

janeg

Tpaxe
Is that a travel related response? Or just afternoon meanness?

Elberko
Tasteless remark!

elberko

janeg,

My post referred to a previous post by tammyjo, which Fodor's eventually pulled. She posted the same thing on Frommers:

http://www.frommers.com/cgi-bin/[email protected]^[email protected]

cyberUK

Lighten up elberko, I thought the question posed on Frommer's was the funniest thing that I heard today

elberko

???
I thought it was funny, too.

Kavey

We eat at Flunch when we visit a particular supermarket on booze/ cheese runs.

We usually pick an overnight with a lovely restaurant for the evening meal and just have a ligh meal at the Flunch within the supermarket complex.

The "eat all you want" thing is referring to their salad buffet which comes included as a starter with most main meals or can be purchased in itself. It's a nice salad buffet with a nice range of salads and pates.

All fairly standard stuff, not gourmet, nothing special, but perfectly palatable and adequate for a quick meal.

capo

So does the "F" in Flunch stand for Français? Or Fried? Fantastic? Foolish? Forgettable?

Christina

I think it is okay to eat in a place like that for lunch when you don't want to spend a lot of time or money. I like another French cafeteria chain which is near the Flunch at Les Halles, Melodines. I think their food (Melodines) is actually pretty decent, just as good as many cafes, and the price is right. I wouldn't eat dinner at Flunch myself.

Flunch has been around many years, and is from English -- the f is for fast... fast lunch.

Seamus

Several years ago at a bistro in the Montparnasse area where they featured "American breakfast" - bacon, eggs, pancakes, home fries, etc. - the waitress told us they had a problem figuring out wording for free refills on the coffee, that the concept was just totally unheard of at the time. They settled on <<a volonte>>, I believe.

Singletail

I am not certain that a place like this could survive economically if "real" French people didn't eat there.

These Flunch places have never claimed to be any sort of "upscale" eating place but their food is perfectly adequate if you like the selections.

And, let's face it, the folks who are doing the "booze and cheese" (now THAT's great nutrition!!!!!) have agreed that it won't kill you.

I'm sure there are better options but sometimes when you are in a hurry these places are lifesavers (no pun intended).

Kavey

Although the Flunch I go to is in a location that sees many UK visitors (for the supermarket) the majority of fellow customers are indeed French.

Kavey

Oh and Singletail, we don't actually go there to just sit and drink booze and eat cheese!!!

Popping over to France from the UK to shop is often referred to as the "Booze Cruise" since so many only buy alcohol because the tax differences mean greatest savings on that. When I mentioned it I also included cheese to round it out a little! Actually we buy wine, cider, biscuits, cheese, chocolate, vinegars and dressings and all sorts of other things but I didn't think my shopping list was necessary in order to evaluate the advice I gave.

The restaurants we eat in for dinner are very nice indeed and a world away from Flunch.

But we're not too snobby to insist or pretend that we're above other more down-to-earth venues for lunch.