I totally agree Elmer is a gem!!!!!! The staff is so nice and the food is really wonderful. That's the price of quality!!!!!!

16 € for a burger.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-listeria.html
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3q2a1p
Man and his money are easily separated.

Not sure what that article has to do with any of this, but I had a rare burger in London last month. It was fantastic, and I am still alive. I think if you want a good burger you have to pay for it, guess I am one of those people money is easily separated from.

"Tipping is very American" and so is showing a little extra gratitude for a pleasant experience.

16 euros is about right for a good hamburger in PARIS. Here, if you pay more than 10, you're getting ripped off. Sometimes people forget that Paris is not France.

And yes, whether in Paris or the hinterland, it will bevery rare beef. You'll get over it.

Very true St. Cirq. I have seen those prices mainly in cities.

that 16 euros for a burger probably includes 20+% VAT however. And French pay their burger flippers a living wage - one reason I think restaurants and such are more expensive in Europe.

Jeez, Pal, where do you get your info? The 10 euro for the burger ALSO includes the tax, and it's not VAT and it's a 15% service charge. No matter WHERE you buy your burger.

Maybe just once in awhile you could connect with reality and facts?

<i>That's the price of quality!!!!!!</i>

That's the price the market will bear. I am beginning to feel sorry for people who think that only money can buy an excellent meal. I have been to small operations with only one person in the kitchen who can lay on a fabulous spread for very little money, and I have also had truly excellent meals at the homes of family members making do with what they can afford on truly miserable pensions. So please do not try to connect quality to the price you pay.

Pay a fortune if you want to, but I will not accompany you. One problem here is that a lot of people seem to think that eating in Paris justifies a minimum of a +50% price boost. If you eat out of the high rent districts, it all changes...

<<Next time however I will refrain from posting when I splurge.>>
Why should you? YOU spend your money the way YOU want. What others think isn't important.

You and I are in Belgium and we're used to paying pretty high prices for food, and especially for wine. A good glass at a middle class restaurant will cost at least 7 euro.
We're also used to paying for bottled water, be it plate or gazeuse.

As annhig, nous aussi on aime beaucoup to splurge on food and wine. So what?

Dank u Myriam !

Soms vind ik wat raar hoe sommigen reageren. Dan denk ik dat het mijn schuld is aangezien ik hier kies te schrijven.

Maar dan komen wat aangename woorden !

Gosh writing in Flemish with autocorrect on is not easy !

****I think restaurants and such are more expensive in Europe.****
Please there is no such thing as Europe. every country is different has different attitudes to life, different taxes, Different languages. When will these forum posters get that???

****That's the price the market will bear. I am beginning to feel sorry for people who think that only money can buy an excellent meal. I have been to small operations with only one person in the kitchen who can lay on a fabulous spread for very little money***
We travel regularly between Spain ans the Low Countries. Found some excellent stopping points where a meal full meal can be gained for surprisingly little money. Yes a few bad choices too.

Shannon; The reason why the articles are relevant is to illustrate to everyone that you can get food poising even from the best beef and that the over-sell is prevalent in the waiting trade. As said a man and his money are easily parted.

We would never eat under cooked egg products in Spain.

<<Soms vind ik wat raar hoe sommigen reageren. Dan denk ik dat het mijn schuld is aangezien ik hier kies te schrijven.

Maar dan komen wat aangename woorden ! >>

what, no nice words for me too, What?

je suis désolée.

Ook geen mooie worden voor mij. :(

. No matter WHERE you buy your burger.>

Uh uh -check your facts -MACDonalds says right on their menu xx% VAT included or is that a different tax. Guess that is a take out. Or has that changed since I was last in a McDonalds in Paris?

So no VAT(TVA) on restaurants - thanks for the correcto - as usual.

Cheers!

Ann and hetismij I also loved your comments.

I deeply apologize if I didn't convey it in my post but was focused on my countrywoman.

Ps : Vat is always included in Paris. Take out or not. And 'copperto' or any other extra for the bread or whatever brought to you.

kerouac on Jul 27, 16 at 11:58pm
"Frankly, if some pressed 90 euros into my hand and told me to spend it on food in Paris, I might keep 40 euros for a more than adequate meal and give the remaining 50 euros to something like Action contre la faim or MSF to feed people in Darfur and other such places."

Isn't travelling a luxury too? Aren't you better off donating that money to Africa?

Showing off your charity is as tasteless as showing off your wealth, in my opinion. Also, we have the right to spend our hard-earned money the way we want.

Showing off your charity is as tasteless as showing off your wealth, in my opinion. Also, we have the right to spend our hard-earned money the way we want.>

It was not hard-earned money but gift money out of the blue kerouac was talking about- I applaud him for his charitable instincts in this case and he did not say others should feel like doing the same.

90 euros is a different value to different folks - chump change for some - a huge amount for others- if you can spare it yes do the Christian thing and give to some less fortunate folks. If you can't don't.

Bravo to kerouac for his willingness to share an unexpected bounty and his point is that he can get just as good a meal for a lot less.

To further confuse the issue in case anybody thinks that Whathello is an overspender and that Kerouac is a pathological cheapskate, I would like to point out that we have dined together on a number of occasions to our mutual satisfaction and will continue to do so.

Thanks Whathello. As the saying goes life is too short to drink cheap wine.