One of the joys of visiting France is eating out. Oui in France have an interesting article about French Restaurants - their tips will help you enjoy and get the most from gastronomic visit. Extract from article:General info on restaurants in France
Dinnertime is never before 7 p.m. at the absolute earliest
If you want to look like a tourist, go eat dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tom rolls his eyes when I say I’m hungry before 8 p.m. Early dinners just aren’t part of the culture here, and in many restaurants, you cannot get a reservation before 8 p.m. for dinner. So what do you do? Snacks. Lots of ‘em. Many restaurants in France are NOT open all day
They close in between lunch and dinner. In touristy areas in Paris, restaurants are open all day long, but in the country, this is not the norm. So if you’re looking to have a late lunch at a specific restaurant, call ahead. No coffee to go in France No take out coffee
Unless you’re in Paris and go to Starbucks, the concept of taking coffee to go in a paper cup is unheard of and not part of French culture. Coffee is not sold to go in bakeries or cafes, so if you want your morning cup of java (and you aren’t in Paris), be prepared to sit down at a cafe or make it at home. No doggy bags
At restaurants in France, do not ask for your meal to be wrapped up if you have leftovers. Many establishments will find this rude and might oblige out of politeness but many will absolutely refuse. Spare yourself the embarrassment and don’t even ask. Ordering info at restaurants in France
Entree is the appetizer:
An entree in French is the appetizer. The plat principal is the main course. Also, a fun side note is that French people LOVE to get dessert. Many restaurants offer formules/menus that consist of several courses which end up being cheaper than ordering a la carte. So whichever option you choose, be French and make sure you indulge in dessert. Meals start with an aperitif
Waiters usually ask if you’d like an aperitif, a beverage that is usually alcoholic and consumed before your meal comes, before ordering. They’re not asking for your drink order with your meal here (so don’t tell them water at this stage). The aperitif is a beverage course and is sometimes served with a little snack consisting of crackers or nuts. In many cases, it’s fine to say no thank you, but waiters just about always ask if you’ll be ordering an apero and it’s certainly part of French culture. If you want tap water, you need to ask
At restaurants in France, if you want regular tap water, you need to ask for une carafe d’eau. Otherwise, if you don’t ask, water won’t be brought to you automatically. When you do ask for water, make sure you don’t just say de l’eau s’il vous plait if you want regular tap water. Most waiters will bring you a brand name bottled water and might not even ask. You’ll realize your mistake when you see the extra 10 euro charge on your bill. French restaurant tips
If you need more water, wine or bread, you have to ask
In most French restaurants, you won’t receive a refill on anything unless you specifically ask for it.Paying at restaurants in France
You have to ask for the check to pay
It doesn’t automatically come and in most cases, you can sit at a table for as long as you want.
It’s normal to get up and just go to the register to pay.More Tips: Restaurants in France: Things you might not know about dining out Video: Ordering in France with a Diet in Mind
Dinnertime is never before 7 p.m. at the absolute earliest
If you want to look like a tourist, go eat dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tom rolls his eyes when I say I’m hungry before 8 p.m. Early dinners just aren’t part of the culture here, and in many restaurants, you cannot get a reservation before 8 p.m. for dinner. So what do you do? Snacks. Lots of ‘em. Many restaurants in France are NOT open all day
They close in between lunch and dinner. In touristy areas in Paris, restaurants are open all day long, but in the country, this is not the norm. So if you’re looking to have a late lunch at a specific restaurant, call ahead. No coffee to go in France No take out coffee
Unless you’re in Paris and go to Starbucks, the concept of taking coffee to go in a paper cup is unheard of and not part of French culture. Coffee is not sold to go in bakeries or cafes, so if you want your morning cup of java (and you aren’t in Paris), be prepared to sit down at a cafe or make it at home. No doggy bags
At restaurants in France, do not ask for your meal to be wrapped up if you have leftovers. Many establishments will find this rude and might oblige out of politeness but many will absolutely refuse. Spare yourself the embarrassment and don’t even ask. Ordering info at restaurants in France
Entree is the appetizer:
An entree in French is the appetizer. The plat principal is the main course. Also, a fun side note is that French people LOVE to get dessert. Many restaurants offer formules/menus that consist of several courses which end up being cheaper than ordering a la carte. So whichever option you choose, be French and make sure you indulge in dessert. Meals start with an aperitif
Waiters usually ask if you’d like an aperitif, a beverage that is usually alcoholic and consumed before your meal comes, before ordering. They’re not asking for your drink order with your meal here (so don’t tell them water at this stage). The aperitif is a beverage course and is sometimes served with a little snack consisting of crackers or nuts. In many cases, it’s fine to say no thank you, but waiters just about always ask if you’ll be ordering an apero and it’s certainly part of French culture. If you want tap water, you need to ask
At restaurants in France, if you want regular tap water, you need to ask for une carafe d’eau. Otherwise, if you don’t ask, water won’t be brought to you automatically. When you do ask for water, make sure you don’t just say de l’eau s’il vous plait if you want regular tap water. Most waiters will bring you a brand name bottled water and might not even ask. You’ll realize your mistake when you see the extra 10 euro charge on your bill. French restaurant tips
If you need more water, wine or bread, you have to ask
In most French restaurants, you won’t receive a refill on anything unless you specifically ask for it.Paying at restaurants in France
You have to ask for the check to pay
It doesn’t automatically come and in most cases, you can sit at a table for as long as you want.
It’s normal to get up and just go to the register to pay.More Tips: Restaurants in France: Things you might not know about dining out Video: Ordering in France with a Diet in Mind
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