What NOT TO DO when EATING OUT in France: Restaurant Etiquette and Table manners French Culture Tips

The last time I was in Paris at a brunch, I distinctly remember having to ask for EVERYTHING individually. You would think at a brunch they would bring croissants butter or oil, utensils, offer coffee and juices. Nope. You ask for bread, then you ask for butter, then you ask for utensils, then you ask for coffee, then you ask for milk/creme, then you ask for jelly/jam, then you ask for orange juice, then you ask for napkins. It was infuriating.

Welp…I just found this video and the one with cheese etiquete after two weeks in France 😢 Yes…I made most of the mistakes that you mentioned, no one yelled at me but I certainly got the looks lol at least I enjoyed all my meals. Thank you for the videos, I’ll make sure I review them once again next time I’m in France😊

Lovely video! You mentioned not using your hands to eat steak and fries but how about a burger and fries? Are you okay to use your hands then?

Hi! Great video and you resemble English singer Adele a bit, amazing?!

I was going to call out "Garcon" and snap my fingers. lol jk

Thank you. This is a very enjoyable video. 😊

This was so helpful. Thank you!

Great video! The only one I would add is to explain why the French do not put their hands under the table while they’re eating. Americans are taught at a young age to not put their elbows on the table and to keep their hands in their laps. My French friends told me about this years ago - that hands/elbows on the table are fine! Is that true?

She sounds American, not French

Face it ; You just don’t want Americans to come to France anymore 😂

Very helpful

That is the rule most part of the world!

My German friend was telling me about their Frankfurt etiquette, when to eat what style etc...

Another very funny thing about restaurants in France is most of the time for lunch you can pick a "Formule" which is a starter, main course, dessert for a very raisonnable price and it always comes with a carafe of home wine. For them they serve you bottom shelves wine but for us (im french Canadian) its amazing!!!(like cabernet sauvignon or bordeaux).

At my first trip to Paris, i made the most embarrassing mistake. I asked for a glass of milk with my dessert. The waiter looked at me like i was an alien. I was in my 20's and i wasn't drinking coffee at that time. Hihihi
Now i love to enjoy my "cafe creme" with my tarte tatin or simply a good glass of wine.

Not totally true about noise. I was at le clerc the 7th arrondissement eating dinner with my daughter. There were many young french people next table, very close to us talking loudly to catch our attention by speaking English, but I recognized they are french by the accent. I was in french school from la maternelle to le baccalaurea. Nowadays french are loud too, not as the old time generation. They intend to copy american manners.
Overall the french culture is more relaxed than american where everything is a rush, even in a course dinner. They don't rush customers but we can tell by the attitude to get rid of us asap after the plates are emptied, except for the michelin star restaurants where you pay over a thousand+tips for a 5 course meal for 2 (tip alone is over 150 dollars). Will be moving soon to live in France or italy (Florence). Merci pour les informations tres utile.

Wonderful lesson. We are visiting France for the 4th time this year. We try very hard to be respectful of local tradition and custom. We have found the people there to be most helpful and accommodating of my limited French skills. This helps a great deal. Thank you!

From you very interesting video, I have to ask if the Parisian restauranteurs have ever heard of accomodating their clients?
I mean for goodness sake, if I wish some butter with my bread, surely as a paying customer that is my prerogative .
I don't expect to have to deal with the server's personal opinion of my choice.
In fact such a response would be actually quite rude.

From your video it seems that visitors have to mind their manners whilst the restaurant staff do not.
Are matters really as rigid as you imply ? 🤔
As a youngster visiting France I don't recall it being like that. In fact I remember staff being very helpful to my mother and us girls.
Perhaps things have changed greatly?

There is one thing to mention about "changing" the items on your plate for your own fun and liking, which is much more important to understand, than that Artistic side. Working in a pro kitchen means: Order in, Order given to chef, preparation by chef, setting on plate, service. Different sections in the kitchen are delivering components on that plate by simple "call" and they remember at least 20 Orders to different tables, which one person ensemble according to the plan. Any unnecessary interruption makes that well oiled system to be affected someway. Every hand movement, every breath has been calculated in that kitchen to bring food in wanted time and quality front of you to serve your table/party at once, so that everyone can enjoy that meal together...

excellent tips. Just perfect for our family who are going to Paris next week. Merci!

Merci beaucoup! Civilized behavior is always pleasant and welcome!🩷

Bonjour, I find that the French are becoming as fat as Americans. Why is that ? French women used to be beautiful and fit.

Thank you so much!! France is on my list of places to visit and I do NOT want to come across as rude. Your videos are very helpful!

Pretty much the same rules in Australia, I hope to go to French Canada next year so I assume the same rules apply.

Great info! Merci! 😊

Garçon is used in Türkiye. Garson. They have a lot of French words.

Bonjour, ça va? I am just starting to learn French, and the focus now is on the basic vocabulary our family can use while in France. We are super excited, and I am glad I found your channel and this video about restaurant etiquette! Can't wait to visit your country! Thanks again for the tip and you got one more subscriber =)
a Brazilian warm hug from Etats-Unis 🤗

Watching this as an Englishman it strikes me how many of these apply to the UK too. Except the bread. You don't get bread unless you ask for it and if you did they'd probably bring you butter too. Also the word 'entrée' is only used for the main course in the USA. In the UK an entrée is the same as in France although we tend to call it a 'starter' even if it's written 'entrée' on the menu. I've occasionally asked for dishes without the cheese for example but I wouldn't push it with altering the menu.
Last year I took an American visitor to a bar/restaurant to meet some friends and she said afterwards that quite a few things surprised her. Getting there on public transport, families eating with kids and the parents drinking alcohol, the fact that we were there for nearly four hours and that you don't get the bill (check🇺🇸) until you ask for it. Like in France we'd think it rude if a waiter just plonked the bill on the table.
Fascinating video.

Not rushing is the most difficult thing about French culture as an American with terminal ADHD.

The more money I spend the less I give a crap what they think.

I can guarantee they love my American money.

Merci beaucoup!

Thanks for sharing this video and helpful tips!😍

Garçon is almost regarded as an insult, s'il vous plaît +is the way to ask don't forget merci too

If you can, ask service people in their language, e.g., cab/Uber drivers, waiters & hotel staff who are the biggest tippers. We have a small sample, but in Mexico City and Barcelona Spain they all said Americans are the most generous. 🤔

Too many rules to go to France, here in America we accept all cultures, and how you are! 😅 I’ve done research on France and it just sounds like mainly anything offends, or are rude and arrogant!

J'adore cette vidéo! Je suis professeur de français aux Etats-Unis et je vais montrer cette vidéo en class pour mes eleves!

Your mobile on the table is rude in every culture!

wow cette vidéo m’a beaucoup aidé ! je suis une personne très anxieuse et j’ai toujours souhaité pouvoir trouver une vidéo qui explique tout et je l’ai enfin trouvée (: une question: quand on dit « l’addition svp » et « excusez-moi », c’est quand on établi un contact visuel avec le serveur ou la serveuse ou on ne les dit à personne spécifique ? ça me dépasse un peu. désolée si c’est une question bête haha. merci pour cette vidéo !

U definately will need that bread, concidering the size of dishes. Most men feel almost as hungry as before and the bread helps to fill ppl up 🤣🤣🤣.

Most of these are standards here in the US, it's just that most Americans [unfortunately] don't care.

I thought I knew a fair amt, but this is giving me a much BETTER education! Wonderful video :)

Is it polite to order more throughout the meal / ask for the menu again?

😍😍😍

I ordered milk with my dessert. They brought it to me in a creamer and when I went to drink it they were mortified. 😂😂. Also they didn’t ever bring enough water, Americans drink a lot more I think. And I did ask for butter at dinner. But I didn’t know it was a faux pas. We tried not to be loud and laugh to much. But I’m not sure we were successful. We definitely stuck out it was my husband and I with 8 ther woman so it was an odd group. But we had a blast.

Very helpful...merci'

These tips are good manners anywhere!

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