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Despite the invasion of American fast food chains and a youth culture that is more open to Anglo influences, the traditional French eating habits still live on, even though many have predicted their downfall.

France is still a country where eating is seen as pleasure rather than just giving the body what it needs to get through the day.

As a result the French have a different way of doing things than many other countries. Here are a few of the eating habits we could all learn from.

Fixed meal times and no snacks

The French have always stuck to three meals a day and generally don't do food outside these set meals. Children usually have a small snack or goûter after school - a piece of fruit or a cake - but this is limited to a specific time, and adults generally don't snack.

For the French it's OK to be hungry between these three meal times and it doesn't mean raiding the fridge or going out to buy chocolate.

An American sociologist visiting France in the 1950s took offence and thought that setting meal times was for animals in the zoo. Well if that's the case, when it comes to food the zoo is far better than the wild.

(Photo: Malcolm Slaney/Flickr)

Some would say the custom has its drawbacks, and the limited opening hours of French restaurants are one reason for the huge popularity of fast food chains, but the fact many of the fast food chains are deserted between meal times shows the three-a-day culture has stuck.

Lunch more important than dinner

For the French the main meal of the day is lunch, with dinner sometimes just reduced to an afterthought. It makes sense to given that we've got most of the rest of the day to get through and more time to digest the meal. A recent survey suggested the French take more time for lunch than other countries. Although it also means many are falling asleep at their desks apparently.

Eating together

The reason why the three meals a day regime lives on is because the French like to eat together. And that's not just families, it goes for work colleagues too. While in the UK or the US, a colleague would likely say "Just popping out for a sandwich", in France your colleagues might see that as strange, sad, or even rude.

The Crédoc consumer studies and research institute reported that 80 percent of meals are taken with other people. For the French eating is simply something that is far better shared.

Even socially the French are more likely to go out for dinner than drinks. It's almost unthinkable to go "for a few drinks" on a night without having dinner. Eating is certainly not cheating on a Friday night in France.

Smaller portion sizes

Many studies have shown that if we are given more food, we eat it - regardless of whether we are already full. Americans in particular are famed for their gigantic servings, and with more people leading largely sedentary lifestyles than in the past, they're consuming more calories than they need.

Photo: stu_spivack/Flickr

You may feel a bit ripped off when a Parisian cafe gives you a stingy-looking portion, but you'll probably also notice that it fills you up anyway.

Don't expect to come across an "all you can eat" deal in France. The French follow a different theory which is more like "all you need to eat".

There was uproar recently when French restaurants were forced by a new law to make doggy bags available in order to cut food waste. Chefs were affronted. They say there's never really been any need for them.

No children's menu

Restaurants in Anglo countries serve up cheap but not so nutritious meals like burgers and hot dogs to kids, but French children are expected to eat the same food as adults.

Photo: Riley Kaminer/Flickr

This instills healthy habits from an early age and encourages them to be more open to trying new foods - few allowances are made for 'picky eaters' as French parents teach healthy eating as a skill to be taught from a young age. Even in schools, healthy lunches are a priority and three-course, balanced meals are de rigueur in canteens.

Fresh fruit and veg

Traditional French cuisine relies on fruit, vegetables and meat either grown at home or from local farms. Of course, supermarkets now offer many imported varieties and the trend for processed ready meals are growing, but farmers' markets are still popular and there is a keen focus on the 'terroir' or origin of the food.

Photo: Gemma Billings/Flickr

Buying at least some locally grown food is not only good for the environment, but is generally better for you as it is fresher and has had less time for nutrients to be lost.

Just add water

Still or sparkling water is the preferred accompaniment to a meal.

Photo: Roman Boed/Flickr

Obviously many French will also have wine with their meals - but it will be normally be a small glass or two and not the size a bucket, like you see in the UK. Apart from giant wine glasses another thing you will rarely see on a dinner table in France is a pint of beer or fizzy drinks.

Eat at the table

Food is made to be savoured and it's also made to be eaten at the table. Well at least that's what the French think and we're right behind them. And the same even goes for kids too. The French introduce them to the table from a very young age, so they get to know it quite well, by the time it comes to taking them to a restaurant.

Here it's far less common to see people eat a meal at their desks or slumped in front of the TV.

Take your time

One study from 2010 revealed the French spend two hours and 22 minutes each day eating. Essentially that's because they like it. While we understand that being trapped at the table for hours during a French dinner party can feel like torture, they do have it right when it comes to taking the time to eat.

How often do you get asked to hurry up and vacate your table in a French restaurant? Isn't that the way it should be?

Different courses

Rather than have one big main meal, the French, although the culture is changing slightly on this one, will often have the three traditional courses of start, main meal and desert. You can probably throw in the cheese too. That's because they are prepared to spend the time on eating.

The portions may be smaller, but no need to panic, you'll be full.

Fruit for dessert

The French may love their patisseries, but treats like eclairs or sugary cakes are usually reserved for special occasions.

Photo: Edsel Little/Flickr

In many English and American households it's a habit to have a pudding after most meals, but the French tend to steer clear of dessert, or opt for a healthy but filling choice like fruit or yoghurt.

No food on the go

You won't see many people in France walking with a coke in one hand and a baguette in the other. That's because they don't really like multi-tasking when it comes to food or coffee. They'd just rather sit down - and you can't blame them.

By Catherine Edwards

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The French eating habits the world should learn from

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Despite the invasion of American fast food chains and a youth culture that is more open to Anglo influences, the traditional French eating habits still live on, even though many have predicted their downfall. France is still a country where eating is seen as pleasure rather than just giving the body what it needs to get through the day.

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https://www.expatica.com/fr/insider-views/Top-10-French-foods-with-recipes_106720.html
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French people are taught to appreciate fine foods from a young age and to take great pride in their nation's culinary reputation. The foods typically eaten vary greatly by region, ranging from the game-based dishes of Normandy to the light, Mediterranean cuisine of Provence. The French eat three times a day with no snacking between meals. Breakfast is the lightest meal, usually consisting of just bread and coffee, and is followed by a large, leisurely lunch and four-course (or more) dinner.

French Meat Dishes

A typical French lunch or dinner centers around some form of meat, whether beef, pork, poultry or game. The French tend to buy meat fresh from the butcher, where they can inspect the piece before purchasing it and can haggle over the choicest cuts. Classic French meat dishes include Coq au Vin (cockerel in red wine), Cassoulet (beans stewed with pork, duck or mutton), Confit de Canard ("preserved" duck) and Steak Tartar (raw ground beef).

The French also have a great fondness for sausage and often eat charcuterie (sausage, ham and cold cuts) as a prelude to a main meal. In many regions of France, animal organs are a fundamental part of the traditional cuisine. Popular items include chicken gizzards, tripe, chitterling sausage, and foie gras (goose or duck liver pâté).

Typical Vegetables in French Cooking

In France, vegetables do not play a starring role in a meal; they are usually featured in a side dish or as a part of the main course. Despite their supporting-role status, the French pay careful attention to the freshness and quality of their vegetables. When the French buy vegetables at the market, they choose the ripest produce as opposed to the prettiest or most perfectly formed. They understand that the quality of the vegetable can make or break a meal.

Popular French vegetables include mushrooms (particularly porcini, morels or chanterelle), leeks, string beans, tomatoes, onions, and a variety of lettuces and leafy greens. Perhaps the most renowned French vegetable dish is ratatouille, a Provençal main dish made of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and a range of herbs.

Cheese in France

Cheese is an indispensable part of the French meal. It is always served after the main course and before dessert. The country is home to approximately 500 hundred different types of cheese with each region in having its own specialties. In Normandy, you are likely to eat Camembert and Pont-L'Eveque while in Burgundy you can expect to see plenty of Époisses and Chaource on offer. Brie, Beaufort, Chantal, Munster and Roquefort rank high with French diners.

French Breads

Baguettes are not just an iconic symbol of France, the French really do eat them frequently. They are a common accompaniment to every meal, including breakfast, when they are cut in half and spread with butter and jam (tartine au beurre). An equally iconic French bread is the croissant, usually eaten for breakfast with coffee. Breads in France are nowhere as diverse as the cheeses, although they range from crusty round loaves of white bread to dark nut-filled bread.

Dessert in France

Walking around the streets of any major French city, it is almost impossible not to be distracted by the glittering, jewel-like confections displayed in the windows of bakery and pastry shops. The more famous delights include chocolate éclairs (or vanilla, coffee or pistachio), Baba Rhum, tart tatin (upside down apple tart), mousse au chocolat (chocolate mousse), or Claufoutis aux Cerises (cherry flan cake). Despite the ubiquity of these desserts, the offerings seen in shops are usually only purchased for special occasions. On an ordinary night, the French are most likely to eat fruit for dessert.

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French people are taught to appreciate fine foods from a young age and to take great pride in their nation's culinary reputation. The foods typically eaten vary greatly by region, ranging from the game-based dishes of Normandy to the light, Mediterranean cuisine of Provence. The French eat three times a day with no snacking between meals.

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Funny french restaurant comparison video

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Funny french restaurant comparison video

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbFukZnVfg CW

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France: https://www.listenandlearn.org/blog/the-10-best-drinks-in-france-apart-from-wine-of-course/
US: https://www.topteny.com/top-10-most-popular-drinks-in-usa/

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Jade Gonzalez

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Shutterstock/Andrey_Popov

First, let's look at just the tip(ping) situation

Five years ago, as a precocious (aka dumb) 21-year-old dining in a Paris restaurant for the first time, I made the near-fatal mistake of slapping a $10 euro under my water glass. Before I walked out those bistro doors, I felt a firm tap on my shoulder.

"Monsieur, you for-got zis," my waiter said with the most stereotypically snooty French diction, handing me my folded bill. He was insulted by my gaucheness. I was insulted by his aversion to deodorant. We were even.

While the "no-tipping" movement is gathering steam in the States, it's been commonplace in Europe since... well, forever. Dining out there is free of the mental math, or the guilt of judging your servers. In many parts of Europe, being a server is a legitimate, respected, and salaried profession.

"In France, many people are working in restaurants because they want to work in a restaurant," said Daniel Eddy, executive chef of NYC's Rebelle. Eddy worked at Spring restaurant in Paris, so he knows the score on both continents. "It's not just about easy money, they're there for a love of food, or of wine, or the industry in general."

This can bring out the best sides of servers

Sarah Meade, owner of Westbound in Los Angeles, implemented a no-tipping policy based on the European model, compensating her service staff with "healthy wages and strong benefits."

"This creates an environment that lends itself to old-fashioned hospitality," she said. "Don't be shocked if you hold a full conversation with the head bartender or executive chef -- it was intended that way."

It also creates a more relaxed atmosphere

Occasional hostility aside, a no-tipping mandate lends itself to a more relaxed atmosphere. Servers won't remove your water cups passive-aggressively, or circle around a table as they wait to fill seats with fresh guests and new cash. It's not a numbers game. In my own experience as a dirt-poor student in one of the more expensive cities in the world, I'd spend hours milking one thimble-sized espresso in pursuit of free Wi-Fi -- no big deal.

Marian Weyo/Shutterstock

Chefs have room to be creative

Servers aren't the only restaurant workers reaping the benefits of the European system. Think of it this way: if the food world were a brain, American cooking culture would be the pragmatic left side, while EU chefs would be the creatively inclined right.

"I feel like a lot of the prolific chefs in Europe consider themselves to be artists, while many American chefs would rather be considered craftsmen," said Englishman James Lowe, the chef of Lyle's in London. "One of the major differences is the sheer size of many American restaurants. Some high-end restaurants in New York are turning 300, 400 tables a night. You will not see that over here."

"European dining culture is more open to innovation," said Lowe. "Look at Noma or Fat Duck or St. John's -- these are places that came along and changed the world. You don't get as many of those in the US maybe because of volume and pressure. In Europe, there's a lot more room for the quirkiness and idiosyncrasies that breed innovation."

Employees are saved from inevitable burnout

Lowe also credited the common practice of EU restaurants closing earlier, shutting their doors some days during the week, and sometimes even implementing month-long restaurant closures in the summer, to decreasing the "burnout" so many chefs and restaurant employees suffer from due to prolonged and intense work hours, stifling creativity.

Europe might even care about food (and drink) more than we do

The allusion of the Frenchman in a black and white sweater, riding a bike while chomping down on a baguette and guzzling a bottle of pinot is as tired as... well, anyone who would actually do that. But, there is some truth to the trope.

"I absolutely think there's a greater passion for food there, overall," Eddy said. "I mean look at France, food is their source of pride -- they understand the product. They care so much about what they eat, and being educated about what they eat. They expect more. This ripples throughout so much of European food culture."

And, one could argue EU chefs in general are a little more focused on food, rather than celebrity.

"The idea of the 'rockstar chef' really does come from America, doesn't it?" Lowe said. "I remember being in the States with a few European chefs, and we were blown away at how many chefs we met were kind of gunning to be on television before they even got far into the business. It was a 'whoa' moment for us."

Courtesy of 15 East

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Sorry, America. Europe Does Restaurants Better.

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Five years ago, as a precocious (aka dumb) 21-year-old dining in a Paris restaurant for the first time, I made the near-fatal mistake of slapping a $10 euro under my water glass. Before I walked out those bistro doors, I felt a firm tap on my shoulder.

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https://www.thelocal.fr/20160503/what-france-can-teach-the-world-about-healthy-eating-diet-french-food-cuisine-

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About-France.com - the connoisseur's guide to France

Eating out in France : how much does it cost? Compared to the UK, French restaurants generally offer excellent value. When eating out, most people opt for a "menu", rather than choosing à la carte (dish by dish), though this is normally possible too. In 2021, average rates for a "Menu du jour" (menu of the day) in traditional restaurants were normally in the range of 14 € to 22 €. That's for a three-course meal. Bread is always included as well. A menu du jour normally offers a limited choice.
In chain restaurants such as Flunch, Courtepaille or Buffalo Grill, the cheapest menus may start at under ten Euros for a meal including typically a side plate of salad, a main course such as steak and chips and a desert. A glass of wine or beer or a soft drink may be included too.
Average prices depend on local factors, including the competitive environment, and the neighbourhood. Many restaurants now offer an alternative and cheaper two-course option, "Entrée + plat" or "Plat + dessert" (starter and main course, or main course and dessert).
In many restaurants, the Menu du jour is only available for lunch: in the evening, it is necessary to choose a more expensive menu or choose à la carte. Most respectable restaurants offer a menu of some sort in the region of 20 €.
In gourmet restaurants, menus can be quite a bit more expensive; but gourmet meals are often served at unbeatable prices in quite ordinary restaurants too, and there are plenty of "gastronomic" restaurants even in a city like Lyon, that offer a basic gourmet menu at lunchtime and maybe also for dinner too for between 20€ and 25 €.
"Menus" include bread, and restaurants are obliged by law to provide a tap water free of charge (une carafe d'eau du robinet) if requested. They may also include a small carafe of wine. Coffee is normally extra. Check the wine list carefully; restaurants make big mark-ups on the wine, but there are usually house wines avaialble, if you go to the end of the wine list.

A sample menu to give you an idea ... Here is a sample three-course lunchtime menu as offered in a gourmet restaurant in a small French town in July 2021. Each restaurant will, of course, be different.

Entrées / Starters
Terrine du Chef, petite compotée d'oignons (Home-made terrine with onion chutney)
or Bavarois d'asperges vertes sauce vinaigrette coriandre cumin façon mayonnaise, chips de jambon du pays (Asparagus mousse with a cumin and coriander mayonnaise and shards of local ham)
Plats principaux / Main courses
Suprême de Pintade Label Rouge du pays en Croûte Rouge, Gratin Dauphinois (Free range local guinea-fowl in pastry, with a potato gratin.)
or Jarret de Boeuf à façon du pays, haricots verts pommes vapeur (Shank of beef local style, French beans and steamed potatoes.)
Desserts
Glace Melba vanille artisanale fruits de saison au romarin (Locally made vanilla ice-cream melba with seasonal fruit, flavoured with rosemary)
or Crème Brulée à la confiture (caramel cream with jam)

What do people eat in France? When do people eat? What are the best French specialities? These are questions that hundreds of thousands of people ask each year. France is famed as a world leader when it comes to fine eating - known to the French as "gastronomy" and known the world over by the French expression "haute cuisine". The English translation of "haute cuisine", which might be "good cooking", somehow lacks the sophistication and je-ne-sais-quoi of the French expression.
This no doubt explains why the field of good cooking and eating is one of the few in which it is French terminology that conquered the world, not English words or Americanisms. But as you will see below, the English language has become firmly established in the terminology of everyday eating out, and visitors to France can go to "un snack" or "un fast food", to eat "un hot dog", pronounced [ern ot derg] or " des chips" [ day sheeps] (which, in French, mean potato crisps, not French Fries)....

Wining and dining - eating out in France

Meals and meal times in France

As in most countries, there are three meals in a normal working day in France. These are:

* Breakfast - le petit déjeuner [ler peutee day-zheu-nay]. In most cases (at home or in hotels), this will consist of bread, butter and jam, or croissants, perhaps some cereals and / or a glass of orange juice, and a cup of tea or a cup or bowl of coffee or hot chocolate. Older generations often drink their breakfast coffee or chocolate from a bowl, younger generations (and hotels) tend to use cups or mugs. At breakfast, coffee tends to be drunk as a long drink, often with milk, as café au lait, not as the small black expresso coffee that is preferred at other times of the day.
* Lunch - le déjeuner. Many places open for lunch as from 11.30 a.m., and continue serving new customers until about 1 p.m. Travellers looking for lunch later than 1.15 p.m. may have to try several restaurants before finding one that will serve them, or else make do with a self-service restaurant, where times are generally more flexible.
A typical French lunch will consist of: a starter ( une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, some terrine or paté. A main course, ( le plat principal), typically a choice of meat or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; a cheese course (often a selection of local cheeses) and/or a dessert. Desserts are sometimes not detailed on the menu, so you have to listen to the waiter. Common choices include: fruit tart (such as apple tart, tarte aux pommes), crème caramel, ice-cream ( glaces) . Coffee at the end of the meal is an optional extra.
Many restaurants offer a special fixed lunchtime menu, with limited choice, called le Menu du jour;some propose just a special day's main course, called "plat du jour" [plar dyu zhoor] in addition to the staple items offered on the menu. These are often worth choosing, as they frequently represent very good value.
Almost all restuarants offer a choice between a free choice of things to eat (eating à la carte), and a choice of different menus; depending on the restaurant, the menus may include some very sophisticated dishes.
* Dinner le diner. In a French home, dinner - which may or may not be the main meal of the day - is generally eaten between 7.30 p.m and 8.45 p.m. (The main French TV channels schedule their main evening programmes to start at 8.45, after dinner is finished). In town and city restaurants, dinner service often does not start until 8 p.m.; however some restaurants such as self-service restaurants, and restaurants in small towns or the country, start serving earlier. For more details, see the next section.

Tipping in restaurants in France

This is a subject that seems to cause endless argument on travel forums.... Should I tip in a restaurant in France, and if so how much?
Some travel forums seem to be occupied by cheapskate folk righteously trying to justify not tipping in restaurants in France. As if the fact that waiters in France get social security and medical cover as part of their minimum-wage work contract meant that they didn't need to be tipped! Everyone in Europe gets social security and medical cover as part of their work contract. It's not a perk.
The fact is that tipping in restaurants in France IS the norm - but there is no fixed rate. And you can't add it onto the bill as a discretionary - or demanded - extra when paying with a credit card, as you do in North America. A normal tip in France will amount to up to 10% of the bill, left discreetly on the table in coins or small notes. That is in addition to the "service compris" which nowadays is basically a service charge, not to a tip.
The ten per cent tip is a normal way of acknowledging good service and/or good food in a restaurant. If service is poor, leave less; but if it is slow because the waiter is worked off his or her feet serving more people than he or she can cope with, don't add insult to injury by not leaving a tip!
In self service restaurants, tipping is not expected, though many people will leave a Euro or two on the table or in a basket for this purpose as a "thankyou" to the staff. Finally, in cafés a small tip is always appreciated though not so much of a norm.

Eating out: traditional restaurants

As stated above,a meal in a typical French restaurant will consist of: a starter ( une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, some terrine or paté. A main course, (le plat principal, pronounced [ler plar pranseeparle]) typically a choice of meat or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; a cheese course (often a selection of local cheeses) and/or a dessert. Desserts are sometimes not detailed on the menu, so you have to listen to the waiter. Common choices include: fruit tart (such as apple tart, tarte aux pommes), crème caramel, ice-cream (glaces). Coffee at the end of the meal is an optional extra.
For special fixed lunchtime menus, called le Menu du jour, see above.
It is in the evening, for dinner, that French restaurants often pull out all the stops. Even on weekdays, an eating out in the evening can often be a long-drawn-out affair, and diners can easily spend between two and three hours at the table. Dining out, in France, is an evening's event, not just a means to avoid feeling hungry; it is highly unusual to find restaurants that chivvy their clients to eat up, pay up and leave, as may happen in some other parts of the world.
The menu will contain the same stages as the classic three/four-course menu indicated above, but may well include five or six courses, with the addition of an " hors d'oeuvre" [or d'eur-vreu] at the start, and a light green salad or a sorbet between courses. In the best restaurants, diners will be expected to start with a pre-meal drink (an apéritif), which will be accompanied by little home-made snacks, which the French call des amuse-bouche or des amuse-gueule [dayz amuse-girl] - a word that has on occasions been misinterpreted by unsuspecting foreign diners - but really means things to whet your appetite.
The number of courses, and the quality of the food, will depend on the reputation and nature of the restaurant, and also on the cost of the menu or à-la-carte dishes chosen; but in any self-respecting restaurant, the cooking will be done using fresh ingredients, and the chefs will take pride in their work.

"Nouvelle cuisine" ?

Many French restaurants - and at the top end of the scale, virtually all of them - have adopted " nouvelle cuisine". In this, the accent is very much on quality, taste, originality and presentation, rather than on quantity. While the staple of traditional French cuisine might be something like a plate laden with " steack frites", steak, french fries and french beans (common in restaurants serving workers and truck-drivers), the main dish in a nouvelle cuisine restaurant might be something like fine slices of roast beef, with asparagus in an original cream sauce, with a small portion of pilau rice and two cherry tomatoes - this being carefully arranged on the plate and completed with some form of edible decoration.

Snails & Frogs legs?

Those classic dishes that foreigners love to associate with France, snails and frogs legs, belong more to the traditional cuisine than to nouvelle cuisine; but they are not everyday fare in France! Like many things, they belong to France's deep rural tradition. Both are indeed tasty, though with snails it is really the butter-parsley-and-garlic sauce that is the great taste, and with frogs' legs, the taste is not very different from crunchy chicken wings. Note: most of the frogs legs consumed in France are imported, and the decline in the frog population in certain Asian countries, due to a lucrative export market, has been - and is - an ecological disaster.

Other places to eat in France

Due to the good quality and variety of eating experiences offered in traditional restaurants, France has less in the way of international cuisine than some other countries; but with the globalisation of taste and culture, this is changing quite fast.
Self-service restaurants in France: Les "self": Self-service restaurants are known in France as cafeterias or as just "selfs". They can be found in motorway service areas, some big stations, city centres, and in most large superstores on the outskirts of town. They provide food of reasonable quality, but for logistical and price reasons use more processed food than independent restaurants do.
Diners. American-style diners are not part of the traditional French dining out environment; but they do exist. The most popular chain, with outlets in car-friendly suburban locations (near shopping centres or hotel zones) is the distinctly American-themed Buffalo Grill, where the waiters will even ask you what kind of dressing you want with your side salad. Buffalo Grill is cheap and cheerful, a kind of Franco-American steak house. Another chain is "Courtepaille" (short straw), which has been around since the 1960s. Their restaurants are mostly located beside main roads; some are on motorway service areas. The original Courtepaille restaurants had thatched roofs, newer ones have grey metal roofs
Cafés, bistrots, brasseries: these are all traditionally drinking establishments, but like pubs in the UK, they have increasingly turned to serving sandwiches and light (and in some cases even substantial) meals, notably at midday.
Fast food has invaded France at a pace (though nothing like the pace of some other countries), and there are McDonald's all over the place. The local French (well, actually it's Belgian) chain of hamburger and fast-food outlets is called Quick. There are plenty of other independent fast-food outlets, sometimes with weird pseudo-English names such as "Big-Ban", "Royal Fast Food" "Mister Good Fast" or "Le Fast Fast" (fast food for those on a diet?)
Pizzerias can be found in virtually all French towns, and also along main roads, though they tend to be independent establishments, rather than chains, though there are some chains. The French prefer traditional Italian-style pizzas, on a thin crust, and it is not common to find deep-pan pizzas. Good pizza restaurants operate on the same model as traditional French restaurants, offering three-course meals, where the main course is a pizza. It is very unusual to find pizzerias offering different size pizzas.
Italian restaurants: many pizzerias double up as Italian pasta restaurants
Chinese restaurants in France. Chinese restaurants are now common in French towns - though often they are actually Vietnamese restaurants. The food is of course oriental, but do not expect to find just the same choice on the menu as in an English or American Chinese restaurant; in France. Chinese restaurants are catering mainly for French customers, and this is reflected in the menu, particularly in the special three-course lunch or dinner menus. Chinese restaurants often offer good value for money, particularly with their set menus at lunch time.
Indian restaurants: these are not as common in France as in the UK. As with Chinese restaurants, French Indian restaurants reflect French standards and habits, often paying considerable attention to presentation, and providing an Indian variety of nouvelle cuisine.
Algerian Moroccan and Tunisian restaurants. These are quite common, on account of the links betwen France and North Africa. While many are quite basic restaurants, catering for France's north African community, others, more up-market, are sophisticated and offer a fine eating-out experience.
Food from other nations: in big towns and cities, many other types of ethnic food restaurants can be found, but elsewhere, apart from pizzerias and the occasional oriental restaurants, the eating is mostly "à la française".
Vegetarian food: while being one of Europe's big producers of fruit and vegetables, France is not a good place for vegetarian eating. On account of the generally good quality of food and catering, and the use of fresh products, vegetarianism never really took off in France. French vegetarians become outsiders in great French social events, such as family meals and evenings at the restaurant. Nevertheless, there are now vegetarian restaurants in many French towns (if you can find them), notably in university towns.

At home in France - eating "en famille" Family meals

Meals are still an integral part of family life in France, and the dining table is perhaps the most important piece of furniture in a French home. The French do not generally go in for pre-processed pre-conditioned ready-made food, but prefer to make meals from the raw materials - fresh meat and vegetables, and home made desserts. A traditional "family meal", such as Sunday lunch, or a meal to which guests are invited, can last two to four hours, or even longer in the country.
During the week, many people will eat a three-course meal at home every evening; though if all concerned - or most of them - get a full three-course meal at lunch time in the works canteen, in a restaurant, or at the school cantine (and, yes, a proper balanced-diet 3-course meal is standard fare in French school canteens), then the evening meal may often be lighter, a hot snack or pasta or something similar, followed by yoghurt or a dairy desert and fruit. The French eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, and a bowl of green salad may well be provided at every meal. Outdoor barbecues are very popular in suburban and rural France during the warm months.
Useful tips. Here are a few points that are useful to know if you are dining out, or inviting French visitors for a meal.

The French always eat bread with a meal, and the bread basket is an essential element on any table.

If there is a cheese course and a desert, the cheese course always comes first.; at least three different cheeses will usually be served. Cheese is eaten with bread, not with biscuits.

Don't confuse salt and pepper pots. In France, the salt pot has several holes, and the pepper pot just one. Alternatively, there may be coarse sea salt, considered of finer quality than ordinary salt, and pepper from a pepper-mill.

Glossary of vocabulary and useful words.

In more detail : click here for:
Understanding the menu: French English glossary of menu terms

(The pronunciation is indicated between square brackets)
Breakfast - le petit déjeuner [ler peutee day-zheu-nay].
Lunch - le déjeuner [ler day-zheu-nay]
Dinner - le diner [ler dee-nay].
A starter - une entrée [une on-tray]
The main course, le plat principal, [ler plar pran-see-parle]
A dessert, le dessert [ler dess-air]
Coffee: un café [ern caffay] (By default, this is espresso, a small strong black coffee)
Coffee with milk: un café au lait [ern caffay olay]
Big cup of white coffee, (a latte) : un grand crème [ern gron krem ]
A jug of water: une carafe d'eau [une caraffe dough]
A glass of water: un verre d'eau [ern vair dough]
A jug of red/white wine: une carafe de vin (rouge / blanc) [une caraffe deu van (rooje / blon)]
I'll take this menu: Je prendrai ce menu-ci. [jeu prondray seu menu-see]
Could you bring the bill please. L'addition, s'il vous plaît [la-dee-sio seel voo play]
Where are the toilets (washroom, etc): Où sont les toilettes, s.v.p? [oo son lay twa-let, seel voo play]

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Eating in France, restaurants, and the French way of food;

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About-France.com - the connoisseur's guide to France Eating out in France : how much does it cost? Compared to the UK, French restaurants generally offer excellent value. When eating out, most people opt for a "menu", rather than choosing à la carte (dish by dish), though this is normally possible too.