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https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/american-vs-french-diet-10996.html

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https://www.ouiinfrance.com/starbucks-france-vs-usa/

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https://traveltips.usatoday.com/food-eating-habits-france-12279.html

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https://www.tripstodiscover.com/the-beginners-guide-to-french-dining-2/

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https://www.eater.com/2016/10/19/13307432/paris-dining-etiquette

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French Dining

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From childhood, the French are raised to appreciate the art of dining, and the many rituals that accompany it-even public school lunches include a cheese course. Part of the reason you're traveling to France is, presumably, to tap into that gastronomic reverence. But knowing how to do it right is tricky, particularly if you don't speak the language. Here's everything you need to know about Parisian restaurant etiquette, including some helpful phrases. Do as the French do, and you'll have a much better experience in Paris.

Say Bonjour, Always

Whether it's at the post office, a boutique, or a fine dining restaurant, say around 5pm. bonjour to every single person you interact with. France is formal in this respect, and it's considered rude if you don't acknowledge and greet people. You can use bonjour in the evenings as well, but some people will switch over to bonsoir merci or The only hard and fast rule? Don't forget to say hello. A few pleasantries can go a long way naturally so don't forget to say thank you with bonne journée for have a good day or bonne soirée, if it's evening.

For restaurants that accept reservations, reserve. Even a casual corner bistro can easily book up. It can be hard for diners to tell if a place requires reservations or not, so unless a restaurant specifically states on its website that it doesn't accept them, assume you'll need to book. How far in advance you'll want to reserve depends on the restaurant. For hotspots like Septime or Frenchie, you should call or check online weeks ahead; for more casual dining, call a day, or even just a few hours, in advance. French restaurants close more often than American ones, so making a reservation is also a good way to find out if they're open before you cross town.

Most reservations will require a phone call-restaurant websites in Paris are often just an address and a phone number. More often than not, you won't be able to book online, and you'll almost never be able to view the menu in advance. To phone in the reservation yourself, always begin with bonjour. If you'd like to reserve a table for two people on the 15th at 8 p.m., then the French phrase would be:

Je voudrais réserver une table (I would like to reserve a table)
pour deux personnes (for two people)
pour le quinze octobre (on the fifteenth of October)
à vingt heures. (at 20 o'clock.)

It's important to use the 24-hour clock to avoid confusion, so remember to add twelve!

If you make a reservation, honor it. Many restaurants in Paris do only one service a night, because the French like to linger. This means that for a small restaurant, a no-show can have real economic ramifications. If you must cancel, give as much notice as possible. (And definitely don't double book: Tourists are becoming infamous for making multiple bookings at hotspots on opposite sides of town, then deciding at the last minute which one they'll keep. This is poor form.)

Restaurants will want a phone number in order to confirm your reservation a day or two in advance-remember to give your country code, too. If you don't pick up when they call to confirm, you may show up only to find that your reservation has been given away. If you're worried about missing the call-or concerned about international roaming charges-be proactive and call the day beforehand yourself to confirm.

Many restaurants and shops will shutter for the day on Sunday or Monday. Lots of travelers go wrong here by not planning accordingly. Take a look at your list of places to eat, and if any are open on Sunday and Monday, take advantage and visit them on those days.

In August and, increasingly, the second half of July, Paris can be a ghost town. It often feels like the entire city has gone on vacation, with many restaurants closed for anywhere from 2-6 weeks. So if the goal of your visit is to eat your way across the city, consider visiting at a different time of year. The end of December, also popular with tourists, is a better bet, but can still be a little risky: Many restaurants close for Christmas and New Year's, which are family holidays when most people cook at home. If you opt to eat out, you'll most likely end up paying premium prices for fairly mediocre tasting menus. Rent an apartment with a kitchen instead, and shop in advance like the Parisians do.

Set eating hours are still firmly entrenched in French society. Lunch is generally served from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and most restaurants will serve dinner from 8 pm to 10 pm. Some restaurants may open earlier for dinner to cater to an international clientele, but most French people won't step foot outside a minute before. For meals outside those time frames, less formal options are a better bet. Wine bars tend to have more flexible hours, catering to patrons seeking a drink or a snack before or after their main meal; brasseries are open all day, with continuous service; and bakeries and patisseries are good options for late-afternoon snacks. It's fine to sit in cafés for hours as well, although it's good practice to pay rent for your table, so to speak, by buying a round of coffees or drinks every so often.

In France, the customer is not always right; in fact, the customer is usually wrong. The chef is an artist welcoming you into his or her studio, not a sycophant eager to please your whims, and restaurant professionals in both the kitchen and the dining room take pride in their expertise. Enjoy the guidance of the talented team in charge.

Don't Expect Too Many Accomodations

If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, let the restaurant know about them when you book, as Parisian kitchens are cramped and frequently don't have a lot of alternatives on hand. You'll have a better meal-and the restaurant will be more accommodating-if they can plan ahead.

On French menus ( . This is often confusing to Americans, for whom an entrée is a main course. While Parisians might keep it simple when dining at home, cartes), the word entrées means starters, and main courses are called plats when they go out to eat they tend to commit to the full three-course . It's frowned upon to order just two starters, or just a main course.

If you're not hungry enough for a three-course meal (although remember, portions tend to be smaller here than at home), it's better to head to a wine or tapas bar, where you don't have to follow the standard formula. The options at wine bars range from ambitious, high-end food to rustic platters of charcuterie or cheese.

It's perfectly acceptable to request tap water. If you go the bottled route, you can often end up spending more on water than you do wine. For tap water, ask for une carafe d'eau.

Don't expect bread and butter as an automatic starter. Bread will often arrive with your main course, to sop up sauces. Unless you're at a very high-end restaurant, it's unlikely that your table setting will include a bread plate- the expectation is that you'll put your bread directly on the table. This can feel strange at first, but you'll get used to it.

Cheese, if offered, tends to come at the end of the meal, right before, or in place of, dessert. Sometimes you might encounter a fresh cheese like a burrata among the entrées, and at a wine bar you're of course free to order cheese at any point.

Thanks to a relatively new French law, restaurants must now allow patrons to take their leftovers home, but it's still not common custom. You might get some weird looks if you request a doggie bag.

In France, it's considered rude to bring the bill ( l'addition) before a customer has specifically requested it. Whether at a corner café or a fine-dining establishment, you're allowed to linger for as long as you like. The only downside? When you're ready to go, you may have to be a little assertive to catch your server's eye.

The price of a meal in Paris includes service charges, so tips aren't required-but they are appreciated. Most French people wouldn't leave more than 5 percent, or 10 percent for very good service. There isn't a tip line on a credit card bill, so be sure to have cash on hand.

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From childhood, the French are raised to appreciate the art of dining, and the many rituals that accompany it-even public school lunches include a cheese course. Part of the reason you're traveling to France is, presumably, to tap into that gastronomic reverence. But knowing how to do it right is tricky, particularly if you don't speak the language.

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The French are notorious for their butter-clad, flour-filled meals, but they seldom feel the adverse side effect of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet like we do in the United States. In Mareille Guillano's book, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, she unravels many of the myths and secrets pertaining to this country's particular diet patterns and lifestyle.

Sorry, but spoiler alert: French people do much more to keep their bodies healthy than a lot of Americans do. It's time to start adopting some of their positive habits for a healthier, more positive perception of food.

1. Small portions make the stomach happy

The French eat a myriad of chocolate, bread, and even foie gras. So why don't they pack on the pounds like most of us do? They key is moderation. It seems as if the recommended serving sizes listed on many foods are just that: recommended.

But the French take these suggestions as requirements, and regardless of how delicious that fancy cheese is, they are only going to eat 1 oz of it, give or take. Not sure how to incorporate such a strict limitation into your diet? Get started with these tips and tricks to make this transition a whole lot easier.

2. Food is a social activity

Eating alone in France can be a big no-no. That's because most see dining as a social activity, not just a race to shove everything into your mouth all at once. Eating meals is also considered a full time activity, and is not something you do while scrolling through Facebook or finishing a last-minute homework assignment.

The next time you're with friends or family, try to be in the present. Don't look at your phone. Don't think about anything other than how lucky you are to be around such amazing people and equally as amazing food.

3. Lunch breaks are not 30 minutes or less

The French are serious about eating, and it clearly shows through the amount of time they spend just doing it. Most lunch breaks, even for school children, are at least 1-2 hours long. Pourquoi? Lunch is considered the main meal in France, and it usually entails a 3-4 course meal with copious amounts of fresh produce. Because eating is such a social activity, time is needed to chill and dine, and we think it's a pretty good idea.

4. What is fast food?

Sure, France has fast food restaurants like McDonald's, but most French food takes pride in is slowness. Stews boiled for hours, wine and cheese aged for year, you name it. The French have a knack for finding the joy in slow-prepared meals because they are not only more nutritious as opposed to their fast-food counter parts, but the food tastes exponentially better. Come on, we all know homemade chicken soup is way better than the canned version, right? My point exactly.

5. A diet consisting of mostly fats? Oui oui

While many Americans spend copious amounts of time and money looking for next low-fat diet trend, the French are laughing on the other side of the Atlantic while they enjoy a healthy portion of rib-eye steak. It's not that the French love to eat foods high in fat (which they do), it's more about the kind of fat they ingest.

Foods rich in unsaturated fats, Omega-3 fatty acids, and more are a regular staple in the French diet. This means things like olive oil, fish, beans, and eggs are a must-have on the daily. Try swapping out your fatty favorites for better substitutes, like adding avocado onto your toast instead of butter.

6. Snacking game on

Many Americans, including myself, have struggled to set a regular schedule for mealtimes. This usually means skipping a few meals and over-eating at the next best chance. Other than the fact of how unhealthy this is, it also does your a lot of damage to your body. The French set out time to eat up to six times a day, each meal time with a special name and purpose.

Breakfast, called pétit-déjeuner (literally: small lunch) is usually just a snack with a morning coffee. Then there's en-cas, which is a mid-morning snack, following by the largest meal of the day, déjeuner (lunch). After lunch, many children have a goûter, a snack time with juice and crackers. Adults can have an aperitif, which is served an hour before dinner to open one's appetite, and finally a dîner (dinner) to finish the day. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind spending most of my day eating like this!

7. Gotta savor each bite

In this story from NPR, the author explains how many French parents entice their children to try all types of foods, while her own American-raised daughter wouldn't eat anything other than white bread or pasta. She mentions how French parents always say, "You don't have to eat it all, just taste it." And voila, their children have become some of the most ethically diverse eaters in the world.

8. "Children's food" is not real

French children don't have their own menus when they go to restaurants. They eat what their parents eat, and that's that. At daycares, there are cheese courses - for the kids - with new cheeses everyday to tantalize their little taste buds. Many French children are also introduced to the kitchen at an early age, learning how to make many dishes and desserts like a pro. This is how so many French people grow up with a love for fresh fruits and vegetables, and not just pizza and ice cream 24/7. Oh, childhood.

9. Fresh, fresh, fresh

The amount of emphasis on freshness in French cuisine cannot be undermined. All of the flavor comes from the natural ingredients themselves, whether it be sweet tomatoes in the summertime, tart pears in the winter, or a 20-year old wine at any time of night. According to a study by SFgate, only 10% of American children get an adequate intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, while in France, over 40% of children do.

That could stem from how many French people have their own vegetable gardens, go to the market every morning, and eat meals that are so colorful, you could probably hang it on a wall (although it's not advised to do so).

10. Lunch is the most important meal of the day

Lunch in France is like the dinner in America - it's a pretty big deal. It's usually a hot three-course meal that lasts at least an hour long. Many health experts swear that eating your largest meal of the day during lunchtime, as opposed to dinner, helps in a number of health areas including weight control, digestion, decreasing levels of stress, and increasing levels of work or school productivity. Still skeptical? Try it for yourself and see if the ways of the French could benefit you.

It's interesting to note all the differences when comparing the French perception of food to that of America's. We all want to stay healthy, so why not try it the French way? What could be easier than getting healthier through good food and great company?

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10 Ways the French View Food Differently Than Americans

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The French are notorious for their butter-clad, flour-filled meals, but they seldom feel the adverse side effect of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet like we do in the United States. In Mareille Guillano's book, French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure, she unravels many of the myths and secrets pertaining to this country's particular diet patterns and lifestyle.

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https://www.thelocal.fr/20170328/things-you-should-never-do-when-dining-in-france

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https://qz.com/quartzy/1267968/le-doggy-bag-french-restaurant-culture-is-about-to-get-a-little-more-american/

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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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At a sunny cafe terrace in the Paris neighborhood of Aligre, I am trying to finish a giant croque-monsieur - a typical French ham and grilled cheese sandwich - but it's just atypically too big. So I get up to ask the manager if I can have a doggy bag for my leftovers.

"Un doggy bag?" he says. "No we don't have any containers."

When I point out that it may soon be mandatory for restaurants in France to provide them, he responds that he has no time for that - and no time to answer my questions either.

When I return to my table, someone has already cleared away my leftover croque-monsieur.

In France, even though millennials are getting used to the idea of taking home leftovers, asking for a doggy bag can still be a cultural faux pas. But the French government wants to crack down on food waste, especially in restaurants. A government study recently found that waste in restaurants is five times higher than in people's homes. So the French parliament has just approved a new rule that, if finalized, would make it mandatory for restaurants to supply takeout containers for customers who request them.

It's definitely not a French thing to do. And many tourists here are well aware of it.

"A doggy bag, where you bring leftovers home? I thought it was absolutely verboten," says Martha Palmer of Racine, Wisconsin, who is having lunch. She says she would welcome making the doggy bag a standard part of French dining. Palmer says she comes to France every spring with Ziploc bags hidden in her purse so she can sneak away with her leftovers.

"I do it under the table because I thought it was so improper," Palmer says. "I didn't want to hurt the chef's feelings or the waiter's feelings. You know, food is serious in France."

So if food is so "serious" here - so sacred - why is it that we can't honor it by taking it home when there is some left on our plate? What is the big taboo?

Chef François Pasteau runs the gourmet restaurant L'Épi Dupin in Paris, part of a group of restaurants here that offer "climate-conscious" menus. He says that there's a "psychological block" when it comes to asking to take home your leftovers.

"Customers feel embarrassed because they're afraid to look like cheapskates, like they can't afford to pay for another meal," Pasteau says. "They feel guilty about asking for a doggy bag, even though it would prevent food waste and would be smart to do so."

Pasteau shows me the compostable food containers made of corn pulp that he keeps on hand at his restaurant. But he says in the two years since the government began advocating the use of doggy bags to reduce waste, only about 10 customers a year have asked for one.

Other French chefs I have spoken to say that traditionally a restaurant meal is something to be experienced under the careful watch of its own chef. It's a matter of restaurant etiquette. There is a view in France that the concept of a dish belongs to the restaurant that created it, so when you take it home to reheat later, it's as if you were degrading a masterpiece and rearranging it haphazardly.

Another issue for restaurants is the prospect of a new regulation.

"Once again we're going to force a new regulation on owners and make them buy boxes," says Jean Terlon, who runs a restaurant near Paris. He's also affiliated with UMIH, a restaurant and hotel industry group.

Terlon says it's fine for Americans to embrace the doggy bag tradition, "but they don't fill plates the same way [in the US]. The concept of food is not the same."

It's true that portions have a lot to do with why you may not need a doggy bag in France, but you often do in the US. I should know. When I ate my first meal in New York City a couple of decades ago, I was overwhelmed by the enormous plate of bay scallops. But I felt completely humiliated when my friends asked for a doggy bag for me. I thought it was a joke at first, and then I almost died of shame when a friendly waiter brought my food in a bag.

Clearly, I'm over it now.

But even if France does go ahead with the proposed regulation, there is a still a major issue to address.

"The French care so much about their language. They've got to invent a better word than 'doggy bag,'" Martha Palmer says.

She's right about that. The proposed rule suggests "gourmet bag" or simply boîte-à-emporter, which just means "takeout box." Jean Terlon of UMIH prefers the name reste avec moi - a play on the word restes, meaning both "stay" and "leftovers."

"I am imagining the customer asking for a box of 'stay with me,'" Terlon says. "It's got a Valentine's Day ring to it."

Maybe there is a way to salvage the all-American doggy bag and turn it into something French, after all.

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The French may soon have to accept 'le doggy bag'

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At a sunny cafe terrace in the Paris neighborhood of Aligre, I am trying to finish a giant croque-monsieur - a typical French ham and grilled cheese sandwich - but it's just atypically too big. So I get up to ask the manager if I can have a doggy bag for my leftovers.

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A lot of people will say it is silly to talk about restaurant rules in Paris, because of course you do not have to follow rules. And many of these don't apply to a group of students going out to cafes. But a lot of Americans, even "foodies" who go to good American restaurants all the time, are anxious the first time they go to a nice restaurant in Paris. So I thought I would write a post about that. Feel free to disregard any of these "unwritten rules", but it's not bad to know what is expected.

And don't worry people are being snobbish to you! Every Paris restaurant is used to tourists. Just be as polite as you would be at home, smile, and enjoy yourself.

You can wear whatever you like. But you will definitely be treated more respectfully if you dress as if you care how you look.

In the U.S., a man will often hold the door for the women to enter first. But in Paris, it's polite for the man to go in first-- he will encounter the maître d' and give the reservation name or ask if there is room. The first person into the restaurant will be assumed to be the host-- you will see that this applies to women who dine together, too.

If there is a banquette or a wall, the women in the group are seated along it. The men always sit on the outside. I've become so French that it seems very odd to me now when I see an American group sitting with the women on the outside.

Women to the banquettes! This is Bofinger with its famous
verrière or stained-glass skylight

The menus are given and orders taken starting with the women-- usually with the oldest woman present, how polite! The waiter gives you the menu and a bit of time, then comes back to take a drinks order. Usually, only after the drinks are on the table will the order be taken.

Bread may be on the table, but French people don't tend to touch it until the main course arrives. And they don't eat it with butter unless they are having a big seafood platter. Don't know why, but lo! it is thus.

If you order foie gras, never spread it on the toasts to eat it-- instead, cut it with fork and knife and put it in your mouth, and break and eat the toasts separately. If in doubt, watch the French people with you.

If you order red meat, the only acceptable way to order it is saignant (rare, literally "bleeding") or à point (medium rare). Anything else is seen as ignorant and a waste of good meat, unless maybe you're pregnant.

When the wine arrives, the waiter uncorks it at the table, pours a small amount in a glass, and offers it to the host. The host then swirls it around, smells it, and tastes it. Only after the host pronounces the wine acceptable is it poured into the other glasses.

You don't have to order bottled water in France. Most restaurants are happy to give you a carafe d'eau.

French manners: hands on the table at all times!

Not only is it rude in France, as in the U.S., to eat with your elbows on the table, but you are also supposed to have your hands on the table at all times. This can take a little getting used to if you are like me and used to have your left hand rapped if it lay on the table. The French eat with their forks in their left hand and their knives in their right, and as you are not allowed to cut your salad, they become experts at making neat little folded packets of salad to convey to their mouths with their left hands. It gets a little trickier with things like peas! However, don't worry about this and just eat politely in your own way.

If you order a fish dish, it will often arrive in its skin with the head still on. If you don't like the idea of dismantling this, you can always ask the waiter to "prepare" it. He will then whisk it away and return it to you looking much more elegant than it probably would if you did it yourself.

If you are a vegetarian, you won't have an easy time in France. The French still regard vegetarianism as a weird cult. But it is becoming more common, especially among visitors to France, and chefs will often make a real effort to please you in a good restaurant if you tell the waiter you "can't eat meat" (this is better than saying "I am a vegetarian"), and ask if something else can be prepared for you. Otherwise, you can often make a meal of entrées (which in French does not mean the main course but the appetizers).

If there are men and women at the table, the man is expected to keep an eye on the glasses of the women near him and fill them whenever needed. The woman will not usually ask him or pour the wine or water herself, so this is an important one if you're a man dining with French women!

Even if you are at a business dinner, it is considered plouc (tacky) to talk business until dessert, especially if there are others at the table who are not business associates. This isn't an absolute rule of course. But it is a general rule.

If cheese is ordered, it will pass only once. Always keep the cheese in the same shape it came in, and never "cut off the nose" of a cheese (cutting the tip). That's considered greedy, because it's the best part!

After dessert comes coffee (always black espresso unless you specifically ask for a crème-- which is normally reserved for breakfast in France) and if you are lucky, some final little treat to put you in a good mood on the way out. The waiter will never plop down the bill in front of you before you are ready. Even if you are the last one in the restaurant, you will still have to ask for the bill to get it. Isn't that civilized?

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A lot of people will say it is silly to talk about restaurant rules in Paris, because of course you do not have to follow rules. And many of these don't apply to a group of students going out to cafes.

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GS

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French vs American Restaurants: american, desserts, en, food stand, french, restaurants, social studies, vs, waiters, water | Glogster EDU - Interactive multimedia posters

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See the Glog! French vs American Restaurants: american, desserts, en, food stand, french, restaurants, social studies, vs, waiters, water | Glogster EDU - Interactive multimedia posters

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Quels plats sont popularies

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Food and eating in France - mme

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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.