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Eating at Restaurants in France

Advice on Getting a Table, Ordering, and Tipping in French Eateries

Jul 23, 2008

Going to a restaurant in France is like taking your senses on a rollercoaster. To get the most out of your French meal, bring these suggestions along for the ride.

Eateries in France are temples built for worshiping food. Wherever you travel within the country, you will no doubt find a host of restaurants that will beguile your nose and tickle your taste buds. And yet, as amazing as eating out in France can be, if you don't speak French or know the country's eating customs, you may encounter some roadblocks on your path to blissful dining. Read on for suggestions about how to overcome certain obstacles and feast like the French.

Plan Ahead

Try not to think of your meals as just a way to refuel before heading off to your next activity. Instead, view them as an integral part of your daily plans. This means setting aside a good chunk of time for dining. Meals in France are not rushed and can, in fact, last for more than two hours.

Getting a Table

Upon arriving at a restaurant, ask to be seated by saying:

Je voudrais une table pour (un, deux, trois), s’il vous plait.
Pronunciation: Juh voo-dray oon tah-bluh pohr (uhn, duh, twah), s’eel voo play.
Translation: I would like a table for (one, two, three), please.

If there is a line in front of you, you may want to ask:

Combien de temps faut-il attendre?
Pronunciation: Com-byan de tohm foh t’eel ah-tohn-druh?
Translation: How long is the wait?

In response you may hear, une heure (one hour), quarante-cinq minutes (forty-five minutes), une demi-heure (a half hour), or quinze minutes (fifteen minutes).

Master the Menu

Become familiar with a some important French dining terms:

carte-menu

apéritif-pre-dinner drink

carafe d’eau-jug of water

boisson-drink

amuse-gueule-appetizer

plat principal-main dish

plat d’accompagnement-side dish

viande-meat

bœuf-beef

poulet-chicken

fruits de mer -seafood (crustaceans)

poisson-fish

légume-vegetable

fromage-cheese

Consider buying a French food dictionary to make reading your menu even easier.

Weigh Your Eating Options

When choosing your meal, you have two options. You can order one of the restaurant's formules—pre-picked sets of courses at a fixed price—or you can order à la carte and pick any dish off the menu. Formules, which often include an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert, are less expensive than ordering the same amount of courses à la carte.

Ordering Your Food

To order in French, use a term that you have already seen—Je voudrais (juh voo-dray)—and then say the name of the dish. If you decide to have wine with your meal, consider asking the waiter for advice on what to order. Servers in French restaurants are often very knowledgeable about wine and meal pairings.

To ask a waiter’s advice about wine, say:

Quel vin proposez-vous?
Pronunciation: Kel vehn pruh-poh-zeh voo?
Translation: What wine do you recommend?

Other important phrases you may need to use when ordering:

Je suis un végétarien.
Pronunciation: Juh swee z’uhn vay-jay-tahr-ee-ehn.
Translation: I am a vegetarian.
Note: females should say: Je suis une végétarienne (Juh swee z’oon vay-jay-tahr-ee-enne).

Je suis allergique (aux noix, aux crustacés).
Pronunciation: Juh swee z’ah-luhr-jeek (oh nwah, oh croo-stah-say).
Translation: I am allergic to (nuts, shellfish).

Paying and Tipping

At the end of the meal, catch your waiter’s eye and ask for the check, or l’addition (l’ah-dih-syon). A sales tax and a 15% tip will be included in the total. However, you can leave a little extra for the waiter to show your satisfaction with the service.

The copyright of the article Eating at Restaurants in France in France Travel is owned by Andrea Silen. Permission to republish Eating at Restaurants in France in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.