Great advice. Merci!

Hélas beaucoup de nos concitoyens n'ont toujours pas compris ça non plus.

Yeah, in france not saying bonjour is like saying "you don't deserve my respect".

It will not always bring you better treatment but you should still do it cause it's the right thing to do.

Diane has done almost an entire video on the importance of saying “bonjour” in France.

and au 'voir

Alejandra y Alan Bowman. Au revoir

@@marcmarc8524 Last year I found that the "R" was rarely pronounced. So in writing use "au revoir" but in speaking "au 'voir " seems right.

I do know the French dishes shown on the video are just this side of heaven!

We have this joke about going to a French restaurant and ordering the cheapest item, and keep asking for bread until they kick us out. 😂

@@krdiaz8026. That’s not funny. That’s rude.

@@krdiaz8026 It’s not very nice and disrespectful for others customers and the restaurant crew... Asking for bread when it’s needed to eat the sauce after you have finished your meal or with the cheese course is ok. Abusing the fact it’s free is the best way to be taken for a rude idiot...

Thanks very much! Glad people are enjoying my content.

It is also possible that the waiter will ask you if you have finished the meal, especially if he sees that you are waiting.

Well, there are regular restaurants where you can casually wear, and more sophisticated ones where you’re expected to dress well, especially for dinner (lunches can be more casual).

You can definitely wear jeans and sneakers in most restaurants and do not always need reservations there, unless you go to very busy or fancy ones :) Actually I think we, French people, don’t have the habit to overdress really often!

Except fancy restaurants (e.g. Michelin star ones) you can wear jeans and sneakers in any restaurant! I’m French, going to very good restaurants almost every day, and I wear very casual clothes!

@@Anacharsis64 which restaurant in Paris accept sneakers and jeans? Night clubs in Paris do not accept people in jeans and sneakers or shorts !!!

@@biloz2988 most of them, even one star restaurant. I’m always in jeans and sneakers and never got a problem… But you are right about night clubs and fancy pubs. No way to enter in jeans and sneakers

Île flottante.

@@christianjambou8208 Je voulais savoir si c'est comme ça que ça s'appelle en anglais 😉 C'est l'un de mes desserts preférés avec la crème brulée et le tiramisu 😋

All restaurants and cafés have services included. It’s compulsory. Tips is never included but it’s up to client. As Diane mentioned, it’s up to you as waiters have a regular salary and do not depend on tip

Don’t ever worry about tipping in France. Service is always included now and has been for a long time :)

HI David, they're video clips I shot in Aigues-Mortes at the 30s mark and a restaurant in Perpignan at 3:35. Not sure of name.

Not 25%. 15% is the norm in France

Ah, we got a bottle of that as a welcome gift on our recent canal cruise back in September (did a travel vlog if the area is of interest)! My father-in-law loves aperitifs like that and I'm all for trying them, especially when you're in the region it's from -- part of the experience -- but I have to say I'm simple and always go from a sparkling wine or a martini or something like that. Pineau is well known and liked and I love it once in a while. ;-) We brought back a couple of extra bottles. ;-)

@@OuiInFrance So, you could be a slave to Saumur Mousseux. (the local bubbly for Diane, for the benefit of readers ) We spent our honeymoon in Saumur, the hotel gifted us a bottle of Ackerman noir X, delicious.

Outside of Paris, a 2 course dinner with a glass of wine is expected to be around 35$ (including tax) per person. In Paris, it would more around 45$. Lunch is usually less expensive, especially if you order the "plat du jour" (daily special).

Lunches are generally cheaper than dinners. Outside Paris, in 2021, a 2 course lunch would cost 20-25€ in a regular restaurant, with a glass of wine. Maybe 35€ in a fancy one or in a touristic spot. Dinners:from 35 to 50€. Of course Paris is more expensive. For the lunch, take the menu du jour, or plat du jour. Cheaper and fresh food.

Hi Diane You should do a vidéo about Les Routiers those restaurants are all over the countryside. You spot them by the number of artisans trucks parked outside at 12. You get a lunch composed of a self serving starter buffet, a main dish (2 choices) then cheese or dessert. A small carafe of wine, coffee all for less than €15. A bargain for a decent lunch.

Hi, I would try to catch his or her eye or raise your hand to gesture you'd like to speak to them. If that fails because they are super busy, you can just get up and walk to the register to pay directly. We probably do that about half the time depending on the type of meal and crowd.

Oui In France Thanks for the advice! It can really be a struggle to flag them down when it’s a busy restaurant.

The simpliest way is to go to the CB terminal at the desk... dont call the waiter. The staff understand you want to pay and remember where is your table and give you the bill... nothing to say 🙂

Or maybe try to leave without paying... that would attract their attention 😁

If they're not busy and outside meal times, you can generally just take a seat where you want it and wait for them to notice you. On the other hand, if they're very busy or during meal times, there may be reservations and if you just sit down they may never notice you without prompting so the polite and efficient thing to do is to ask them for a seat or a table when they're empty handed.

Be careful though... I asked for une carafe d'eau and the waitress asked "sparkling or flat?" (which confused me). Then she brought a BOTTLE of water and I said "No, une carafe d'eau." She got huffy and took it back. Her service was terrible the whole time to the point where I asked the manager to please box up our food as I wanted to pay and leave. When he checked the bill, she had upcharged us on several items thinking we would not notice - he ended up comping our meal. To be fair, it was the one Tourist Trap we visit in every city we go to - Hard Rock Cafe. Every real restaurant we went to had amazing food and incredible people!

@@RAD6150 Yeah, some restaurants try to cheat like that and will bring you a bottle if you aren't cautious. It is likely to annoy people, but some might be too polite to assert their position and will pay the extra cost. They probably won't ever come back (that is, if they know the law), but in very touristic areas, they don't really care.

Love.

It is true in bars. If you drink at the counter the barman will hand you the drink. At tables a waiter will come to serve you. Terraces can be up to 20% more than the bar.

Jeffrey Selbst I’ve witnessed my fellow Americans immediately start speaking English in France and in Italy and then I’m embarrassed to be American because I think it’s rude, too.

David Guy why is it rude? I speak English and I don’t speak French. Am I expected to only visit countries where I know the language? I have friends from all over the world and most of them grew up learning English. It’s fair to expect that it is a common language and appropriate to communicate that way. I speak a little Spanish but I wouldn’t immediately speak Spanish in a restaurant because I am embarrassed that I have an accent and may not pronounce something appropriately. Unless someone is skillfully knowledgeable about that language they may be too embarrassed to speak it.

Not all people who visit different countries know the language. It’s not rude.

@@NB-ky5ol What's rude is the expectation that people speak English. It's presumptuous. It's not rude to ask, "do you speak English?" (in English) and then wait for an answer (assuming your tone is polite). What I've seen people do is walk into a restaurant and immediately say "I want a table for 4." I think that's rude. I've also traveled to many countries. I always learn to say "hello" "thank you" and "goodbye". It's not hard and people appreciate it.

@@NB-ky5ol I've traveled a lot internationally and before I've gone to any new country I took some time to learn some basic conversation and pronunciation. I didn't need to put in the hours to attempt fluency, just to get around a bit. Anyone can do this. It's lazy and entitled not to even try.

Super true. Don't call a waiter over by saying garcon, very outdated and will come across rude. Best to grab their attention and say "Excusez-moi s'il vous plait"

Hi, by law the cost of bread, and tape water is covered by the cost of the plate you ordered. Restaurants can't charged you with extra euros for the cover. For the coffee, if you ordered just a coffee (or "un café" en french), it is served without milk but with sugar on the side of the cup. if you want a coffee with milk, you need to order, what we call in france "un café au lait".

I guess your friends went to tourists trap restaurants, in touristic spots, where no French people would ever go.

Et aussi visible de l exterieur!

"Grilled ham and cheese", that must have been a croque monsieur. That's delicious!

@@aidanclarke6106 And if you add a fried egg on top, it is a croque-madame ;)

Mike, There are specific breeds of cattle raised for beef in France. Restaurants will often mention the breed on the menu. Charolais being a well known example. Here on the west coast the most popular are Limousin & Parthenaise. All highly regarded in French cuisine.

Our cattle are as good as US cattle and they are not stuffed with hormones and GMO fodder.

I have to disagree with you about the quality of beef in France vs US. There is no way that in the US I would make or order a "steak tartare" (a recipe containing mainly raw ground meat of superior quality). I've eaten it in France quite a few times. The meat is ground fine and is a beautiful red without white fat or gristle. Not repulsive in any fashion. The sandwich you mention is a croque monsieur, delicious indeed. Yes Paris has changed since the 60s/70s. Perhaps not as safe but still as beautiful, walkable with captivating architecture and monuments at every corner, as well as timeless works of art in museums. 🇫🇷 Paris, je t'aime!

Did they have pictures of the food on the window also?

😆 lol, truth.

It depends of wich sort of salad is about. On the menu, salads are on the begining, you'll find plenty of them like Cesar's salad, and they can constitued a main meal, or just an apetizer (entrée). Traditionally green salad is served at the end of the meal, just after the main dish, and just before the cheeses and desserts.

@@cyrilchaufour271. The green salad is family stuff. In restaurants, a salad is always either an entrée (appetizer) if it’s a small portion, or the main course.

No I think you can say both. The special of the day is « le menu du jour ». :)

David Guy - If you ordered something to eat, they have to provide tap water if you ask. I bet they did that only because you were tourists.

@@aidanclarke6106 We definitely ordered food, so I assume you're right that they took advantage of our being tourists.

As a French man, I always wait for the carafe d’eau on my table to begin to eat. If the waiter refuses, I immediately stand up and leave the restaurant without paying the ordered food. The restaurant can’t tell you anything because they did something illegal.

It's forbidden to refuse this in France. Shame on this restaurant...

@@aidanclarke6106 even with something to drink. A 'café verre d'eau' is a classic order.

Yes... 'oups'... same pronunciation

No, I don't think anyone will misunderstand what you say in this context. Anyway, saying "I'm full", when translated to French is a bit over-familiar. You'd rather say something like "I ate well" or "I can't eat anymore". And don't hesitate to tell the waiter if you liked the food.

Using "pleine" (the feminine form of full in French) to mean pregnant is usually reserved for cattle and pets, it would feel a little weird to use it for humans. If you say it after a meal, they probably just wouldn't understand what you mean and be a little puzzled, but apart from an awkward moment, you'll be okay.

This was many years ago!

Oh yes. It’s kind of an insult to the chef. You are implying that the food isn’t tasty enough

@@channelglenn Actually, I'm just "implying" it needs a little MORE salt.

Except in 3 star Michelin restaurants, asking for salt is totally normal. I do it each time, and I am French.

Yeah, cuz us Merkins thinks McDonalds is fine dinin.

This was many years ago!

Not true, unless you go to a very fancy high-class restaurant. And even then, they probably won't tell you a thing. Of course, you can always find yourself in a very traditional place and asking for ketchup might be frowned upon. But if they really dislike ketchup, they won't have any, anyway. Eating ketchup with fries is nothing new or surprising for the French.

@@welchomestudio Ok! I guess this may have changed since the 70's (when I was there)! The people in France thought the ketchup ruined their fries! However, good mayo was totally alright! We did eat in very nice places.

@@louiselanthier5135 Ah yes, in the 70's, that made sense. Ketchup was still seen as this "weird artificial American stuff that has nothing to do with French food". Times have changed.

Pas la peine d’en faire un foin. Elle s’est trompé entre Tip et Taxes. Et heureusement que c’est une "obligation par la loi" que de marquer les prix TTC car un restaurant est une enseigne comme n’importe quelle autre qui est au service du consommateur et a le devoir d’informer ses clients du prix réel qu’on va lui demander. Ca ne viendrait à personne en France de devoir calculer la TVA sur la somme totale de ses courses au supermarché ou à la pompe à essence. Personnellement je laisse toujours 1-2 euros sur une addition de 15-20 euros même si le service est compris. Il y a quelques années, durant la période des fêtes de fin d’année, j’ai donné un billet de 10 euros (sur une addition d’environ 25 euros) à la jeune serveuse qui s’était occupée de moi dans une excellente crêperie en région parisienne. Elle était sympa, enjouée et ne m’a pas poussé dehors ni laisser poireauter entre chaque plat. Je sais que les horaires sont parfois difficiles pour les serveurs en cette période. Je n’ai aucun regret de lui avoir donné plus d’un tiers de l’addition en pourboire. Sa surprise et sa joie m’ont fait plaisir. Mais quand je suis aller déjeuner une fois dans un resto Chez Léon à proximité de mon lieu de travail (et dont j’étais une habituée) avec des collègues, force est de constater qu’ils se sont littéralement foutus de notre gueule. Non seulement le manager n’a pas appliqué le pourcentage de réduction sur l’addition (calculé sur le nombre de minutes de retard) prévu sur la formule du midi en 45 mn (nous sommes restés 1h15) alors qu’il n’y avait quasiment personne, mais on n’a même pas consommer les desserts inclus dans la formule pour pouvoir retourner au travail à temps... publicité mensongère + vol littéral sur le produit payé (sachant que les desserts coûtent environ 6 euros sur une formule à 12,90) ça n’est pas passé du tout... c’était il y a plusieurs années et on n’y est jamais retournés depuis.

Tu as mal compris ce qu'elle a dit. Aux USA, les serveurs sont payés 2 ou 3 dollars par l'employeur, la majorité de leur paye viens des pourboires. Quand elle dit que le pourboire est compris dans le prix, c'est ça, tu n'as pas à payer en plus pour que le serveur touche peut être le smic

I'm wondering how long you spent in France, because that's a pretty harsh judgment to make about an entire country. I lived there for a year, and traveled extensively throughout France during several other trips. Yes, I ran into a few people who were not kind, but many more went out of their way to be welcoming. When my husband and I arrived in Paris, we asked one French guy for directions to our hotel. He picked up both our suitcases and took us to the hotel. France is a beautiful country with so much to see, wonderful food, great architecture and art. And if you speak the language, so much the better. You might want to give it another shot.

I’ve been to France many times and never had trouble. The French were like Germans understand you but never speak your language no matter what until recently the French started answering in English !!! It’s a pride thing similar to Americans answering any tourist in the US. I try to learn the language of the country I’m going to on the way there.

I’ve always wondered what people mean by “stuck up”. How did they behave exactly? In what situation? And yes, Merci can also mean No thank you.

On the fact that compared to the exuberance of the Americans who manage to be more without embarrassment than the Russians and noisier than the Japanese, our good manners must make us pass for stuck...

It's a pain in the ass to respect another culture ? Don't go to Germany that's the same thing. In every country it is basic manners to respect culture.

Good decision. If being polite and respectful of other people is above your capacities, stay at home and never travel.

@@Lostouille i prefer German Ediquitwe anytime over these frogs

@@dimitrygornomelikov3146 The "frogs"? Yes please... don't ever come here. You'll probably seen like the pain in the ass. Don't be suprised if the waiter spits in your food, you deserve it.

Traduction s'il vous plait ?

@@sophiegoarin2903 Qu'est-ce que tu n'a pas Google traduire?

Brian, stay in the US , behind your walls and pointing a shotgun and eating your burgers. We don't want you in France. Thx.

An American here, proud of my country, ashamed of you.

@@louisc.gasper7588 Your bad, sorry.

not sure who you're referring to there