Posted on 07/25/2006 6:43:06 AM PDT by tang0r
The freedoms we experience in America are so plentiful that they even include preserving the choice of whether or not we should tip the people who wait on us. When we go out to eat, we expect good service in order to have a good meal; and if we receive that good service, we provide a tip to show our appreciation. If we don’t get that service, and we have to wait more that 10 minutes for a refill, we can choose not to tip, thereby showing our disapproval with that particular waiter.
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Euroweenies don't tip. At most they round off of the bill to the nearest unit of currencey or Euro. At least, that is what I was taught.
Americans, who DO tip, drive them crazy.
Sliders. As my mother-in-law says: Don't eat more than six!
It's exactly the same system in France !! Except that the service is not always excellent ;-) Listed prices are ALWAYS listed VAT and service included. That's an obligation since 1987. And the service rate depends of the restaurant.
I encountered none of that in my week or so in Lyon. The service was good (though we hated the extremely smoky bouchons), the people were nice and even friendly.
Did you also know that stores have a specific time of the year when they can have a "sale" of items at reduced prices? That's right! I think it's July, when stores are allowed to lower prices to move old inventory.
God forbid they would actually have to compete against each other throughout the year.
I confirm everything. This article is full of rubbish.
I've found that as soon as the restaurant jpersonnel realize you're American...they suck up, because we leave additional tips!!! The only area Americans aren't used to tipping, is the tour guides in museums, and at cutlural and historic sites.
It's not a specific time once a yer, but TWICE a year. Generally in january and in july. That's wat we call the "soldes".
Interesting. You are right that they don't tip there, but I thought restaurant service was one of the few types of customer service that is better in the U.S. than in Japan. It is true that Japanese service uses polite language, the way all service does. But I was unable to get my children's meals delivered first, even with a specific request and even if it meant delaying the parents' meals. (The servers responded with that sort of standard Japanese evasion when something can't be done.) It was common to get my wife's plate handed to me and vice versa, and so on. And the servers don't check on you, the way American servers do. If there's a problem, you have to summon them. (Although some less fancy restaurants have buttons you can press when you want to summon them.)
I'm glad Chinese immigrants invented/modified stuff for Americans, rather than bring their culinary habits with them...
"I'm glad Chinese immigrants invented/modified stuff for Americans, rather than bring their culinary habits with them...":
Well, I'm glad that you can get original Chinese regional cuisine in most large US cities. The americanized stuff is just junk food.
They have rat, insect, etc., on the menu where you live?
French bakeries the best? Foo-foo.
Jewish bakeries... ah, the cream cheese.... the best.
Agreed, except for pastries from Vienna.
Very true. They especially love ripe pate. Nasty, nasty, nasty.
I always recommend, "Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong: Why We Love France But Not the French" to provide an alternative explanation for the bartenders behavior (other than being an ass!).
The authors explain that Americans and French have reversed ideas about what is public and private behavior beyond sex and that's why we so often offend each other.
A transaction in a pub is a public transaction to an American. We don't get all intimate about it. To a Frenchman the shop or bar is more like his home. In particular you should greet him before you start firing orders. The French will say,"Those Americans are so rude. They never say Bonjour!" If you say hello first they are somewhat obligated by their rules to treat you fairly. In any case, that's the theory proposed by the authors. It's a great and entertaining book by a Canadian couple. I'd like a chance to get over there and try it out..
I will not knowingly eat at any restaurant that adds a gratuity charge to the bill -- if the service stinks I want to deny the surly waiter any tip at all. I used to eat at a restaurant that one day changed its policies and started adding a gratuity charge without notice. The manager insisted I had to pay it and threatened to call the police. I said, "yes please call them immediately because I intend to raise hell with you when they arrive. All of your customers are going to know how you treat your patrons!" He backed down.
I'll never forget visiting Disney World several years ago, and visiting that area where they have restaurants from all different countries serving all different ethnic and national fare, with each restaurant designed and staffed in the style of the culture or nation it represents.
One thing that amazed me during that trip (although I understand things may have changed since then), was that every Disney staffer ("castmember") I encountered was courteous, friendly and focused on customer service. The staff morale was consistently very high, and the training obviously effective.
All except at the French restaurant, where even though it was empty, my family waited for ten minutes before three French staffers stopped talking and disinterestedly mobilized to grudgingly set us up at a table.
Such miserable staff attitude was notably out of place at Disneyworld, but somehow it did provide us with an authentic-feeling experience of French customer service.
"They have rat, insect, etc., on the menu where you live?"
Not where I live now. But, I've lived in many places and have traveled to many more. Wherever I go, and wherever I live, I try the local cuisine. Sometimes that means I get to eat witchetty grubs. Sometimes it means I get to eat water rat.
I've eaten possum. I've eaten squirrel. I've eaten rattlesnake. In fact, if I go somewhere, I'm going to eat the oddest thing served there.
I only get one time around on this planet, so I'm bound to try whatever I can here.
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