Insider Tips: Restaurant Tipping

My partner Vincent had an unnerving incident happen at a restaurant that prompted me to write this post.

Vincent was at Cafe Ruc, a popular and fashionable restaurant/cafe right near the Louvre that attracts Parisians and tourists.  He was dining with an American friend, and although they ordered in French, they spoke English during their dinner. When they asked the waitress for the check, she evidently overheard them discussing whether or not to leave her an additional "tip" beyond the 15% service charge already included in the bill. The waitress immediately--and a bit smugly--piped in,"you know, the tip is not included". His friend challenged her and said that it was French law that the tip was included. She sheepishly backed down and said that they didn't have to leave anything.

So here is the the simple truth about tipping in Paris and the rest of France: A 15% tip is ALWAYS included in your bill, regardless of what the waiter or anyone else says.Again, it's a French law that the tip is included.  If they say it's not included, they are lying and trying to rip you off. If you are charging a meal, notice there is no tip box on the credit card receipt. It's because the tip is included.

With that said, it is customary to leave a 3 to 5% gratuity in cash on the table. For instance, if you have a lunch that costs 20 euros, you should leave a one euro or 75 centimes gratuity. For a coffee, leave 25 centimes.

Many of my tour clients take my tour at the end of their stay and it kills me when they said they have been leaving 15 & 20 % tips all week long. I tell them they could have bought an Hermes scarf or a half pair of Louboutin shoes with that money. ( I like to think in practical shopping terms).

So now you know how to be a savvy local and show the Parisians you are not a dumb American tourist.

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Comments

[Chrisos]

What is included is a service charge, and indeed, it is mandatory.
However, tip is translated into "pourboire" in French, and, of course, it is not included in the check and is at the discretion of the patrons. Many French people give nothing.

[Erica]

LoL, love this post.

[John W.]

Very useful post, given what you say about your over-generous clients. However, I notice among my Parisian friends an increasing tendency to tip a bit more than you advise. I blame it on the introduction of the euro.

[Style Spy]

And is the service charge on the bill definitely handed over to the servers? Or is the restaurant allowed to keep it? That's what worries me. I've made my living most of my adult life in the service industry and so of course I tend to overtip no matter where I am. I'd rather err on the side of generosity.

[beth]

Thanks For The TIP...Darling..lol Those Parisians aren't getting anything over on us!!!!!! Now every time I see a Hermes Scarf..I'm going to think...yep Richard has just saved another American...And LOOK at that fabulous scarf they got!!!!Keep up the good detective work!!!

[Lynn]

My husband and I both enjoy so much your wonderful I Prefer Paris newsletters. Thank you so much for taking the time to do them. I eagerly look forward each day to finding out what you will be writing about and also to your great pictures. We are both addicted to Paris and can live vicariously through your newsletters while we are saving money/vacation time for our next "real" trip. Merci beaucoup.

[Bill]

Excellent service you have provided with this blog on tipping! Americans just assume it's like in the States - you have set them straight

[June]

Same rule in Switzerland and Austria about tipping, and our tour guide very strongly told us tips were included and all we had to do was round out the bill (which very often came to next to nothing) I don't think a Swiss waiter would pull that shtick -- they seem excessively honest.

[Anne]

They tried it on with me last week...But I knew and could read, what it said at the end of the bill.

[pp]

The service charge is not a tip and doesn't necessarily go to the servers.
You should double check before posting.
But, it's not customary to tip, as in Europe servers should be payed by their employer and not by customer tips

[adrian]

I'm with pp. The service charge is NOT a tip, and I don't personally know of a single restaurant in the city that divides this among their staff.