I punctuate my museum-going with a little café sitting. This makes particularly good
sense in Paris: home of so much beautiful art, and the ultimate café culture.
With over 12,000 cafés, there's always one nearby.
Cafés are where friends rendezvous...and we're meeting up with Steve Smith, co-author
of my France guidebook and a consummate café sitter.
Rick: You know café, that’s a tip in itself isn’t it? Just café in Paris.
Steve: It’s a good tip. It’s a place to order what you want, when you want, on your
own terms, in your own time really. You could be indoors at a restaurant watching the person
next to you eat or out here watching the conveyor belt of Parisians go by. And you’re living
with Parisians. In fact it’s their living room. You know most Parisians’ apartments
are a little bit bigger than your hotel room. Rick: Half the locals here are probably living
down the street. Steve: Almost all of them who come here come
on a regular basis and they’re on first name basis with their waiter.
Rick: So a lot of Americans find tipping a little bit confusing.
Steve: In France the waiter’s tip is included…15% of your bill goes to the waiter. You’ve already
paid him. Tax and tip are included. Rick: What do you do then?
Steve: If your waiter was nice to you, or your waitress, leave a couple of Euros.
That's very polite, round up. If your bill was 18 Euros leave 20, something like that.
Rick: Now, a lot of Americans are frustrated by what they call slow service.
Steve: Yeah. I hear that all the time. In France, slow service is good service.
Rick: It’s good service! Steve: Remember, it’s not about how fast you eat.
It’s about how well you eat.