A French caf\u00e9 is a small theatre with its own script. Know your lines and the waiter will treat you like a regular. Forget them and you\u2019ll get an espresso when you wanted a latte. Here\u2019s the script.<\/p>\n
Before anything else, say \u00ab Bonjour ! \u00bb<\/strong> (or \u00ab Bonsoir ! \u00bb<\/em> in the evening). Walking in and ordering straight away is the one thing that really sounds rude in France.<\/p>\n In many caf\u00e9s, the same coffee costs a little more at a table than at the bar. That\u2019s normal, and the price list usually says so.<\/p>\n Je voudrais un cr\u00e8me, s\u2019il vous pla\u00eet. A carafe d\u2019eau<\/em> is a jug of tap water, and it\u2019s free. If you just ask for de l\u2019eau<\/em>, you may be brought a bottle, which isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n To call the waiter, catch their eye or say \u00ab S\u2019il vous pla\u00eet ! \u00bb<\/strong>. Please don\u2019t shout \u00ab Gar\u00e7on ! \u00bb<\/em>: it went out of fashion a long time ago.<\/p>\n L\u2019addition, s\u2019il vous pla\u00eet. \u2014 The bill, please. Service is included in French prices (service compris<\/em>). A tip is a kind extra, not an obligation: leaving the small change is common.<\/p>\n Leave with \u00ab Merci, bonne journ\u00e9e ! \u00bb<\/strong>. The waiter will answer \u00ab Merci, vous aussi ! \u00bb<\/em>, and you\u2019ll have played the whole scene in French.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Un cr\u00e8me, une noisette, l\u2019addition: the phrases waiters actually expect to hear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"atk_mot":"l\u2019addition !","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cafe-talk"],"yoast_head":"\nAct 2: Where to sit<\/h2>\n
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Act 3: Know your coffee<\/h2>\n
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\n \nAsk for\u2026<\/th>\n And you\u2019ll get<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n un caf\u00e9 \/ un express<\/td>\n an espresso (yes, \u201cun caf\u00e9\u201d is an espresso)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n un caf\u00e9 allong\u00e9<\/td>\n an espresso lengthened with hot water, close to an americano<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n un cr\u00e8me<\/td>\n espresso with lots of hot milk, the closest thing to a latte<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n une noisette<\/td>\n an espresso with a dash of milk (it\u2019s named after its hazelnut colour)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n un d\u00e9ca<\/td>\n a decaf<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n un chocolat chaud<\/td>\n a hot chocolate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Act 4: Order like a regular<\/h2>\n
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Pour moi, une noisette.
Et une carafe d\u2019eau, s\u2019il vous pla\u00eet.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nAct 5: Paying<\/h2>\n
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Je peux payer par carte ? \u2014 Can I pay by card?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nFinal scene<\/h2>\n