Eating out in Paris

Most of the time a member of the wait staff will signal that it’s ok to sit down, motion to a spot, or if not busy yet, show you to a place. Since you always greet people when you enter, they should be aware of your presence.

There will be a host or hostess in higher priced restaurants.

Almost all restaurants in Paris except the cheapest fast food places will expect you to wait to be seated. This is less formal in cafes but be careful around lunch or dinner time - tables which have cutlery laid out on them are intended for people who want full meals and the staff will be unhappy if you sit at one of them and only ask for a drink.

You can seat yourself at sidewalk cafes when you see. places not set for a meal to get coffee or a drink; never sit down at a set table without permission. At meal times in restaurants ALWAYS get the eye of the waiter before taking a table or wait to be seated. I learned this the hard way. Often restaurants have an ocean of tables especially early in the evening and yet they are all reserved. For example, we wanted to dine at a cafe before an outdoor opera at Vincennes and so arrived early to a place with a room full of empty tables and sat down; we were immediately told that these were reserved but the waiter did find us a table outside in back; we were able to see the entrance from there and literally every couple that arrived without a reservation after us was turned away and by the time we left for the opera, most of the tables were in fact filled. We had a similar experience in Semur en Auxois for an evening meal on. a terrace. This was all many years ago -- we did learn our lesson if slowly and now always catch the eye of a waiter in a casual place or see the person doing seating in a more formal place.

And in Paris you will do much better to reserve a day in advance for neighborhood places, a few days in advance for more well known places and weeks in advance for Michelin star places or very well known places. (we were once unable to get dinner reservations for an entire 10 days visit at Les Ombres for example and we booked lunch at La Tour d'Argent two months out when reservations open -- we got the best table in the house as a result).

Most restaurants (not necessarily cafés) in Paris will expect you to have a reservation.

They also often put a little sign on the door 'Complete' when they are totally booked for the evening. Particularly true in touristy towns where a dozen people might approach a booked up restaurant.

I understand the question, because in Germany, you seat yourself in all but the fanciest restaurants. In France, you seat yourself at cafes, but wait to be seated at restaurants.

"...in Germany you seat yourself in all but the fanciest restaurants." Very true, except when you see the sign "reserviert" (obviously) on the table or the sign "Stammtisch." Those tables one passes by.

Most restaurants with table service want you to wait for the staff to seat you. If there is a podium then wait for someone to come seat you. If there is not a podium outside, then go inside to see if there is a podium in there. If it is an cafe with outdoor seating, it is good form to catch the eye of the waitstaff and point, questioningly, to a table where you would like to sit. They will either motion for you to sit or redirect you to another table. If it is a cafe with outdoor seating but you would rather sit inside, then walk in and catch the eye of the waitstaff to be seated just like you would do for the outside tables. If it's a place with a walk-up counter you can sit wherever you like.

Some dining establishments have hosts, which is a gender-neutral term. For example, last time I was at Bofinger, I was seated by a man.

Most of the time you are seated unless its a place where you order at the bar or till and then they bring food to you (like a burger joint)