Hello.
When dining at restaurants in France, is it the norm to "order through," for example, ordering the drink appetizer, main course and dessert all at once, or does the waiter come back for each course? I've received conflicting information about this.
Thanks to anyone who can clarify for me
This is the I way do it: I "order through" that is, in this order: 1. appetizer, 2. main course, 3. the drink (always mineral water, ie, Badoit Evian, Vittel, or Perrier), no dessert and lastly , the coffee, one of these four: espresso, double espressor, cappuccino or a grand caffee creme. All in French, unless I stumble.
The wait person always gets the picture, never a misunderstanding or confusion.
If you are ordering from the fixed price Prix Fixe or Plat du Jour menu I think it is customary to state your selections for each of the courses for which there is a choice. This is particularly true at lunch or in brassieres where things are hectic and people may not be intending to linger. If you want to get in and out completing your order may let them know you've got a plan.
Otherwise dining in restaurants is much like the states - initial order of water and maybe drinks or aperitifs, then staters and/or mains depending what people want. Dessert is almost always left off, unless you mention it, because the French will take a cheese course between dinner and dessert and things generally pause. Service in France is slow and dinner is expected to take up to several hours so there is no rush to order except to make sure everyone is eating each course at the same time. So each stage of the meal gets ordered and then the next stage is handled as needed. At least that is my perception from ordering in many different restaurants in big cities and smaller towns.
French people are very exacting when it comes to food so I'm sure some people show up knowing what they want and order straight through at the top of the meal, but I don't think this is considered required. The waitstaff will ask for what they need to know but I don't think it's as so organized or uniform that there is a rule that applies everywhere. And allowances are probably made of tourists as well who often do not intend to spend as long at dinner as the French generally do. Those savages often don't even order a cheese course - Mon Dieu!
I wouldn't worry too much about it, if you order starters and/or mains and not dessert when you start I doubt you've missed your only chance at coffee or cheese and dessert later.
Bon appetit,
=Tod
It depends on the situation. If you're ordering from Prix Fix (fixed price) menu, then it usually includes all three pre-determined courses (appetizer, main course--called "plat", and dessert) or a choice of appetizer+plat or plat+dessert. In which case, you order everything at once. Otherwise, you usually just order appetizer+plat and order your dessert after the main meal. Drinks are always ordered after EVERYONE at the table has ordered their food (but before the server has left with the order in hand). And the tap water is generally pristine (and free) if you order a "carafe d'eau." Once your main meal is over, you may want to adopt the French tradition of ordering a cheese plate to clean your palate before having dessert.
I lived in France for nearly 10 years and found that unless you're in a very high class (snooty) restaurant, the servers are more concerned about you enjoying your meal rather than if you're a bit clumsy with your order (or if you're using the "wrong" fork). Relax and enjoy your 3-hour meals!
No matter if ordering a menu or à la carte, dessert is ordered after the main plat is served.
Typically I'll order my entrée and plat then wait until after I've finished my main course to order the dessert and/or coffee and/or digestif. Regardless of whether I'm ordering from le menu or à la carte. But honestly, the waitstaff will guide you through if you have any questions about the process.
Once in a blue moon when ordering a prix fixe menu a waiter will say that you need to decide on your dessert as you order your first and second course. It’s odd, it’s clumsy and is rare, but can happen particularly if a soufflé is a choice.
And then there are the "Chef's Menu" six course surprise dinners. We were given the choice of Fish or Meat, and off you go!!!!!!
Did these twice in May at Michelin Gourmand restaurants, both were exceptional.
In most restaurants, you can choose from one of the "Menus" or choose "A la Carte" dishes if you don't like the dishes on the menu.
A typical example:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rXsNZwNM1swy1b3o7
The left side is "A la Carte" with a price for each dish.
The right side is a €22 menu including a starter, a main course, and a dessert, to be chosen from the list.
In most cases, you don't order the dessert at the same time as the other dishes. There may be exceptions, especially when a dessert requires time to be prepared, so you must order it in advance. The waiter will let you know anyway.
In a brasserie-style restaurant, you can order only one dish, whether it's a starter, a main course, a salad, or whatever.
In fine dining restaurants with renowned chefs (like the one mentioned above by John), you may not have to order anything , they'll just ask if you have any specific allergies.
The chef is in charge; you don't choose your dishes.
An example from a restaurant I recently ate at:
A single menu for €89 with no description of the dishes and a choice between 3 or 5 glasses of wine that the sommelier selects for you, the meal consists of 14 courses and lasts about 3.5 hours.
There isn't really a norm. It depends on the restaurant.
I think the most common situation, based on my experience living in various parts of France for over a decade, is to be asked if you want an aperitif (before dinner drink) first.
Later, the person waiting on your table will stop by and ask what you want for your entrée (appetizer) and plat (main dish). In nicer restaurants, you may be given an amuse bouche at no cost to you after you place your order.
While placing your order, some will ask what you want for dessert and some won't ask until after you've finished your plat. I almost never order dessert so I don't have a good read on the proportion that do it, but my impression is that it's about 50/50: roughly half want to know about your dessert order before the meal, and roughly half stop by your table with a menu of dessert choices after the meal and ask which you would like.
They always ask if you want coffee, regardless if you order dessert or not.
Speaking of coffee, more than once I've ordered coffee but didn't receive it until after dessert. I find that a little unusual... if you prefer to have coffee and dessert together you should probably speak up. (As far as I know this is just a preference not a major faux pas but willing to be set straight if necessary!)
Coffee comes last. After dessert, if you're having it. That's the French way.
There isn't really a norm. It depends on the restaurant.
Correct. It also depends on the diner.
I've never had a problem ordering either way in any French restaurant I've patronized. Very few Michelin stars represented there, though. (Whether anyone else follows the same approach is immaterial.)
Coffee comes last. After dessert, if you're having it.
And after coffee, traditionally, comes the time for a "digestif" (after-dinner liqueur): Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, rum, fruit spirit, etc.
Speaking of coffee, more than once I've ordered coffee but didn't receive it until after dessert. I find that a little unusual..
Actually, that's the way it's served, afterwards. If a waiter brings coffee with dessert without having been asked for it with dessert, it's disrespectful to the customer because the waiter is being lazy saving a step. Coffee is supposed to be served hot and savored after the meal. If it arrives with your dessert, it will cool off by the time you finish dessert. But if someone wants them together, just let the waiter know.
I'm typically seeing coffee served WITH dessert at lunchtime in Geneva and the French Savoie, so there might be some regional differences.
Thanks for the replies on the coffee question. I had deduced that this was the norm in France, meant it was mildly surprising to me. I take it there's no issue with asking for it to be served with dessert? I know in a certain neighbouring country there are coffee orders that can trigger riots...
When the waiter brings dessert or comes to ask you what dessert you want, that's the crucial moment when you have to order coffee (or tea) or nothing.
Crucial because that's also when you can ask for the bill and say: "Un café et l'addition s'il vous plaît".
In most cases, no one will bring you the bill unless you ask.
Asking for the bill also allows you to learn something else because you might be asked how you're going to pay. Sometimes if you pay by card, you have to go to the counter or cashier where payments are handled.
That’s a smooth approach, keeps things simple and clear. Tried something similar on a trip once — ordered in order and stuck with water and coffee after. Ended up at www.skai.sg in Singapore, did pretty much the same thing, and it felt just right. The coffee there, with the view, made it a small moment to enjoy.
And you will never see the term Prix Fixe on a French menu as this is an American term. It is 'menu' and a la carte. With the menu our experience is that the waiter will ask for all three courses when ordering. If ordering a la carte, then unless the dessert requires a lot of time to make e.g. souffle, then you can order it later.
And most French people will be ordering a carafe of free tap water (often kept chilled ) rather than adding the expense of mineral water. If you prefer bottled water with a meal, you can certainly order it but you don't need to go to the expense because you think it is expected. Even in rather high end restaurants the carafe d'eau is common.
The correct way to order a restaurant meal in France is: politely. Beyond that, don't worry about it. Servers understand which dishes are starters (entrées) and which are mains (plats). And if you would like the plat to be served first with the entrée following, for example, or dine only on two entrées, almost every restaurant will be pleased to accommodate you.
As suggested above, the lunchtime formule is a cost-effective way to enjoy a wonderful meal, typically available as plat alone, entrée + plat, plat + dessert or all three. But most non-tourist-centric restaurants will have a single offering in each category for their formule.
As others have noted, it's rare -- but not unheard of -- to be asked to choose a dessert when ordering at the beginning of one's meal. It's overwhelmingly after the meal that a dessert sheet is presented and one chooses their dessert.
Personally, I almost always pass on dessert. Not a big fan of sweets.
A couple of other notes. In France, it's generally expresso; not espresso.
And in Normandie, do not be surprised if you're offered a glass of calvados between courses. It's called a trou Normande (Norman hole) and it's intended to settle one's stomach during a multi-course meal.
I'm old enough to be invited by the Maire to the répas des aînés (meal for the elders) in my little village in Normandie. It's coming up in a few weeks this year and takes about 4 hours to get through. Le trou Normande is always offered mid-way through.
siesta, I do not think a waiter will have a problem with ordering coffee and dessert at the same time, except that they might be a little surprised. If you are polite in making a small request like this, the worst I can expect is a waiter asking you to confirm - as others have noted, it is fairly uncustomary (I assume because the strong flavor of a coffee might interfere with the flavor of the dessert?)
You have to specify that you want the coffee and dessert together. Just say dessert et cafe ensemble.
It's because our after meal coffee is either a small expresso or one with a drop of milk called a noisette. These are tiny, to be savored at the end after the dessert.
If you want a larger coffee, just say Americano or cafe allongé and they'll understand. That's a shot of espresso with 3x the water.
Don't forget that traditionally, after a good meal and after dessert and possible final coffee, it's time for a digestif (liquor, spirit, Cognac, Armagnac, or similar drink generally very alcoholic which can be "homemade")
If it's kindly offered by the boss, it's rude to refuse.
And yet most restaurants with elegant multi course meals serve tiny treats -- macarons, honeyed nuts, small mousses, jellies etc often 4 of them hence 'petit four' with the coffee course. Called Mignardises. Not to be confused with the rather tasteless little frosted cake squares called petit fours in the US.
