Gratuity at Fine Dining Restaurant in Paris?

First find out if they automatically charge service.
If so, you can round up to the nearest euro. The check will state if service is added (or ask).

If no service is added, you can tip 10 to 15 percent, depending on how you were treated/served. They are not tip happy and I felt bad about 10% but I've seen people leave as little as 5%... so yes, its hard to get used to as Americans.

When we had Sunday lunch at a "high end" restaurant in May, we watched what the French couple at the next table did when paying their bill. We knew that the 15% service charge was included (it almost always is) but we also felt that a bit extra was required. The man next door left a 5 euro note, so we did, too.

At high end establisments the round up to the euro doesn't really work,, I mean if bill is 248 euros,, leaving 250 seems a bit chinzy.. even in France with a basically non tipping culture. I would tip about 10% or so for a great experience( which most high end places do provide,, except tourist traps like the Eiffel Tower resto,,LOL )

Oh that's true Pat.. a 2 euro tip would be cheezy. I meant if it were 248 euros, I'd add 10% and round it to 275.

Just how many tourists do actually spend 250+ Euros on "fine" meals in Paris? I'm kind of interested to know. Personally I wouldn't because I'm not wealthy and 250 Euros goes a long way toward other vacation expenses. And just what delicacies do you get that's so exquisite to warrant a 250 Euro meal?

Our Sunday lunch, which I mention above, came to about 100 euro for the two of us, which for us was a very expensive meal but it was a birthday celebration. 250 euro for two people would be obscene in my book, but then, my book is a paperback, well-thumbed and dog-eared. I feel that in following the elderly and elegant couple at the next table in their tipping, we did the right "French" thing.

Do you think your birthday meal warranted 100 Euro? What restaurant did you visit, and what did you have?

Tim,, the OP is not asking if you think its worth spending the money at an expensive restuarant,, she is asking about tipping. Your thoughts on whether it is worth it are clear,, but you must know many would disagree.

An expensive meal is not just had to fill up the tummy, its a whole experience.

And, Tim, many tourists do like to splurge on one nice meal while in Paris,, it is after all a world famous center of culinary artists!!

I have spent more then 250 on a meal , but I was treating some relatives too. With a few nice bottles of wine, it is easy to go over 75-100 euros per head.

It may also mean I eat alot of street cart crepes and baguettes the rest of the trip,, but to me,, and really nice meal is worth it,, and not just for the food( which in my experiences I have been so lucky to truly enjoy a few special places)

PS Tim ,, there are restos where spending 100 euros per head would be a DEAL!! LOL

First, to the OP: At a high end restaurant I would tip 10%-15%. The service charge on your bill does NOT go to the waiters. Here is a good guide:
http://www.secretsofparis.com/tipping

Here is a longer discussion about tipping with various points of view. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=19557&hl=tipping+michelin

Tim, there are many of us "foodies" for whom dining is one of the main joys of travel (esp. in France). There are legions of people who go to Paris just to eat. A 250E meal is definitely something we'd only do once a trip--it's not an everyday thing (neither our wallet OR our stomachs could take it)--but to have a meal at a 2 or 3 Michelin restaurant is really an experience you'll remember forever.

I had a 250-300E lunch in Paris last year that included 4 or 5 little appetizers, a main appetizer and entree, a selection of cheese from two huge cheese carts, five courses of dessert (all small), champagne, wine, in an amazing, gorgeous setting. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented.
The bread came with three kinds of butter, all under glass domes on slate. Etc etc. We had 12 waiters and it's almost worth going just to see how amazing the wait staff is. It was a good value for the food and service.

I know some people would be shocked at what we spend on food, but it's a matter of priorities--I'm shocked at what people spend on car payments these days (that meal is less than one average car payment, after all)!

In terms of a 100E meal, you can spend the equivalent of that at dinner in tons of restaurants in any American city. That's only $140 or so.

Maybe my last post was misintrepetted. I was genuinely curious as to where they went and what they had, and if they thought they got their money's worth. Have you ever heard of "living vicariously through someone else"?

No, I would never do it, but that doesn't prevent me from living the experience through someone else...lighten up! I've never experienced Europe's fine dining, and I'd like to at least read about it from someone else.

Thanks for the responses everyone, this is very helpful and I have a much better idea of what is customary now.

(And yes, we have reservations at a Michelin 3-star in Paris...so I'm expecting at least 250 Euro per person. It's our honeymoon and we are total foodies, so this is a real treat!) Bon Appetit!

Margaret, what restaurant?

Guy Savoy. I checked out a few others, but some are closed the month of August due to holiday, and some are closed Sat./Sunday nights which is when we will be in Paris. And I admit the name recognition hooked me (plus their online reservation form was a breeze.)

Christy, thank you so much for both of those websites. They were very informative. Quite a long time ago on the Helpline there had been a lot of discussion on here about whether wait staff receive that "service charge" because here in Germany they don't. I pretty much felt that France was probably the same way, and now these web sites confirm it.