Restaurant Etiquette

This is our 11th day in France and our first day in Paris. We are staying by Le Dome du Marais. What is the proper etiquette for getting an outside table? or an inside table? Thanks

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Ask politely.

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Asking politely is a given. When traveling to some of the smaller towns, where restaurants are not busy, you can just nod politely and gesture, politely, toward the desired table. What if you don%26#39;t see a waiter outside? Do you just stand around outside and wait until you see one? Do you go inside and ask for an outside table, politely? What if the restaurant is very busy and it may be a place that takes reservations? Do restaurants take reservations for outside tables?

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We tend to %26quot;spot%26quot; restaurants during the day as we sight see - we then go in and book the table we want when they are not too busy.

Otherwise it is the %26quot;pincer%26quot; movement, one of us stays outside near the table of choice and the other one goes into the restaurant and asks.

We have only found difficulties at very popular restaurants.

One other thing - be firm and polite (of course a given) - many is the time we have been shown to a table in a poor location - we have firmly declined pointing out its short commings (which the restaurant is fully aware of) and pointed to another table - it seems to work.

Enjoy your holiday

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Thanks Boucheboy for the excellent information. I appreicate it.

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