Waiters in France are advised to butter up the British

Full article (may require registration at the site for non UK readers) at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...044817,00.html

FRENCH restaurants have been warned that they risk losing valuable British
custom unless they improve their manners, stamp out smoking and stop
treating Britons as culinary heathens. A report commissioned by the Ministry
of Tourism denounces the condescending attitude adopted by many French
restaurateurs towards diners from the other side of the Channel.

It tells them not to insult British cuisine and to abandon the widely held
idea that Britons know nothing about food or wine.

The survey, by the University of Toulouse, is designed to help French
restaurants to offer a better service to the 76 million overseas tourists
who spend an average of ?18 billion (£12.6 billion) a year on meals in
France.

Researchers focused on four nationalities - Germans, Americans and Japanese,
along with the British - to advise waiters and chefs on how to deal with
each.

Of the 13 million Britons who visit France every year, it says: "The French
consider the British to be cold, haughty, reserved people who have no
culinary knowledge and who cook everything in water."

The caricature is wrong, the report insists. "The British possess a long
culinary history and they are a nation that likes exotic products and ethnic
cuisine. Their cuisine has been enriched by their former colonies." One
piece of advice to waiters, for example, is to "consider the British to be
great connoisseurs of wine. They appreciate regional wines and they like to
discover new wines. Britain is the hub of the world wine industry". Another
piece of advice is: "Avoid belittling British cooking in front of a tourist
from the other side of the Channel. They feel there is too much criticism of
their national cooking."

British customers denounced bad French table-manners, the Gallic habit of
smoking between courses and the rudeness of Parisian waiters, although not
their counterparts in other parts of the country.

[The report] also challenges anti-American prejudice, saying that US
tourists are not the fat, uncouth hamburger-eaters that they are thought to
be. "Those who come to France have a high social level . . . they are very
open, adventurous and passionate."

However, Americans are often discouraged by scowling Parisian waiters and
the reluctance of the French to speak any language other than their own.
"Consider American customers as kings," the report says. "In the US, service
is very important. They find the French too passive in this respect. Try to
communicate in English."



Owain

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't have it
any other way.



"Owain" wrote in message ...
Full article (may require registration at the site for non UK readers) at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...044817,00.html

FRENCH restaurants have been warned that they risk losing valuable British
custom unless they improve their manners, stamp out smoking and stop
treating Britons as culinary heathens. A report commissioned by the Ministry
of Tourism denounces the condescending attitude adopted by many French
restaurateurs towards diners from the other side of the Channel.

It tells them not to insult British cuisine and to abandon the widely held
idea that Britons know nothing about food or wine.

The survey, by the University of Toulouse, is designed to help French
restaurants to offer a better service to the 76 million overseas tourists
who spend an average of ?18 billion (£12.6 billion) a year on meals in
France.

Researchers focused on four nationalities - Germans, Americans and Japanese,
along with the British - to advise waiters and chefs on how to deal with
each.

Of the 13 million Britons who visit France every year, it says: "The French
consider the British to be cold, haughty, reserved people who have no
culinary knowledge and who cook everything in water."

The caricature is wrong, the report insists. "The British possess a long
culinary history and they are a nation that likes exotic products and ethnic
cuisine. Their cuisine has been enriched by their former colonies." One
piece of advice to waiters, for example, is to "consider the British to be
great connoisseurs of wine. They appreciate regional wines and they like to
discover new wines. Britain is the hub of the world wine industry". Another
piece of advice is: "Avoid belittling British cooking in front of a tourist
from the other side of the Channel. They feel there is too much criticism of
their national cooking."

British customers denounced bad French table-manners, the Gallic habit of
smoking between courses and the rudeness of Parisian waiters, although not
their counterparts in other parts of the country.

[The report] also challenges anti-American prejudice, saying that US
tourists are not the fat, uncouth hamburger-eaters that they are thought to
be. "Those who come to France have a high social level . . . they are very
open, adventurous and passionate."

However, Americans are often discouraged by scowling Parisian waiters and
the reluctance of the French to speak any language other than their own.
"Consider American customers as kings," the report says. "In the US, service
is very important. They find the French too passive in this respect. Try to
communicate in English."



Owain

nick wrote:

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't have it
any other way.

Being neighbours you probably have had more opportunities to visit France than I have. I have been there
three times, and spent a total of about four weeks in France. I ran into only a few waiters who spoke no
English at all, and most of the others were quite fluent in it. Of all those waiters, only one was rude.
But then, I wouldn't have expected much more from a middle aged man whose serving job was the acme of his
career.

Dave Smith wrote:

nick wrote:

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't have it
any other way.

Being neighbours you probably have had more opportunities to visit France than I have. I have been there
three times, and spent a total of about four weeks in France. I ran into only a few waiters who spoke no
English at all, and most of the others were quite fluent in it. Of all those waiters, only one was rude.
But then, I wouldn't have expected much more from a middle aged man whose serving job was the acme of his
career.

I would expect more, and generally get it -- perhaps because I would
not despise a middle-aged man whose serving job was the acme of his
career. Never withhold respect from a person because of the work he or
she does.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Dave Smith wrote:

nick wrote:

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't
have it any other way.

Being neighbours you probably have had more opportunities to visit France
than I have. I have been there three times, and spent a total of about
four weeks in France. I ran into only a few waiters who spoke no English
at all, and most of the others were quite fluent in it. Of all those
waiters, only one was rude. But then, I wouldn't have expected much more
from a middle aged man whose serving job was the acme of his career.

I live mostly in France and don't find French waiters any more rude in
general than in other countries. 'Differently polite' would be a better
description. Remember, idioms of politeness vary between cultures, so what
you perceive as rudeness may not be intended. French people often comment
on how rude Anglo-Saxons are, for example, when they enter a shop and fail
to pass the time of day to waiting customers, or leave without doing the
same.

Also, bear in mind that being a waiter in France is a proper job not just
something you do while you're waiting for your next cal from Hollywood.
Thats why the standards of professionalism among waiting staff in France is
generally so high

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't
have it
any other way.

Being neighbours you probably have had more opportunities to visit France
than I have. I have been there
three times, and spent a total of about four weeks in France. I ran into
only a few waiters who spoke no
English at all, and most of the others were quite fluent in it. Of all
those waiters, only one was rude.
But then, I wouldn't have expected much more from a middle aged man whose
serving job was the acme of his
career.

You have to remeber that unlike the UK or US, most countries respect you
just for doing a useful job. Incidently, being a waiter at a good restaraunt
is a job held in quite high esteem in France. The money can be very good
also.

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 22:22:05 -0000, "nick" wrote:

The French, speak ENGLISH?? lol. Never in a month of Sundays!
As a Brit, I expect French waiters to be rude *******s. And I wouldn't have it
any other way.


I find that as often as not, if the waiter is young, he actually WANTS
to practice his English at you. Fat lot of use when I was hoping to
improve my French!

Following up to Dave Smith

But then, I wouldn't have expected much more from a middle aged man whose serving job was the acme of his
career.

But on the continent (where I go anyway) being a waiter is not
looked down on.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Walking, Wasdale, Thames path, London etc "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to Owain

Of the 13 million Britons who visit France every year, it says: "The French
consider the British to be cold, haughty, reserved people who have no
culinary knowledge and who cook everything in water."

water! Damn cheek, everything is fried.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Walking, Wasdale, Thames path, London etc "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to John Stolz

I live mostly in France and don't find French waiters any more rude in
general than in other countries. 'Differently polite' would be a better
description.

I do find service can be very slow in Paris. I don't mind waiting
half an hour or more for some food to be cooked, but I like the
order to be taken and drinks brought fairly quickly, in this area
Paris is hopeless compared to Spain and Italy.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Walking, Wasdale, Thames path, London etc "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap