Bonjour! One of life’s greatest pleasures is sipping a cup of hot, freshly-brewed coffee at a Parisian café. However, for first-timers, navigating the process of ordering coffee in France can be intimidating. With various preparation methods, drink sizes, and rules of etiquette, it’s easy to feel lost.
I live in France and I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of ordering coffee like a true Parisian. You’ll learn key French coffee vocabulary, popular coffee drinks and how to request each preparation method, from café au lait to café crème.
When in France, you’ll need a minimum of coffee etiquette – how and where to stand at the bar, payment customs, and polite gestures to use. These tips will give you the practical knowledge such as average coffee prices, customary drink sizes, and tipping customs. By the end, you’ll have the confidence to stroll up to any French cafe counter and place your order with flair. So grab a croissant, and let’s dive into demystifying the art of ordering coffee in France!
Ordering Coffee in French
First, find a café or a restaurant that serves coffee. When you are ready to order, it is polite to greet the staff by saying “Bonjour” (Good Morning) or “Bonsoir” (Good Evening), depending on the time of day.
Next, ask for the type of coffee you prefer. The common types of coffee in France are “un café” which is a shot of espresso, “un café crème” which is similar to a latte, “un café noisette” which is an espresso with a drop of milk, and “un café américain” which is a larger, weaker coffee, similar to American style coffee. For instance, to order an espresso, you could say “Un café, s’il vous plaît.”
It’s important to note that in France, coffee is often enjoyed while seated at a café, rather than taken to-go. If you prefer your coffee to take away, you can specify this by saying “à emporter.”
Lastly, after you have enjoyed your coffee, it’s customary to say “Merci” (Thank you) as you leave. Some French people leave small change as a tip, but it’s not obligatory.
To sum up, be polite, specify the type of coffee you want, and if you want it to take away, clearly state “à emporter.” It’s as simple as that to order coffee in France!
How to Communicate the Coffee Size
In France, coffee drinks are often served in standard sizes, particularly when it comes to traditional coffee options. However, if you find yourself at a café that offers different sizes, or if you want to specify a size at a modern coffee shop, here’s how you can do it:
- “Petit” (Small): If you want a small size of coffee, you can use the term “petit” before the name of the coffee. For example, “un petit café” would mean a small coffee.
- “Moyen” (Medium): For a medium size, use the term “moyen.” So, a medium coffee would be “un moyen café”.
- “Grand” (Large): If you prefer a large coffee, the term to use is “grand.” For instance, “un grand café” translates to a large coffee.
Remember to use these terms while ordering, to get the size of the coffee according to your preference. Don’t worry too much though; many traditional French cafes don’t offer multiple sizes, as is common in other countries.
Average Coffee Prices in France
The average cost of an espresso in Paris could range from 1.50 to 3.50 Euros, depending on the location and the prestige of the café. Outside Paris, prices for coffee are cheaper in France.
