French Dinner Etiquette: What to Do (and Not to Do!)

Invited to a French dinner, but scared to make a faux-pas? With this article, you will become an expert in French dinner etiquette!

Here are 5 things you should avoid doing during a French dinner:

-Don't start eating before your host

French people usually wait for everyone to be seated and for the host to say "Bon appétit!" to start enjoying the meal.

-Don't make noise while eating

This includes chewing loudly, licking your knife, blowing your nose, picking your teeth, or even speaking too loudly (especially in a restaurant).

-Don't put bread in your plate

Bread isn't meant to be in your plate! Instead, place it on the tablecloth next to your plate, and break pieces with your fingers if you want to eat some.

-Never ask for ice in your wine

Trust me, this request will not be received well...

-No elbows on the table

This one is a little bit outdated (I'm myself guilty of that in casual settings), but if you go to a fancy dinner, it's best to remember this rule. Instead, you can keep your hands under the table whenever you're not eating.

Here are 5 things you should avoid doing during a French dinner:

-Don't start eating before your host

French people usually wait for everyone to be seated and for the host to say "Bon appétit!" to start enjoying the meal.

-Don't make noise while eating

This includes chewing loudly, licking your knife, blowing your nose, picking your teeth, or even speaking too loudly (especially in a restaurant).

-Don't put bread in your plate

Bread isn't meant to be in your plate! Instead, place it on the tablecloth next to your plate, and break pieces with your fingers if you want to eat some.

-Never ask for ice in your wine

Trust me, this request will not be received well...

-No elbows on the table

This one is a little bit outdated (I'm myself guilty of that in casual settings), but if you go to a fancy dinner, it's best to remember this rule. Instead, you can keep your hands under the table whenever you're not eating.

On the contrary, do these 5 things to impress your host!

-Bring a gift to your host

Bringing a gift to your host is considered good manners in France, and your host will definitely appreciate the gesture. Not sure what to bring? Check out this article to know what French people love as a gift!

-Compliment the food

If your host is the one who cooked, don't hesitate to compliment at least one of the dishes. You can simply say "C'est délicieux" (It's delicious) or "C'est très bon" (It's very good). No need to overdo it!

On the contrary, never tell your host if you don't like something.

-Ask your host if they need help

Most of the time they will say no, but they will for sure appreciate you asking.

-In a shared plate, don't take the last piece of food.

In more casual settings, dishes might be shared - for example, during an "apéritif dînatoire" (an informal dinner only consisting of bite-sized food). In that case, don't take the last slice of pizza or the last toast: it's bad manners to do so.

-When leaving, thank your host one last time

It's very important to thank your host for the night. You can say "Merci pour votre invitation." (Thank you for your invitation).

Now you're ready to go to a French dinner party!

Follow these guidelines and your hosts will love you: you'll surely be invited again!

Want to practice your French before your next trip to France? Check out my course French for Travellers: Click here!

See you next time for more French tips!

Amélie, founder of Académie Amélie