Looking for some input on this? Is it worth the money? What kinds of things are on it? We are arriving on Saturday and am thinking we might love to do this for dinner. Thoughts? Thanks....

Think it's around $45/head and well worth it!!!!!

Actually it is $52 per persons, service included. The 15% service charge is only applyed to the beverage.
The buffet is largely garnished, with hors d'oeuvre, fresh seafood section, salad bar, appetizer, fish soup, Lobsters, meats and poultries, fish, side order, cheese buffet and desserts section.
And since I wouldn't either be neutral or objectif, I will not comment about being worth it or not

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Thanks for the info!! Sounds like we should definitely plan to eat there. Do we need a reservation? I can only assume we would, since it's only once a week.

To be honnest the "low season" is VERY low so we should have availabitilty for this upcoming saturday, but if you want to be sure you will have a table by the water, then yes it is better to reserve.
You can do so directly with me by sending me a PM or an email at the email adress in my profile, if you wish.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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by the way, here is a great link on tipping customs in different countries

[www.huffingtonpost.com]

[barcann.livejournal.com]

Nice link, very instructive! the only think is that it still maintain the confusion about the french system by saying that "by law the 15% service charge is automatically included in the price" which is false..
the fact is that the French restaurantor still have the choice to include it or not in his price, and that this choice has to be cleearly stated somewhere on the menu as "service compris" (if included..) or "service non compris" (if not included..) what the law is clear about is that what ever the choice the restaurantor makes, the service charge acnnot be added afterward on the bill or cannot shown separatly on the bill. The price you see on the menu are the price you pay, no matter what, no matter if service is include dor not.
Fact is also that the very vast majority of restaurantor in France chose to include the service, which is an extra gain for them since they use this portion to pay the fix salary of the wait staff... the service charge in France doesn't go in the pocket of the waiter as a tip on the top of his fix salary.. it is absorbe by his fix salary, and if the service charge amount more than what the fix salary is, then the difference is kept by the restaurantor as a profit... the tips (pourboire..) left on the table by the customer, goes directly in the pocket of the waiter on top of his fix salary...
I know this topic always seems to be confusing for some, but it is also because people have tendancy to simlify the issue by saying "the service charge is always included by law in France" .. and that is wrong.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Our ressies are made for the 21st. My mouth is watering and I can't wait to get there!!

Philippe- just so that I'm clear. If and I've seen this stamped on the bill it says "service non compris" all that means is the service charge hasn't been added which wasn't going to the wait staff any way?? And if service is added all that means is that it's going to the restaurant and not the wait staff? I am trying to get this straight in my mind that service and tip are not one in the same?

Thank you.

Louise



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2010 03:11PM by fabila.

It's all so confusing to me!! To tip, or not to tip...that is the question.

You are pretty much right one Louise! In France the service charge when included in the prices labeled on the menu is not "redistributated" to the staff.. It only helps the restaurantor to pay the staff's fix salary at the end of the month, which is why a vast majority of the restaurant include the service (service compris) in their prices... Contrary to most American people are convinced, te waiters are not super well paid in France! I always read this line " yeap but in oposit as in the States where a waiter has a very low wage and survive on tips, the french waiter is much more and better paid..." A waiter usually earn the minimal legal wage of approximatly $8 an hour and cannot work under French Law more than 35 hours per week!!! Make the calculation and you'll see that his salary is not super great! Of course beside their salary, like all French people they have some benefit.. 5 to 6 week paid vacation, Socialised medecine, Retirement, unemployement insurance, etc....
On the other hand a restaurantor who chose not to include the service in its prices and will label "service non compris" takes full charge of the responsability of paying the staff's fix salary without the help of the "customer" and taking the "hit" on its margin of profit, which is more rare to see.
When a customer leave a "tips" (pourboire) on the table, this will go directly to the wait staff.. now, every staff team has a different way to redistribute it within their group... sometime each waiter is responsible for its own tips (pourboire) and keep the full amount, sometime he will share a 5 or 10% with the bartender, and sometime the tips goes in a basket and at the end of the service it is share within the waiters at equal share... it's all depends hwo they decide. But in any case, the restaurantor shouldn't touch it.. I know that unfortunatly it is not always the case and I could name few of them in St Martin who take their share on the staff tips, if not taking it all and give only $1 per customer for to each waiter!!!... you have dishonest people everywhere unfortunatly...

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Thank you Philippe that really helps me.

I don't know how many times you have explained that , Philippe , and I still don't understand.



[barcann.livejournal.com]

Barbara..ROFLMAO!!! I know!....and I am trying to make it cleare and clearer each time.. I am becoming an expert at it and soon I will charge for my time to explain it !...LOL... For you I will do it free next wednesday around a drink! maybe with a couple of cocktails I will be more understandable! LOL

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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LMAO!! I'm glad I'm not alone in my confusion. For me, cocktails will only make it worse. LOL!!