The Secret Trick Rick Steves Uses To Lower His Café Bill When Dining In France

Travel expert Rick Steves has been around the world and learned a few things about the best ways to experience life abroad, as well as how to do it on a budget. Steves has been all over Europe, and is an expert at highlighting what European tourist traps to avoid and how to protect yourself by avoiding scams in foreign hotels. However, there is one expense Rick understands that we all have to pay for everyday: food.

When visiting countries known for cuisine, such as Spain and Italy, you might get stuck paying more money than you originally bargained or budgeted for. France, in particular, can be pricey if you are indulging in all the luxurious eats while not paying attention to the amount attached to each bite or sip. Luckily, Steves has written some tips for his Rick Steves Europe website about ways to lower your cafe bill when dining in France, most notably starting with where you sit. 

"Be aware that cafés charge different prices for the same drink, depending upon where you want to be seated," Steves explained. "Prices are posted: comptoir (counter/bar) and the more expensive salle (seated). Don't pay for your drink at the bar if you want to sit at a table."

Along with finding some of the cheapest ways to do laundry while traveling overseas, Rick Steves has compiled a few different ways to dine out in France while on a tight budget and use your money for other things such as transportation, entrance fees, and lodging.

In Steves' post, he continues to advise travelers to France to seek out bakeries or stands that sell smaller, more affordable food items, such as sandwiches or quiches. "These are a great value and streamline the picnic process," the site notes. You can use these foods to picnic like a tourist or if you want to feel French, learn how to go Beyond the Baguette and upgrade your outdoor meal with a how to-guide from Kylie Lang.

When it comes to going to stores, Steves noted that bottles of water, as well as unrefrigerated soft drinks and beers are usually sold at a discount compared to those stored in cooled conditions. "Avoid buying drinks to go at streetside stands," urged Steves "you'll find them far cheaper in a shop."

Perhaps you are a college student without a lot of disposable income to spend on food or a newlyweds who cashed in their honeymoon fund to buy the tickets to France. You can still have a great time and eat well, according to Rick Steves, you might just have to adjust your expectations of what and how you will eat.

First, Steves recommended that some delicious and affordable food in Europe can be found at cafeterias. "You'll find self-service restaurants in big cities everywhere, offering low-price, low-risk, low-stress, what-you-see-is-what-you-get meals," wrote Steves in his Europe's Cheap Eats post, adding that across the continent, big department stores tend to provide cafeteria lunches that are pretty tasty and not costly. 

Another option is to buy food from street vendors or check out market halls where local ingredients are provided at discounted prices. If you do have the money to eat at a sit down eatery, make sure to review what types of European restaurants to skip in order to get the best bite for your buck.