The “Americanization” of French restaurants is happening in Paris—and not everyone is happy. In recent years, dozens of American-inspired restaurants have popped up around the French capital, serving everything from New York-style pizza by the slice to Southern-style fried chicken and waffles. The influence is going beyond what’s on the menu: While the French dinner hour traditionally begins closer to 8pm, some restaurants now open as early as 6:30, aligning more with American schedules. Lunch is changing, too, with shorter breaks, takeout, and fast food increasingly replacing the leisurely, multi-course meals France is known for. And perhaps the most controversial shift is tipping. A Lightspeed report found the share of digital transactions that involved an added customer gratuity rose from 4% in 2023 to nearly 10% in 2025. For many French diners, that’s not an upgrade but an unwelcome American import. (CNN)
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