Most disputes at the end of a meal in Paris come from not knowing three rules. All three are in your favour, and none of them is obvious to someone arriving from another country.
The three rules
Service is included. By law, the price on the menu includes service. There is no expected percentage on top. A tip is optional and small — rounding up, or a couple of euros for a meal you enjoyed. Nobody will chase you for it.
Tap water is free. Ask for une carafe d'eau and it must be served at no charge. A restaurant that only offers bottled water without mentioning it is choosing not to tell you.
Bread is free. It comes with the meal, it is not a charged item, and asking for more is normal.
Between them, these three account for most of the surprise at the bottom of a Paris bill.
What can legitimately appear
A cover charge does not exist in France. Unlike Italy's coperto, there is no per-person seat charge. If you see one, ask.
Terrace pricing. Some cafés charge more at a table than at the bar, and more on the terrace than inside. This is legal and must be displayed. If you drank standing at the counter, you paid the counter price.
Bottled water, coffee, digestifs — ordered, so charged. Normal.
How to check a bill in ten seconds
Look at the number of lines, not the total. A bill with more lines than things you ordered is worth reading. The most common errors are an extra drink, or a bottle of water you did not order.
Errors happen and are usually genuine. Pointing at the line calmly gets it removed without difficulty.
Paying
Card is accepted almost everywhere, including for small amounts, though some small places still have a minimum for card payment — it must be displayed.
Splitting a bill between several cards is normal and usually easy, but say so before paying rather than after.
You pay at the table, not at a counter, in a restaurant. In a café where you stood at the bar, you often pay at the bar.
Getting the bill takes asking. A French waiter will not bring it unprompted — leaving people alone after a meal is politeness, not neglect. L'addition, s'il vous plaît is the whole vocabulary you need.
##Who this does not suit
If you are in a hotel restaurant or a room attached to a major attraction, some of these conventions loosen. Read what is displayed.
If you are ordering at a counter and carrying your own tray, none of the service conventions apply — you are in a different format.
What we do not know yet
We do not publish prices, service charges or payment policies for individual restaurants. They vary, and the displayed price is always the reference.
What does not change is the law: service included, tap water free, bread free. Everything else is what you ordered.