French culture comes with many different rules for manners and good etiquette than what you may be used to in the US, so don’t be offended if someone seems rude or inattentive—they’re likely being polite (in French!). When you enter a restaurant, cafe, hotel, store or the like, greet people with a polite “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur.” A polite greeting and the effort to at least speak a few basic French phrases will go a long way. Don’t expect speedy service at restaurants and cafes, as it’s considered polite not to rush people and allow everyone plenty of time while eating or enjoying a morning coffee. With that being said, it’s sometimes considered impolite to ask for food to-go, so watch and see what others are doing before asking for a to-go box at the end of the meal.