Depending on where you stay in Europe,
you may come across some very expensive food and drinks (a small Coke in Paris
for 3 euros? Quelle horreur!), but if you know where to look, you can
save some money here too without having to resort to eating at McDonald's every
meal. Come on, you didn't come to Europe to eat
McDonald's, did you?
In case your hotel doesn't offer breakfast, there
are usually a lot of bakeries offering cheap breads and pastries. So hit up the
bakery for breakfast, and then be on your way.
As far as lunch goes, there are a variety of
places that offer snack menus. Menus are always posted outside of the
restaurant or café so you can check out their prices and what they offer before
you go in. Snacks, by the European definition, usually consist of pretty hearty
sandwiches with a side of salad. They're generally inexpensive (less than 5
euros) and will sustain you until dinner. Snack stands are good for getting
wursts or savory crepes, and bakeries are also a good source for sandwiches. Better
yet, how about doing a little shopping for the lunch fixings yourself? Get some
good bread, cheese and fresh fruit at the market and make yourself a nice
little picnic. Food is generally much cheaper at the shops than they are in the
restaurants and cafes, and it gives you the chance to chat it up with the local
merchants. Another cheap (but not exactly healthy) option is to pick up some
fries at a Friterie. You generally get a very large portion slathered with
mayonnaise.
If you plan on being thirsty a lot, get a large
bottle of water to carry around with you. Restaurants do not give you free
refills on drinks, and you cannot order tap water. It's a good idea to stop at
a small grocery or convenience store at the beginning of the day to get enough
water to slake your thirst between meals. Restaurants overcharge for drinks and
would probably frown on you bringing in your own. So just limit yourself to one
at the restaurant (incidentally, beer is usually cheaper than soft drinks) and
quench your thirst with the water you've been carrying around all day (which is
cleverly hidden in your bag) after you leave the restaurant.
As for dinner, your best bet is probably to hit a
pub or a bar. They generally serve reasonably tasty and hearty local fare at a
good price. You can also find many cheap and good ethnic
restaurants—Turkish/Greek, Indian, Chinese—and pizza/pasta joints. Always check
the menus outside first for prices. Many restaurants also offer a fixed price
menu for dinner. I've seen them for around 20 euros per person. It's generally
a multi-course meal: an appetizer, a main dish with a side, and dessert, all
for one price. Your choices are limited, but the meal is usually excellent.
Drinks generally are not included in the price.
By the way, restaurants don't usually open for
dinner until 6 pm or later. And as
far as tipping goes, the general rule is, if the meal is inexpensive, round up
to the nearest euro (if your meal comes to 5,50, for example, give them 6, but
if it comes to 5,90, give them 7 instead of 6). If the meal is more expensive
(which is more likely around dinner-time), give them a few extra euros for good
service.