If you've been to France often enough, you will realize that the rules and traditions are often much more important than profits. A totally foreign and weird way of thinking to Americans, but that's the way the French are.

In some small shops, they won't wait on you at all unless you greet them while walking in with a perfunctory "Bonjour, Madame!(Monsieur!)."

Once we happened upon a restaurant in the countryside at about 8PM and walked in to have dinner, sans reservations. The place was about half full. The hostess said, "Sorry, monsieur, but without a reservation the chef cannot prepare adequately for your dinner. Please make a reservation in the future." And proceeded to throw us out.

I once waited at a bistro out in the provinces for Noon, when they would serve me a Croque Monsieur. (Lunch service). We got to the place at 11:48, but they made us sit at the table for 12 minutes just dawdling...

And so on...