Culture & sights
Luxembourg Etiquette: 10 Dos and Don’ts
5 min read
Locals greeting each other outside a Luxembourg City cafe
In shops, cafes and on the street
Always say Moien (hello) or Bonjour when entering a shop, bakery or small cafe, and Merci and Aweer or Au revoir when leaving. Skipping the greeting is genuinely rude here in a way it is not in London or New York. Staff will greet you first and expect a return. Handshakes are standard for introductions; three kisses on alternating cheeks are for friends and family, not strangers or business.
Luxembourgers speak quietly in public. Loud phone calls on the tram or shouted conversations in restaurants get stares. Queuing is orderly and pushing is unheard of. Jaywalking is technically fined and locals wait for the green man even at empty crossings.
At the table
Meals are unhurried. A dinner reservation for 19:30 means the table is yours for the evening — you will not be pushed out at 21:00 as in some cities. Do not ask for the bill until you are ready to leave; it will not come otherwise and staff would find it rude to bring it uninvited. Say l’addition s’il vous plait when the time comes. Splitting bills is fine; asking for separate cheques for eight people is annoying but not refused.
Do not photograph your food theatrically or film the waiter presenting a dish. Do not send food back unless there is something genuinely wrong. Bread comes with most meals and is not usually charged extra. Wine glasses are refilled by the host or waiter, not by yourself if you are a guest.
Things that will mark you as clueless
Wearing gym clothes to dinner unless the restaurant is explicitly casual. Assuming everyone speaks English before trying French. Complaining loudly about prices — Luxembourg is expensive and locals know it, but public grumbling is graceless. Asking if Luxembourg is part of Germany, Belgium or France (it is a sovereign Grand Duchy and has been since 1815). Calling it Luxemburg in writing when the country spells it Luxembourg with an o. Tipping 20% and making a show of it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to dress up for restaurants?
Smart casual works for almost anywhere. Only two or three fine-dining rooms in the country expect a jacket, and they will tell you when you book.
Is it OK to speak English first?
Yes, but start with Bonjour or Moien and then ask do you speak English. That two-second courtesy changes the whole interaction.
Where to stay
Rooms worth pairing with this guide.
Ready to plan this trip?
Real prices for the places this piece names.
