A young American traveler has taken to TikTok to express her disappointment with an exorbitantly-priced breakfast in Paris, which she described as “disgusting.” The incident has ignited an online debate over breakfast preferences across different countries.
Dasia Jacobs, a 23-year-old tourist from the United States, recently shared a series of TikTok videos chronicling her Parisian vacation, including a post where she lamented a breakfast she deemed both subpar and overpriced.
Jacobs posted the video on July 9 under her TikTok handle @dasiavu__, and it quickly garnered more than 400,000 views, according to the Independent.
Upon arriving at a café, Jacobs ordered orange juice, which she found satisfying. However, her experience took a nosedive when her French toast was served.
In her video, she exclaimed, “What the frick is that?” displaying a slice of battered toast accompanied by ice cream and fruit.
“Disgusting. Zero out of 10,” she declared, criticizing the seemingly artificial appearance of the fruit, including redcurrants.
Jacobs’ reaction might have stemmed from the contrast between French toast as served in France versus the United States. While the dish is commonly eaten for breakfast worldwide, using fresh bread, the French version, called ‘pain perdu’ or ‘lost bread,’ often employs day-old or stale bread. Additionally, due to its dessert-like status in France, it tends to be sweeter than what foreigners might anticipate.
Furthermore, Jacobs ordered a side of bacon, which she found “tasty-ish,” yet lamented its “super-fatty” nature that caused her stomach discomfort. Unlike the crisp and thin bacon prevalent in the US, European bacon tends to be thicker.
After spending $48 on this meal, Jacobs left the café in pursuit of a better breakfast at her hotel’s buffet. Anticipating a complimentary meal, she loaded her plate with a pancake, cheese, a croissant, salami, and watermelon. However, she was then presented with a bill of $52.50 for this meal.
Overall, Jacobs calculated spending $100 (equivalent to €170) on breakfast and remained unsatisfied. She exclaimed, “Are you freaking joking? I was sick, y’all, I had to go to bed.”
The video sparked substantial debate among viewers. Some aligned with Jacobs’ dissatisfaction with the meals, while others criticized her negative outlook and suggested understanding that foreign cuisine can diverge significantly.
Although Jacobs subsequently removed the video, she later posted another TikTok revealing a positive dining experience in Paris – at Starbucks. After encountering numerous culinary disappointments, she praised the value of a sandwich, pastry, and coffee from the American café chain, rating it a perfect “10 out of 10” and valuing it at just €11.90.