In today’s lesson you’ll learn 30 essential phrases for ordering a food in a French restaurant. You’ll learn how reserve your table, order your meal, pay for the bill and most importantly give compliments to the chef!
How to order a meal in French
Making reservations
Learning how to make restaurant reservations is very important as many higher-end French restaurants require that you book the table in advance.
Je voudrais réserver une table pour deux personnes.
I’d like to reserve a table for two people.
On arrive à dix-neuf heures.
We’ll arrive at 7.00pm.
Une table pour deux s’il vous plaît.
A table for two please.
Bonus phrases
Connaissez-vous un bon restaurant dans ce quartier?
Do you a good restaurant in this neighborhood?
Pouvez-vous m’indiquer un restaurant bon marché près d’ici?
Can you suggest an inexpensive restaurant near here?
Je vourdais une table sur la terrace/près de la fenêtre.
I’d like a table on the terrace/near the window.
Ordering your meal
The following list of phrases are what you will use with the waiter (le serveur) or the waitress (la serveuse). The traditional word for waiter is le garçon, which literally means “the boy”. This term is now outdated.
Nous sommes prêts à commander.
We’re ready to order.
Puis-j’avoir la carte?
May I have the menu?
Je voudrais…
I would like…
Je prendrais…
I’ll have…
Avez-vous des menus?
Do you have set/fixed-price menus?
Nous commandons à la carte.
We’ll order separate items off the menu.
Que recommandez-vous?
What do you recommend?
Quelles sont les specialités du/chef de la région?
What are the chef’s/ region’s specialties?
Une bouteille de vin rouge/blanc/mousseux
A bottle of red/white/sparkling wine
Dietary restrictions
The following offers a comprehensive list of phrases you can use to express specific dietary restrictions. Gluten allergies (les allergies au gluten) have become increasingly common so much restaurants offer gluten-free (sans gluten) options.
Avez-vous des plats végétariens?
Do you have vegetarian dishes.
Je suis végétarien/végétarienne.
I’m a vegetarian.
Je suis allergique au gluten.
I’m allergic to gluten.
Je suis allergique au produits laitiers.
I’m allergic to dairy products.
Pas trop épicé, s’il vous plaît.
Not too spicy, please.
Bonus phrases
Avez-vous des plats pour les diabétiques?
Do you have any dishes for diabetics?
Je dois évieter le/la/les…
I must avoid…
Est-ce que c’est cachère?
Is it kosher?
Je ne mange pas le porc.
I don’t eat pork.
Je voudrais encore.
I’d like more.
Puis-je avoir encore un peu de…
May I have some more…
Donnez-moi une petite portion de…
Give me a small portion of…
Compliments and complaints
In French culture is is very common to lavish compliments and express praise to the chef and restaurant staff. Be sure to memorize the first to phrases on the list below.
C’est délicieux/très bon!
It’s delicious/very good!
Nos compléments au chef!
Our complements to the chef!
C’est trop cuit.
It’s over-cooked.
La viande est trop cuite/saignante/dure.
The meat is overcooked/rare/hard.
C’est trop salé/amer/sucré.
It’s too salty/bitter/sweet.
Ce plat ne me plaît pas.
I don’t like this dish.
Je voudrais renvoyer ce plat.
I’d like to send this dish back.
Degrees of steak doneness
In France, people tend to eat steak at more rare or red levels compared to in North America. When ordering, you may say je voudrais ma viande (I’d like my meat):
- bleu very rare
- saignant rare
- à point medium rare
- moyen medium (you can also say demi-anglais)
- bien cuit well-done
Paying the bill
Be very careful with the phrase, “Je vous invite”. While it literally translates to “I invite you”, it means “It’s my treat”! Separately, in France you generally do not have to ask if the service is included. This is because the service is almost always included in the bill and tipping is optional.
Je vous invite!
It’s my treat!
L’addition, s’il vous plaît.
The bill, please.
Il parraît qu’il y a une erreur dans l’addition.
It looks like there’s a mistake in the bill.
Le service est compris?
Is the service included?
Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit?
Do you accept credit cards
French restaurant vocabulary
Wait…before you go, here’s a list of useful French restaurant vocabulary words:
Word of the Day Lessons | Lessons by David Issokson
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- Food vocabulary
- Wine names
- Champagne brands
- Cheese names
- Tipping in France
- Drinking Age In France
- Breakfast in France
- Lunch In France
- Popular French dishes
- French desserts
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