Sending Food Back & Complaints
Use these phrases when your order is incorrect, cold, or missing items, and you need to politely ask the staff or manager to resolve the issue.
Key Phrases
Disculpe, creo que este plato que me han servido no es lo que yo pedí.
Excuse me, I think this dish that was served to me is not what I ordered.
💡 Use this politely when you receive the wrong dish.
Por favor, pida al cocinero que caliente más la sopa porque está muy fría.
Please ask the cook to heat the soup more because it is very cold.
💡 A polite way to request that underheated food be warmed up.
Me he dado cuenta de que falta la ensalada que pedimos como acompañamiento para el filete.
I realized that the salad we ordered as a side for the steak is missing.
💡 Useful for pointing out a missing side dish.
¿Sería tan amable de traer el plato correcto que pedí hace unos veinte minutos?
Would you be so kind as to bring the correct dish that I ordered about twenty minutes ago?
💡 A conditional-based polite request to correct a wrong order.
Este pescado está un poco crudo en el centro y prefiero que lo cocinen un poco más.
This fish is a bit raw in the center and I prefer that you cook it a bit more.
💡 Use this if your food arrives undercooked.
Creo que hay un error en la cuenta porque nos han cobrado algo que no consumimos.
I think there is an error on the bill because we were charged for something we did not consume.
💡 A polite way to address billing mistakes.
Disculpe la molestia, pero me gustaría hablar con el gerente o el encargado del restaurante, por favor.
Excuse the inconvenience, but I would like to speak with the manager or the person in charge of the restaurant, please.
💡 Use this if the issue is unresolved and you need managerial assistance.
La sopa que me trajeron está fría, así que le pido que por favor me la cambie.
The soup they brought me is cold, so I ask you to please change it for me.
💡 A direct but polite request to swap cold soup.
Pedimos las patatas fritas sin sal y nos han traído las que tienen mucha sal.
We ordered the French fries without salt and they brought us the ones that have a lot of salt.
💡 Good for explaining that dietary preferences were not respected.
¿Podría hablar con el supervisor de turno para explicarle lo que ha pasado con la comida?
Could I speak with the shift supervisor to explain to them what happened with the food?
💡 An alternative polite way to ask for the person in charge.