Sending Food Back & Complaints
Use these phrases when you need to politely address errors, cold food, or missing items in a French restaurant.
Key Phrases
Je crois que ce n'est pas le plat que j'ai commandé il y a vingt minutes.
I think this is not the dish that I ordered twenty minutes ago.
💡 Use this polite phrase when the server brings the wrong meal to your table.
Mon plat est complètement froid, alors il faut que le cuisinier le réchauffe un peu.
My dish is completely cold, so it is necessary that the chef warms it up a bit.
💡 A polite way to ask for cold food to be reheated using the subjunctive.
Cette viande n'est pas assez cuite, bien que j'aie demandé une cuisson à point.
This meat is not cooked enough, although I asked for it medium-done.
💡 Use 'bien que' with the subjunctive to contrast what you received with what you ordered.
Nous attendons toujours les frites qui sont mentionnées sur la carte avec ce burger.
We are still waiting for the fries which are mentioned on the menu with this burger.
💡 Use this relative clause structure to ask about a missing side dish.
Est-ce que vous pouvez changer ce verre parce qu'il y a une tache suspecte dessus ?
Could you change this glass because there is a suspicious spot on it?
💡 A useful phrase to request a clean glass or clean cutlery politely.
Si vous reprenez ce plat froid, j'espère que le chef nous préparera une nouvelle assiette rapidement.
If you take back this cold dish, I hope the chef will prepare a new plate for us quickly.
💡 Uses the future simple to express expectation after sending food back.
Il est nécessaire que je parle au responsable du restaurant car le service était vraiment très lent.
It is necessary that I speak to the restaurant manager because the service was really very slow.
💡 Use this subjunctive trigger to politely request to speak to the manager.
Cette boisson n'est pas celle que j'ai commandée, pouvez-vous m'apporter la bonne rapidement ?
This drink is not the one I ordered, can you bring me the right one quickly?
💡 A direct but polite way to correct a beverage order mistake.
Il manque un couteau propre sur notre table, donc je vous demande de m'en apporter un.
A clean knife is missing from our table, so I ask you to bring me one.
💡 Use this to report a missing utensil using the pronoun 'en'.
Puis-je avoir un autre plat puisque celui-ci contient un ingrédient auquel je suis très allergique ?
May I have another dish since this one contains an ingredient to which I am very allergic?
💡 Crucial for safety if an allergen is present in your food by mistake.