Ordering at a Restaurant
Use these practical phrases to navigate menus, order food and drinks, and communicate special requests confidently in a French restaurant.
Key Phrases
Je vais prendre la formule du midi avec l'entrée et le plat.
neutralI'll take the lunch special with the starter and the main course.
A 'formule' usually means a set menu which is cheaper than ordering à la carte.
Pour moi, ce sera le plat du jour que j'ai vu sur l'ardoise.
casualFor me, it'll be the dish of the day that I saw on the board.
"L'ardoise" is the chalkboard menu commonly used in French bistros for daily specials.
Je voudrais le magret de canard, avec la sauce à part s'il vous plaît.
politeI would like the duck breast, with the sauce on the side please.
Using "Je voudrais" (I would like) is the standard polite way to state your order.
Qu'est-ce que vous nous conseillez, sachant qu'on préfère la viande rouge ?
neutralWhat do you recommend to us, knowing that we prefer red meat?
Adding a context clue like "sachant que" (knowing that) makes your request more natural.
Quel est le plat que vous recommandez le plus en ce moment ?
politeWhich dish do you recommend the most right now?
Useful when you are deciding between a few different options and want the server's input.
Pouvez-vous m'expliquer exactement ce qu'est la garniture qui accompagne ce poisson ?
politeCan you explain to me exactly what the side dish is that comes with this fish?
The relative pronoun "qui" (that/which) smoothly links the description to the dish.
Est-ce qu'il y a des options végétariennes qui ne sont pas sur la carte ?
neutralAre there any vegetarian options that aren't on the menu?
"La carte" refers to the detailed printed menu, whereas "le menu" often refers to a set meal.
Quand je venais ici avant, il y avait un menu étudiant, ça existe toujours ?
casualWhen I used to come here before, there was a student menu, does that still exist?
Uses the imperfect tense ("venais", "y avait") to talk about a past habit.
Il faut que je fasse attention aux allergies, est-ce qu'il y a des arachides dedans ?
neutralI need to be careful with allergies, are there peanuts in it?
"Il faut que je fasse" is a common subjunctive phrase used to express necessity or caution.
Et comme boisson, on va prendre une carafe d'eau pour commencer, tout simplement.
neutralAnd for drinks, we'll take a pitcher of water to start, simply.
"Une carafe d'eau" is free tap water, distinct from paying for bottled water ("eau minérale").
On prendra juste deux demis à la pression et une limonade, s'il te plaît.
casualWe'll just take two half-pints on draft and a lemonade, please.
In a casual cafe or bar, it is common to use "tu" with the bartender or server.
Excusez-moi, ça fait un moment qu'on attend nos plats, est-ce qu'ils arrivent bientôt ?
neutralExcuse me, we've been waiting for our dishes for a while, are they coming soon?
A polite but firm way to check on a delayed order without sounding aggressive.
Il faut qu'on parte bientôt, est-ce que ce serait possible d'avoir l'addition ?
politeWe have to leave soon, would it be possible to have the bill?
Using the subjunctive "qu'on parte" (that we leave) is natural for expressing time constraints.
Est-ce que vous acceptez la carte bleue pour un montant de dix euros ?
neutralDo you accept credit cards for an amount of ten euros?
"La carte bleue" or simply "la carte" is the everyday French term for a bank card.