Ordering in French Cafés & Restaurants
What you actually say to waiters in France — ordering, asking, paying — in real spoken French, not textbook French.
French café interactions follow a script. Learn the script and everything gets easier: greet first, order simply, and know how to ask for the bill — they will not bring it unasked.
- 1
Bonjour, un café s'il vous plaît.
Hello, a coffee please.
Tip: Always start with 'bonjour' — skipping it reads as rude. 'Un café' = an espresso, not a large coffee.
- 2
Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît.
A table for two, please.
Tip: Said at the entrance; in most restaurants you wait to be seated.
- 3
On peut voir la carte ?
Could we see the menu?
Tip: 'La carte' is the menu; 'le menu' is a fixed-price set meal.
- 4
Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez ?
What do you recommend?
Tip: Waiters take this seriously — expect a real answer.
- 5
Je vais prendre le plat du jour.
I'll have the daily special.
Tip: 'Le plat du jour' — usually the best value at lunch.
- 6
Pour moi, le steak, à point.
For me, the steak, medium rare.
Tip: Doneness: bleu (very rare), saignant (rare), à point (medium rare), bien cuit (well done). French 'à point' is rarer than you expect.
- 7
Qu'est-ce qu'il y a comme desserts ?
What is there for dessert?
Tip: 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a comme…' = what have you got in the way of… — very common spoken pattern.
- 8
Un verre de rouge, s'il vous plaît.
A glass of red wine, please.
Tip: Casually you drop 'vin' — 'un verre de rouge / de blanc'.
- 9
Juste une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît.
Just a tap water, please.
Tip: 'Une carafe d'eau' is free tap water — if you say 'de l'eau' you may get billed bottled water.
- 10
S'il vous plaît !
Excuse me! (calling the waiter)
Tip: To call a waiter you say 's'il vous plaît', not 'garçon' — that's dated and rude.
- 11
Le service est compris ?
Is service included?
Tip: It legally is in France; tipping beyond is optional small change.
- 12
L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
The bill, please.
Tip: They won't bring it until you ask — lingering is normal.
- 13
Je peux payer par carte ?
Can I pay by card?
Tip: Some cafés have a card minimum — 'un minimum de 10 euros'.
- 14
On va payer séparément.
We're going to pay separately.
Tip: Splitting the bill is less common in France; announce it early.
- 15
Désolé, je n'ai pas commandé ça.
Sorry, I didn't order this.
Tip: Polite but firm; add 'je crois' to soften — 'je crois qu'il y a une erreur'.
- 16
C'était délicieux.
It was delicious.
Tip: Said to the waiter when they clear the plates; 'c'était très bon' works too.
- 17
Vous avez un plat végétarien ?
Do you have a vegetarian option?
Tip: Still not a given in traditional bistros — worth asking before sitting down.
- 18
Je suis allergique aux fruits à coque.
I'm allergic to nuts.
Tip: 'Fruits à coque' = tree nuts; peanuts are 'arachides/cacahuètes' — a separate allergen in France.
- 19
Il est épicé, ce plat ?
Is this dish spicy?
Tip: Spoken French loves this structure: pronoun first, noun after — 'il est bon, ce vin ?'
- 20
Un café crème, s'il vous plaît.
A coffee with milk, please.
Tip: In a café, milky coffee is 'un crème' — 'café au lait' is mostly a home/breakfast term.
- 21
On peut s'installer en terrasse ?
Can we sit outside?
Tip: 'En terrasse' — the French institution. 's'installer' = settle in, very idiomatic here.
- 22
J'ai réservé au nom de Martin.
I booked a table under the name Martin.
Tip: 'Au nom de…' — the standard formula at the door.
- 23
Vous fermez à quelle heure ?
What time do you close?
Tip: Kitchens often close 14h–19h between services — 'la cuisine ferme' matters more than the café closing.
- 24
Un demi, s'il vous plaît.
A half of draft beer, please.
Tip: 'Un demi' = 25cl draft beer — not half a litre, despite the name.
- 25
La même chose, s'il vous plaît.
Same again, please.
Tip: Reordering the same drink; 'remettez-nous ça' is the more slangy version.
- 26
Gardez la monnaie.
Keep the change.
Tip: Only for small cash tips — card terminals rarely have a tip flow in France.