French - Ordering Food

Lesson 101 of 159

Learner ordering food in French at a friendly café — focus on polite phrases for ordering.

Goal: Polite phrases for ordering at a café or restaurant

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! In this short, friendly lesson you'll practice common French phrases for ordering food. Have fun — imagine the menu is calling your name.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn polite, ready-to-use phrases for ordering in a café or restaurant. We'll practice things like saying you're ready to order, asking for recommendations, asking if a dish is vegetarian, and requesting something on the side. This CEFR-aligned pack is focused and practical — perfect for your next meal out.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use polite ordering phrases (A1)
  • Ask for a recommendation and ask about ingredients
  • Request items on the side and order the same dish as someone else
A cozy café scene where a learner practices asking for recommendations and ordering.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Avec ___, s'il vous plaît.

With ___, please.

Meaning: With ___, please.

When to use: Use this to add an ingredient or option to your order, e.g. a sauce or extra topping.

Tip: Don't forget the 'avec' word — saying just the ingredient can sound unfinished.

Un sandwich, avec cornichons, s'il vous plaît.
A sandwich, with pickles, please.
Des frites, avec ketchup, s'il vous plaît.
Fries, with ketchup, please.

À part, s'il vous plaît.

On the side, please.

Meaning: On the side, please.

When to use: Ask this when you want a sauce or side served separately from the main dish.

La sauce à part, s'il vous plaît.
The sauce on the side, please.
La salade à part, s'il vous plaît.
The salad on the side, please.

Je vais prendre ___, s'il vous plaît.

I'll have ___, please.

Meaning: I'll have ___, please.

When to use: A polite and common way to state your choice when ordering food or drink.

Tip: Beginners sometimes drop 's'il vous plaît' and sound less polite; include it in restaurants.

Je vais prendre le croque-monsieur, s'il vous plaît.
I'll have the croque-monsieur, please.
Je vais prendre un café, s'il vous plaît.
I'll have a coffee, please.

Vous me conseillez quoi ?

What do you recommend?

Meaning: What do you recommend?

When to use: Ask the waiter or waitress for a suggestion when you aren't sure what to choose.

Excusez-moi, vous me conseillez quoi ?
Excuse me, what do you recommend?
Le chef a une spécialité — vous me conseillez quoi ?
The chef has a specialty — what do you recommend?

Je suis prêt à commander.

I'm ready to order.

Meaning: I'm ready to order.

When to use: Say this politely to signal to the server that you are ready to place your order.

Serveur : Prenez votre temps. Client : Je suis prêt à commander.
Server: Take your time. Customer: I'm ready to order.
Je suis prêt à commander, merci.
I'm ready to order, thanks.

Pas encore, merci.

Not yet, thanks.

Meaning: Not yet, thanks.

When to use: Use this to ask for a little more time before ordering.

Serveur : Vous êtes prêts ? Client : Pas encore, merci.
Server: Are you ready? Customer: Not yet, thanks.
Je regarde encore le menu. Pas encore, merci.
I'm still looking at the menu. Not yet, thanks.

La même chose, s'il vous plaît.

The same, please.

Meaning: The same, please.

When to use: Use this when you want the same dish or drink as the person at your table.

David : Je vais prendre la quiche. Anna : La même chose, s'il vous plaît.
David: I'll have the quiche. Anna: The same, please.
Un café pour moi, et la même chose, s'il vous plaît.
A coffee for me, and the same, please.

Il y a quoi avec ?

What comes with it?

Meaning: What comes with it?

When to use: Ask this to find out what is served with a dish (side dishes, salad, etc.).

Il y a quoi avec le plat du jour ?
What comes with the daily special?
Le steak : il y a quoi avec ?
The steak: what comes with it?

C'est végétarien ?

Is this vegetarian?

Meaning: Is this vegetarian?

When to use: Use this simple question to check whether a dish is suitable for vegetarians.

Excusez-moi, c'est végétarien ?
Excuse me, is this vegetarian?
La soupe du jour, c'est végétarien ?
The soup of the day — is it vegetarian?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends decide what to order at a café

Two people at a table ordering food in French using polite restaurant phrases.

What are Anna and David doing?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je suis prêt à commander.

I'm ready to order.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Pas encore, merci. Je regarde encore le menu.

Not yet, thanks. I'm still looking at the menu.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Vous me conseillez quoi ?

What do you recommend?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

La salade est bonne. Je vais prendre la salade, s'il vous plaît.

The salad is good. I'll have the salad, please.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

La même chose, s'il vous plaît.

The same, please.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you ask a waiter for a recommendation?

Which phrase politely says you're ready to order?

How do you ask if a dish is vegetarian?

Which phrase asks for a sauce or side served separately?

Server: Have you decided? Anna: I'm ready to order.

Serveur : Vous avez choisi ? Anna : ___

David: I have an extra sauce. Anna: On the side, please.

David: J'ai une sauce supplémentaire. Anna: ___

Anna reads the label and asks: Is this vegetarian?

Anna lit l'étiquette et demande : ___

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Avec ___, s'il vous plaît.

With ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

À part, s'il vous plaît.

On the side, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je vais prendre ___, s'il vous plaît.

I'll have ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Vous me conseillez quoi ?

What do you recommend?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je suis prêt à commander.

I'm ready to order.

Say this phrase out loud:

Pas encore, merci.

Not yet, thanks.

Say this phrase out loud:

La même chose, s'il vous plaît.

The same, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Il y a quoi avec ?

What comes with it?

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est végétarien ?

Is this vegetarian?