To order food in France, greet the server, choose either a set menu or individual dishes à la carte, then say what you would like with Je vais prendre… or Pour moi…. An entrée is a starter, not an American-style main course. If you can manage those points, a French restaurant menu becomes much less mysterious.
First things first: booking, arriving, and being seated
For a popular restaurant, especially at dinner or at the weekend, booking ahead is sensible. You can ask for Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît. (A table for two, please.) On arrival, a simple Bonjour before giving your name or asking for a table is a warm way to begin. Service times vary by town, season, and restaurant, so check the restaurant's own hours rather than assuming a particular lunch or dinner schedule.
Once you are seated, take your time with the menu. If a word is unclear, it is perfectly reasonable to ask Qu'est-ce que c'est ? (What is it?) or Est-ce que vous avez un plat végétarien ? (Do you have a vegetarian dish?). For allergies or dietary requirements, explain them clearly before ordering and confirm what the kitchen can offer.
How to read a French restaurant menu
- La carte
- The list of dishes that can be ordered individually, or à la carte.
- Le menu
- Usually a fixed-price combination of courses, often with a choice in each course.
- La formule
- A smaller fixed combination, such as starter plus main or main plus dessert. The exact offer is set by the restaurant.
- L'entrée
- The starter. This is one of the most useful false friends for English speakers.
- Le plat
- The main dish, sometimes written plat principal.
- Le dessert
- The sweet course at the end, if you choose one.
A plat du jour is the dish of the day. It may be written on a board or described by the server, and it is not a promise that the same dish will be available tomorrow. The order of courses and the choices included in a set menu vary, so check the wording before you decide.
Water, questions, and a useful pause
If you would like tap water with a meal, ask for une carafe d'eau. French consumer guidance says restaurants and bars must make potable water available free of charge, fresh or at room temperature. This is different from une bouteille d'eau, which is bottled water and is normally charged. For sparkling water, ask for de l'eau gazeuse.
It is fine to pause before committing. Je voudrais réfléchir encore un peu means “I would like to think a little longer.” If you are choosing a set menu, Qu'est-ce qui est compris dans la formule ? asks what is included. Let the answer on the actual menu guide you: a formule is not identical from one restaurant to another.
A short restaurant scene to practise
Serveur : Bonsoir, vous avez réservé ?
Client : Non, mais est-ce que vous avez une table pour deux ?
Serveur : Oui, bien sûr. Voici la carte et le menu.
Cliente : Merci. Quelle est la formule ce soir ?
Serveur : Entrée-plat ou plat-dessert, au choix.
Cliente : D'accord. Je vais prendre le plat du jour et une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît.
Translation: The couple asks whether there is a table. The server gives them the individual-dish list and the set menu; the customer asks what the set offer includes, then orders the daily dish and tap water.
- réserver — to book
- au choix — your choice / to choose from
- la carte — the individual-dish list
- la formule — a fixed combination of courses
- le plat du jour — the dish of the day
- une carafe d'eau — a jug of tap water
When you are ready for the bill
Ask for it with L'addition, s'il vous plaît. The practical details of paying and optional tipping are a separate question, but this phrase is enough to signal that you have finished. If you need to leave before dessert, simply ask for the bill when you are ready; restaurant routines are not identical everywhere.
Questions visitors often have
Does entrée mean the main course?
No. In a French restaurant, entrée is usually the starter. The main course is the plat.
Is a menu the same as la carte?
Not usually. A menu is generally a fixed-price selection of courses, while la carte lets you choose dishes individually. Read the restaurant's wording because offers vary.
Can I ask what a dish is?
Yes. Try Qu'est-ce que c'est ? or Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ? for “What is in this dish?”
Continue with a French story
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