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French phrases for ordering the lunch menu of the day in France

At lunch, ask “Quel est le plat du jour ?” or order “la formule du midi”. The waiter asks “Vous avez choisi ?”. A formule usually covers two courses, so name your dishes, say yes or no to dessert or coffee, and ask for “L'addition, s'il vous plaît” at the end.

Try it · about two minutes

At a local restaurant at lunchtime you order the fixed-price lunch, choose your dishes, and finish with dessert or a coffee.

Sound on: the waiter speaks French. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Waiter

    Voici la carte.

    Here is the menu.

    You

    Quel est le plat du jour ?

    What’s the dish of the day?

  2. Waiter

    Vous avez choisi ?

    Have you decided?

    You

    Je prendrai la formule du midi, s'il vous plaît.

    I’ll have the lunch set menu, please.

  3. Waiter

    Vous voulez boire quelque chose ?

    Would you like something to drink?

    You

    De l'eau, s'il vous plaît.

    Water, please.

  4. Waiter

    Tout se passe bien ?

    Is everything all right?

    You

    Merci, c'est très bon.

    Thanks, it’s very good.

  5. Waiter

    Voulez-vous voir la carte des desserts ?

    Would you like to see the dessert menu?

    You

    Oui, s'il vous plaît.

    Yes, please.

  6. You’ve finished your coffee, and the dining room is emptying.

    You

    On peut avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ?

    Could we have the bill, please?

Which French phrases do you need?

  • Quel est le plat du jour ?

    What’s the dish of the day?

  • Vous avez choisi ?

    Have you decided?

  • Je prendrai la soupe, s'il vous plaît.

    I’ll have the soup, please.

  • Je prendrai le poulet, s'il vous plaît.

    I’ll have the chicken, please.

  • Vous voulez boire quelque chose ?

    Would you like something to drink?

  • De l'eau, s'il vous plaît.

    Water, please.

  • Voulez-vous voir la carte des desserts ?

    Would you like to see the dessert menu?

  • Un café noir, s'il vous plaît.

    A black coffee, please.

  • Le service est compris ?

    Is service included?

  • On peut avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ?

    Could we have the bill, please?

What is worth knowing in France?

Formule or menu

Lunch deal

La formule du midi

the lunch set menu

Fuller set menu

Le menu

the set menu, often three courses

A formule usually gives you two courses, such as a starter and a main, or a main and a dessert. A menu often means three courses. Ask what’s included.

How lunch goes

  1. 1

    Check the blackboard, l’ardoise, for the formule and the plat du jour.

    What’s the dish of the day?
  2. 2

    Choose your dishes, then say yes or no to dessert or coffee.

  3. 3

    Ask for l’addition when you’re done. It doesn’t come on its own.

    Could we have the bill, please?

Lunch is early and short

Many restaurants serve lunch from about noon until two, and the kitchen may stop taking orders after that. Arrive early if you want the full choice.

Questions about this situation

Which French phrases matter most here?
“Quel est le plat du jour ?” (What’s the dish of the day); “Vous avez choisi ?” (Have you decided); “Je prendrai la soupe, s'il vous plaît.” (I’ll have the soup, please). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

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Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.