Dealing with a Problematic Dish
A customer discovers an issue with their food (e.g., undercooked, wrong order, cold) and calls the waiter to rectify the situation.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
undercooked
This means food is not cooked enough, like meat that is still pink inside. Use it when complaining about food in a restaurant to politely point out the issue.
rare
A cooking term for meat that is cooked very little, so it's red and juicy inside. It's useful when ordering steak to specify how you want it done.
medium-rare
This describes meat cooked a bit more than rare but still pink in the middle. Common in restaurants; use it to order steak that's not too well-done.
apologies
A polite way to say 'sorry' for a mistake. Service staff use it often; you can say 'My apologies' to show politeness in formal situations.
inconvenience
It means trouble or annoyance caused to someone. Use phrases like 'sorry for the inconvenience' in service to apologize for problems.
ensure
To make sure something happens correctly. In requests, say 'could you ensure' to politely ask for something to be done right, like in this order.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Excuse me, waiter?
This is a polite way to get the server's attention. Use it in restaurants to call for help without being rude. The question mark makes it softer and more courteous.
I think there's a problem with my steak. It seems a bit undercooked.
This politely complains about food without blaming. 'I think' and 'it seems' soften the statement. Useful for intermediate learners to report issues calmly in dining situations.
Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that. Let me take a look.
A standard apology from service staff. 'Very sorry' shows empathy, and 'let me take a look' offers immediate help. Practice this to respond professionally to complaints.
Would you like me to send it back to the kitchen to be cooked a little longer?
This offers a solution politely with a yes/no question. The passive 'to be cooked' is common in service English. Use it when fixing a customer's order to show helpfulness.
Yes, please. That would be great. And could you make sure it's medium this time?
Agrees to a suggestion and adds a request. 'Could you make sure' is polite for ensuring accuracy. Great for learners to combine agreement and specific instructions in conversations.
Absolutely. I'll let the chef know right away. My sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.
Shows strong agreement with 'absolutely' and promises quick action. 'Sincerest apologies' is formal politeness. Use this pattern to apologize deeply and resolve issues promptly.