- Customer complaint (food/service/experience)
Guest: Excuse me, I’m sorry to complain, but my meal is cold.
Server: I’m very sorry about that. Thank you for letting me know.
Guest: I was really looking forward to it.
Server: I completely understand. Let me fix this for you right away.
Guest: What can you do?
Server: I can bring you a fresh, hot dish, or if you prefer, I can offer a refund or a discount.
Guest: A fresh dish would be great, thank you.
Server: Of course. I’ll make sure it’s prepared as quickly as possible.
Guest: Thank you, I appreciate it.
Server: You’re welcome, and thank you for your patience.
- Mistake with the order
Guest: Excuse me, I think there’s been a mistake. I ordered the chicken, not the fish.
Server: I’m very sorry about that—that’s our mistake.
Guest: Could you change it, please?
Server: Of course. I’ll bring the correct order immediately.
Guest: Thank you.
Server: Would you like to keep this while you wait, or should I take it back?
Guest: You can take it back, thank you.
Server: No problem. I’ll make sure your chicken comes out as quickly as possible.
Guest: I appreciate it.
Server: Thank you for your patience.
- Long wait
Guest: Excuse me, we’ve been waiting for about 40 minutes for our food.
Server: I’m very sorry about the delay, and thank you for your patience.
Guest: Do you know how much longer it will take?
Server: I’ve just checked with the kitchen—your order should be ready in about 5–10 minutes.
Guest: Okay, thank you for checking.
Server: In the meantime, we’d like to offer you a complimentary drink.
Guest: That would be nice, thank you.
Server: You’re very welcome, and again, we apologise for the wait.
- No ingredients
Guest: I’d like the salmon, please.
Server: I’m very sorry, but we’ve run out of the salmon this evening.
Guest: Oh, that’s disappointing.
Server: I completely understand. It’s been very popular today.
Guest: Do you have anything similar?
Server: Yes, of course. May I recommend the grilled chicken or the sea bass? They’re both very good.
Guest: Hmm, I’ll try the sea bass, then.
Server: Excellent choice. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Guest: Thank you.
Server: You’re welcome, and thank you for your understanding.
(havsabborre)
- Staff shortages
Guest: Excuse me, service seems a bit slow today.
Server: I’m very sorry about that. We’re a bit short-staffed today.
Guest: Oh, I see.
Server: Thank you for your understanding. We’re doing our best to serve everyone as quickly as possible.
Guest: That’s okay.
Server: I’ll take your order right away and make sure it’s prioritised.
Guest: Thank you, I appreciate it.
Server: You’re very welcome.
- Payment issues
Guest: Excuse me, my card doesn’t seem to be working.
Server: I’m sorry about that. Let me check it for you.
Guest: Is there a problem?
Server: It looks like the payment didn’t go through. Sometimes the connection is slow.
Guest: Oh, I see. What should I do?
Server: You could try the card again, or use a different card if you have one.
Guest: I’ll try another card.
Server: Of course. Please try again when you’re ready.
Guest: Okay, it worked this time.
Server: Great, thank you. Here is your receipt.
Guest: Thank you.
Server: You’re welcome, and I apologise for the inconvenience.
- Table mix-up
Guest: Excuse me, we didn’t order this pasta.
Server: I’m very sorry about that—this was meant for another table.
Guest: Oh, I see.
Server: Let me take that back, and I’ll bring your correct order right away.
Guest: Thank you.
Server: You’re welcome. It should be ready in just a few minutes.
Guest: No problem.
Server: Thank you for your patience, and again, I apologise for the mistake.
- Kitchen delays
Guest: Excuse me, why is the food taking so long?
Server: I’m very sorry about the wait. The kitchen is quite busy at the moment.
Guest: Do you know how much longer it will take?
Server: I’ve just checked, and your order is on its way. It should be ready in about 5–10 minutes.
Guest: Okay, thanks for letting me know.
Server: Of course. Thank you for your patience.
Guest: No problem.
Server: We really appreciate your understanding.
In breakout rooms:
Student A = guest, Student B = staff
Act out the situation and solve the problem
Your soup is cold. Complain politely.
The waiter brings the wrong drink.
You waited too long for your food.
The restaurant has no pizza today.
Your bill seems too high.