Have you ever had difficulty ordering food in the French parts of Montreal?

Question

For example, I went into a restaurant in the city, I ordered a fish sandwich in mediocre French, and the Francophone waiter gives me something else. I go into a coffee shop and order a coffee with milk (in my poor grasp of French), and I wind up getting just a black coffee. I couldn't argue about it because I didn't speak their language well.

Don't get me wrong; the employees were polite and nice, but they rarely gave me what I ordered, possibly due to me not speaking French. :(

Anyway, I might not have spoken their language well (or at all) but the customer's always right. Yes?

BravoSierra · Accepted Answer

Hahaha, no I never had diffs ordering anything since 30 years now.
I am not fluent in French but can speak a little, I always got what I want, except few years now I went to a Tim order 1 medium black coffee, Got one Medium but with 1 sugar.
This can happen all over the world.
I love Montreal.

? · Answer

"The customer is always right" is a slogan from marketing courses.  It refers to the lines of stock which a business carries - not to the customers wishes in general!

The staff in the restaurant were probably kind of uneducated.

sunshine_mel · Answer

They can only provide what they think you've asked for - you can't blame them if you've failed to communicate this adequately

Diane A · Answer

Nope, and I ordered with pointing and english

capitalgentleman · Answer

Never, and I have been to Montreal a lot.

In fact, one time when I was on a (very basic) French language course, we ate at a restaurant, and were supposed to order in French, which was difficult for us, as we were at the very basic level.  However, the waitress said that she did not speak French, and she could get someone who could!

Jim · Answer

Bet they would have understood English.

Anonymous · Answer

Nope, never been there, but I did have trouble ordering food in Paris, France many years ago.

Have you ever had difficulty ordering food in the French parts of Montreal?

7 Answers