If something is screwed up with the food, they would first probably wonder why this American tourist thinks that the French chef screwed up the dish that their grandmother probably taught them how to cook. Then they'll listen to you, shrug, and take it back and tell the manager or the chef. One of them would decide what was appropriate.
If you told them you just didn't enjoy the dish and you wanted another one, they may ask you why you ordered the first dish in the first place, and why you think you deserve a free dish. If you ask for substitutions, they'd probably tell you no, because most chefs don't want to deal with that and often the way dishes are made preclude substitutions, not to mention backing up other orders. And they'd be in the right. It's kind of stunning sometimes how privileged American consumers can act.
A caveat to this is if you're in Paris; they can be really nice or really rude based on a number of factors. In a small town, French people are really friendly and helpful.
The customer is always right attitude is one that I appreciate Americans having. While not as bad in Australia as some parts of Europe, the attitude here is definitely closer to "give me your money and and leave" than "what can I do to ensure you leave happy?"
I don't need to be coddled, it's actually rather condescending.
I much prefer the European way of letting you look for yourself and then asking simply "can I help you?", if you look like you don't quite know what you're looking for. And if you tell them "I'm just browsing", they'll leave you alone, to browse in peace. Much less stressful.
There is no change in the amount of time between your order and the food arriving but that's because it's dependent on the chef/how busy the restaurant is/etc.
You can gind reports on water quality in all cities and there was an article in 2017 (in 30 millions de consommateurs?) available online where you could check any city.
I can't speak about China, but I'm going to call you out on France as a counterexample.
I have had very good service every time I have been to France.
I speak a very little French, and executed most things in English and people were as friendly and helpful as they were anywhere in the US.
I suspect that a lot of Americans get in trouble because they don't really internalize the fact that "Hey, I'm in a different place and the norms are different. Pay attention--you might have to adjust."
Wanna see rude? Try being an indecisive Californian in the front of a line in a New York City sandwich shop at lunch rush and watch what happens.
How many French customers ask for gluten free water with a straight face?
How many French customers request a cube of ice to plunk in their merlot?
How many French kitchens stockpile frozen nugget-shaped food items because families expect them to tailor to the needs of their screaming toddlers?
An American server will effortlessly deal with all three while politely denying entry to the woman who is yelling about the constitutional rights of her emotional support goat.
If American economy is slowly becoming Arrakis from Dune, our wait staff is the Fremen.
The people who can destroy a thing, they control it.
So tip them well.
I need to read about these more as they are inexistant in France. Maybe this is a thing, I just never seen or heard anyone mentioning it.
I've never asked to get my dish replaced, but the only times I have seen it happen are at very high end restaurants or chain restaurants, and that happened in both countries.
In general, I feel that I get much better customer service in China.
Perhaps it's because I'm a visible minority where some members of my group are not known as good tippers. So I am immediately assumed to be a bad tipper.
Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where I get bad service and thus I leave a low tip (In the past, I used to leave 20% even for bad service, just to try and defy the stereotype. But I've stopped doing it now.).