Excuse me, I have been waiting a long time — when will my dish arrive?
a-spet-TA-to — four syllables, stress on the third. The double 't' is held briefly longer.
After a noticeably long wait (30+ minutes for a single course) when you need to politely check on the status of your order.
'Ho aspettato' is the present perfect of 'aspettare' (to wait). 'Quando arriva' (when does it arrive) uses the present tense to ask about a near-future event — common in Italian. Beginning with 'scusi' keeps the tone polite.
Il mio ordine è stato preso?
Has my order been taken?
Useful if you suspect there was a mix-up and the kitchen never received it
Quanto ci vuole ancora?
How much longer will it take?
Shorter and more direct — appropriate if you have been waiting more than 40 minutes
C'è stato un problema con il mio ordine?
Was there a problem with my order?
Diplomatic way to investigate a very long wait
Italian restaurant kitchens often work at their own pace, especially in smaller family-run places. A 20–25 minute wait for a pasta dish is normal. Waiting over 40 minutes without an explanation is when it is reasonable to ask.