Practice how to order in a restaurant in English

Going to eat at a restaurant is one of the most pleasant daily activities and it can also be a way of getting to know a new culture, based on its gastronomy. In addition, it is one of the ideal situations for beginning English students to practice all the vocabulary they have learned.

Phrases used in a restaurant

As in Spanish, in English there are different words and phrases that are commonly used in a restaurant. These refer to food, utensils, dishes and the different social interactions between customers and the people who provide the service.

To better understand how to order food in a restaurant in English, it is convenient to know all the steps and elements that come into play in this action.

Before the meal

Book a table

To ensure that you get a table at a restaurant, especially if it is a very popular one or if it is on a day that is usually quite busy, you can make a reservation. To do this, all you have to do is call the restaurant and use one of the following phrases, adding the date and time.

• I’d like to book a table for two, please. / “I would like to reserve a table for two, please.”
• I’d like to make a reservation, please. / “I would like to make a reservation, please.”

When arriving at the restaurant after having made the reservation, the phrases are usually used:

• I have a reservation for two people under the name of… / «I have a reservation for two people, under the name of…»
• I’ve booked a table for ten people under the name of… / «I have reserved a table for ten people, under the name of…»

Go to the restaurant without a reservation

It is also very common to go to a restaurant without having made a reservation. In that case, you can use the phrases:

• Do you have a table for two by any chance ? / “Do you have a table for two by any chance?”
• Do you have any free tables? / “Do you have a table available?”

Sometimes the waiter may ask the number of people who will attend lunch or dinner in order to seat people at a suitable table. In this case you can use the expressions:

• I’d like a table for three, please. / “I would like a table for three, please.”
• A table for five, please . / “A table for five, please.”

Staff / «Personnel»

Several people work in a restaurant and each of them fulfills a specific function:

• Host – Hostess / “Host” – “Hostess”
• Waiter – Waitress / «Waiter» – «Waitress»
• Chef / “Cook or Chef”
• Cashier / «Cashier»
• Barista : is the person who attends the cafeteria.
• Barman or bartender : is the person who prepares or serves drinks at the bar.

Greetings

When entering a restaurant, it is important to greet and speak in a polite manner, preferably keeping a formal tone. Therefore, it is necessary to take courtesy phrases into account to avoid being rude or offending someone. It should be noted that English lacks a formal voice like “you”, so these same phrases can be used in less formal contexts.

• Hello / “Hello”
• How are you? / “How are you doing?”
• How are you today? / “How are you doing today?”
• Good morning / «Good morning»
• Good afternoon / «Good afternoon»
• Good evening / «Good night»
• Excuse me / “Excuse me”
• Please / «Please»
• Thank you / “Thank you”
• Have a nice day! / “Have a nice day!”
• Enjoy your meal! / “Enjoy your meal”
• Goodbye! / “Bye bye”

It is also important to use yes , rather than yes , as the latter is a more casual statement and can be seen as disrespectful.

How to request the menu in a restaurant

Generally, upon entering a restaurant, the waiter greets customers and offers them the menu. However, in some places this is not the case and you have to ask for it. In that case, you can use the expressions:

• Could I have the menu, please? / “Could I have the menu, please?”
• Could I see the menu, please? / “Could I see the menu, please?”
• May I have the menu, please? / Could I have the menu, please?»

Given these questions, the waiter will answer something like:

• Yes, sure. / “Yes of course”.
• Of course . / “Of course”.
• Here you are. / “Here you go”.

Foods

Some restaurants have different menus and promotions depending on the time of day. It is convenient to ask beforehand to take advantage of an offer or discover a new dish.

• Breakfast / «Breakfast»
• Lunch / «Lunch»
• Dinner / «Cena»
• Brunch / «Breakfast-lunch»
• Afternoon snack
• What are today’s specials? / “What are today’s specials?”
• What’s on today’s menu? / “What’s on the menu today?”

How to ask for suggestions

Almost all restaurants offer a menu of the day or are noted for preparing special dishes, which is known as “the speciality of the house”. Some unknown names of foods can also be found. In this case, it is always better to ask the waiter first. Some useful phrases to ask for suggestions or ask a question about the menu are:

• What is the special for today? / “What’s today’s special?”
• Do you have any specials today? / “Do you have any special dishes today?”
• What is the… like? / “How’s he…?”
• Would you recommend the…? / “Do you recommend the…?”
• What would you recommend? / “What would you recommend?”

The waiter’s answers can be:

• I’d recommend the… / «I recommend the…»
• I’d suggest the … / “I suggest the…”

How to order the food

After looking at the menu, the following expressions are used to order the food:

• I’d like… / «Quisiera…»: this sentence includes the personal pronoun I / «I», plus the contraction of the auxiliary verb would (‘ d ), which in this case indicates courtesy and the verb like / «to like», “want”. For example: I’d like a chocolate croissant and a cup of coffee, please . / “I would like a chocolate croissant and a cup of coffee, please.”
• I’d like to order… / “I would like to order….” For example: I’d like to order the chocolate cake and a cup of tea, please. / “I’d like to order the chocolate cake and a cup of tea, please.”
• I’ll have… / «Yo voy a askir…»: this expression is also a polite way of asking for food and is made up of the personal pronoun I / «yo», the contraction of the future verb will (‘ ll ) and the verb have / «to have», «to obtain». For example: I’ll have the chicken curry and a glass of wine, please». / “I’ll have the chicken curry and a glass of wine, please.”
• I think I’ll have… / “I think I’ll ask…” For example: I think I’ll have the spaghetti, please . / “I think I’ll have the spaghetti, please.”
• I think I will go for.. . / “I think I will go for…” For example: I think I will go for the Neapolitan pizza. / “I think I’m going to choose the Neapolitan pizza.”
• Can I get… / “Could you give me…?” For example: Can I get this sandwich and a coke, please? / “Could I have this sandwich and a Coke, please?”
• To start, can I have… ? / “As an entree, may I request…?” For example: To start, can I have the mozzarella sticks? / “For starters, can you bring me some mozzarella sticks?”
• Just…, please . / “Just… please.” For example: Just a glass of water, please. / “Just a glass of water for me, please.”
• For me…., please / «For me…, please». For example: For me a piece of cheesecake, please. / “For me, a slice of cheesecake, please.”

When ordering the food, the waiter may ask some questions about the characteristics of the food. Phrases related to the size, degree or type of cooking may appear here:

• Regular / “Normal”
• Medium / “Medium”
• Large / «Large»
• Boiled / «Boiled»
• Scrambled / “Scrambled”
• Grilled / «Asado»
• Fried / «Fried»
• Raw / “Raw”
• Medium-rare / “Medium-raw”
• Well done / «Well cooked»
• Mild / “Soft”
• Spicy / «Picante»
• Sweet and sour / «Bittersweet»

To express a preference

Today, there are different lifestyles and diets, as well as a greater awareness regarding allergies and conditions. Therefore, it is quite common for restaurants to have special menus for celiacs, vegetarians, vegans, diabetics or people with hypertension.

To ask about the ingredients included in a meal, to ask that they be removed or to express any other preference, the following phrases can be used:

• Is there a menu for…? / “Is there a menu for…?” For example: Is there a menu for vegetarians? / “Is there a menu for vegetarians?”
• Does the… have… in it? / “He has…? For example: Does the soup have onion in it? / “Does the soup have onions?”
• Is it possible to have the… with no…in it? / “Can you order the… without…?” For example: Is it possible to have the pizza with no olives in it ? / “Can you order the pizza without olives?”
• Could you please remove the… from the…? / “Would you please take the… off the…? For example: Could you please remove the tomatoes from the salad? / “Could you please take the tomatoes out of the salad?”
• I’m allergic to…, is it possible to remove it? / “I’m allergic to…, could I remove it?” For example: I’m allergic to nuts, is it possible to remove them? / “I’m allergic to nuts, could I take them off?”

During the meal

request something additional

Sometimes during the meal we need to add something else, ask for utensils, dressings, a dessert or a drink. To request additional things you can use the phrases:

• May I have…? / “Could you give me…? For example: May I have a spoon, please? / Could I have a spoon, please?
• May I have another…? / “Could I have another…? For example: May I have another glass, please? / Could I have another glass, please?
• Could I have an extra…? / “Could I have an… extra? For example: Could I have an extra bottle of water? / “Could I have another bottle of water, please?
• Does the… come with…? / “He…comes with…? For example: Does the grilled chicken come with a side dish? / “Does the roast chicken come with any sides?”

file a complaint

Sometimes errors may occur in the order or the food may have some undesirable characteristic. In those cases you can use phrases like:

• Excuse me, this food is cold. / “Excuse me, the food is cold.”
• Excuse me, this isn’t what I ordered. / “Excuse me, this is not what I ordered.”
• Excuse me, this doesn’t taste right. / “Excuse me, this doesn’t taste good.”

After lunch

Ask the account

After enjoying a delicious meal, it’s time to ask for the bill. For this the phrase is used:

Could I have the check, please? / “Could you bring me the bill?” It is important to remember that there are differences between the vocabulary of American and British English, and sometimes different words are used to describe the same object. For example, in the United States the account is called a check , whilein Great Britain it is called a bill . The same goes for other names of foods and dishes, such as French fries (EE.EE) and chips (Great Britain); or soft drinks (USA) and fizzy drinks (Great Britain).

Generally, the account can be paid in different ways:

• Can I pay in cash? / “Can I pay with cash?”
• Can I pay by card? / “I can pay with credit card?”
• Do you take credit cards? / “Do you accept credit cards?”
• Can we pay separately? / “Can we pay separately?”

Give tips

Each location has its own rules regarding tipping. In some countries, such as South Korea, it is not necessary to do so because the prices already include the price of the service.

In some places it is customary to leave tips as a way of thanking the service received.

In other countries, customers are expected to leave a tip between 10 and 20% of the total bill. It is convenient to find out the estimated figure before going to the restaurant. You can also ask:

• Is the tip included in the bill? / “Are tips included in the bill?”

In many cases it is also customary to pay a higher amount and say the phrase:

• Please, keep the change! / “Please keep the change.”

Basic vocabulary in a restaurant

Other common expressions in a restaurant

• Let’s order some food. / “Let’s order something to eat.”
• Are you ready to order? / “Are you ready to order?”
• Anything to drink? / “Something to drink?”
• Would you like…? / “I’d like…?”
• That sounds great. / “I think that’s great”.
• May I offer you something else? / “Can I get you anything else?”
• This is going to be. .. / “This will be…”
• Could you tell me where the toilet is? / “Could you tell me where the bathroom is?”
• Thank you, have a good night! / “Thanks good night!”

Examples of dialogues in a restaurant

To practice ordering food in a restaurant using the vocabulary and phrases above, let’s look at the following examples:

Example1 :

Waiter: Good evening! / “Good night!”

Client: Good evening! Could I have the menu, please? / “Good night! Could I have the menu, please?

Waiter: Sure, here you are. / “Of course, here you go.”

Client: Thank you. What’s on today’s menu? / “Thank you. What’s today’s menu?”

Waiter: Fried fish and Caesar salad. / “Fried Fish with Caesar Salad”

Client: That sounds great. I’ll have that then. / “I think that’s great. I’ll ask for that then.”

Waiter: Would you like something to drink? / “Would you like something to drink?”

Customer: Yes, I’d like a beer, please . / “Yes, I’d like a beer, please.”

Waiter: Thank you. / “Thank you”.

—

Waiter: Here you are, enjoy your meal! / “Here you go, enjoy the food!”

Client: Thank you! / “Thank you”.

—

Waiter: Can I get you anything else? / “Can I get you anything else?”

Client: Yes, could I have a bottle of water, please? / “Yes, I would like a bottle of water, please.”

Waiter: Sure. Here you are. / “Clear. Here you go”.

—

Client: Excuse me, could I have the check, please? / “Excuse me, could you bring me the bill, please?”

Waiter: It’s going to be €55. / “It will be €55”.

Client: Here you are. Please, keep the change. / “Here you go. Please keep the change.”

Waiter: Thank you. Have a good day! / “Thank you! Have a nice day!”

Client: Goodbye! / “Bye bye!”

Example 2:

Waiter: Good evening, are you ready to order? / “Good evening, are you ready to order?”

John: Good evening. Yes, to start I’ll have a chicken broth and as a main dish I’ll go for the lasagna. / “Good night. Yes, to start I would like a chicken broth and as a main dish, the lasagna »:

Donna: Good evening . I’m not sure yet.. . What would you recommend? / “Good night. I’m not sure yet… what do you recommend?

Waiter: I’d recommend you the ravioli and the cannelloni. They are excellent. / «I recommend the ravioli and cannelloni. They are excellent”.

Donna: I think I’ll go for the ravioli then. / “I think I’ll choose the ravioli then.”

Waiter: All right . Anything to drink? / “Very good. Something to drink?”

Donna: I’d like an orange juice, please. / «I would like an orange juice, please».

John: And I’ll have a Sprite, please. / “And I’m going to ask for a Sprite, please.”

Waiter: Alright. Can I get you anything else? / “Very good. Something else?”

John and Donna: No, that’s all, thank you . / “No, that’s all, thanks.”

—

Waiter: Here you are. Enjoy your meal! / “Here you have. I hope you enjoy your food!”

John and Donna: Thank you! / “Thank you!”.

—

Donna: Excuse me, could I have an extra napkin, please? / “Excuse me, could I have another napkin, please.”

Waiter: Sure, here you are. Can I offer you anything else? / “Sure, here you go. Can I offer you something else?”

John: Yes, we’d like two cups of coffee and two chocolate waffles for dessert, please. / “Yes, for dessert we would like two cups of coffee and two chocolate waffles, please.”

Waiter: Sure. Thank you. / “Sure. Thank you”.

—

John: Excuse me, could I have the check, please? / “Excuse me, could you bring us the bill, please?”

Waiter: Sure. This is going to be €83. / “Clear. It will be €83”.

Donna: Here you are, please keep the change. / “Here you go, please keep the change.”

Waiter: Thank you very much. Have a good night! / “Thank you so much. Have a good night!”

Example 3:

Waiter: Good afternoon! / “Good afternoon!”

Tom: Good afternoon! Is it possible to get a table for four, please? / “Good afternoon! Do you have a table for four, please?

Waiter: Sure, follow me, please . / “Sure, follow me, please.”

—

Waiter : Are you ready to order? / “Are you ready to order?”

Tom: Yes, I’d like the steak and the veggies, please . / “Yes, I would like the steak and vegetables, please.”

Susan: I’ll have the spicy chicken, and rice as a side dish, please. / “I’ll have the spicy chicken with rice as a side dish, please.”

Emma: I think I’ll have the mushroom soup, please. / “I think I’ll have the mushroom soup, please.”

Jimmy: And I’ll go for the cheese burger, please. / “And I’ll choose the cheeseburger, please.”

Waiter: So, you’ll have one steak and veggies, one spciy chicken, one mushroom soup, one cheese burger and a bottle of red wine. Is that correct? / “Then, they will order a steak with vegetables, a spicy chicken with rice, a mushroom soup, a cheeseburger and a bottle of red wine. Correct?”

Tom: Yes, that’s right, thank you! / “Yes it’s correct, thanks”.

Waiter: Can I offer you anything to drink? / “May I offer you something to drink?”

Tom: We’d like a bottle of red wine, please. / “We would like a bottle of red wine, please.”

Waiter: Sure, thank you. / “Very well thank you”.

—

Waiter: Here you are, enjoy your meal! / “Here you go, I hope you enjoy the food!”

Tom: Thank you! Could we have an extra knife, please? / “Thank you. Could you give us another knife, please?

Waiter: Sure, here you are. / “Sure, here you go.”

—

Tom: Excuse me, could we get the check, please? / “Excuse me, could you bring us the bill, please?”

Waiter: Sure, here you are. It’s going to be €275 . / “Sure, here you go. It will be €275”.

Tom: Could I pay with credit card? / “I can pay with credit card?”

Waiter: Sure, just a minute, please . / “Sure, one minute, please.”

Tom: Thank you! / “Thank you”.

Waiter: Thank you, too, have a good evening! / “Thanks to you, have a nice night!”

Bibliography

• Vaughan, R. English vocabulary you should know. (2020). Spain. Vaughan.
• Lechner, V. Come on! English vocabulary in the restaurant . (2017, Kindle version). Spain. B075VCQ2D1.