At The Restaurant

At most restaurants, you’ll see six main sections on a menu:
• Appetizers: platos para compartir.

• Starters: primer plato.
• Entree / main course: plato principal
• Side items or sides: guarnición.
• Dessert: postre
• Drinks: bebidas
Dining at a Restaurant Alone
This dialogue includes most of the basic questions you'll need
to know when going to a restaurant alone. Practice it with a
friend.
01:54
Using English at a Restaurant

Waitperson: Hi. How are you doing this afternoon?
Customer (you): Fine, thank you. Can I see a menu, please?
Waitperson: Certainly, here you are.

Customer: Thank you. What's today's special?
Waitperson: Grilled tuna and cheese on rye.
Customer: That sounds good. I'll have that.

Waitperson: Would you like something to drink?
Customer: Yes, I'd like a coke.
Waitperson: Thank you. (returning with the food) Here you

are. Enjoy your meal!
Customer: Thank you.
Waitperson: Can I get you anything else?

Customer: No thanks. I'd like the check, please.
Waitperson: That'll be $14.95.
Customer: Here you are. Keep the change!

Waitperson: Thank you! Have a good day!
Customer: Goodbye.
At a Restaurant With Friends
Next, use this dialogue to practice speaking at a restaurant
when eating with friends. The dialogue includes questions to
help you choose what to eat.
Kevin: The spaghetti looks really good.
Alice: It is! I had it the last time I was here.
Peter: How is the pizza, Alice?
Alice: It's good, but I think the pasta is better. What would
you recommend?
Waitperson: I'd recommend the lasagna. It's excellent!
Alice: That sounds great. I'll have that.
Waitperson: Fine. Would you like an appetizer?

Alice: No, lasagna is more than enough for me!
Kevin: I think I'll have the lasagna as well.
Waitperson: Right. That's two lasagnas. Would you care for

an appetizer?
Kevin: Yes, I'll take the calamari.

Peter: Oh, that sounds good! I can't decide between the
chicken marsala and grilled fish.
Waitperson: The fish is fresh, so I'd recommend that.

Peter: Great. I'll have the fish. I'd also like a salad.
Waitperson: What would you like to drink?

Kevin: I'll have water.
Alice: I'd like a beer.

Peter: I'll take a glass of red wine.
Waitperson: Thank you. I'll get the drinks and the
appetizers.
Kevin: Thank you.
Key Vocabulary and Phrases

Here are some key phrases used to discuss food in a restaurant
when ordering and deciding on what to eat:
• Could I have a menu, please?
• Here you are.
• Enjoy your meal!
• Would you like ...
• Can I get you anything else?
• I'd like the check, please.
• That'll be ...
• Have a good day!
• The spaghetti/steak/chicken looks good.
• How is the pizza/fish/beer?
• What would you recommend?
• I'd like my steak rare/medium/well done.
• Are there any nuts/peanuts? My child has allergies.
• Do you have any vegetarian dishes?
• Could I have a glass of water, please?
• Could you tell me where the restroom is?
• I'd recommend the lasagna/steak/pizza.
• Would you care for an appetizer/a beer/a cocktail?
• I'd like to have a beer/steak/glass of wine.
Booking
“I booked a table for two for at … (8pm).
“It’s under the name of …”
“A table for two please.”
What the restaurant staff say:
“Of course. Please come this way.”
Or…
“Your table isn’t quite ready yet.”

“Would you like to wait in the bar?”
“We’re fully booked at the moment. Could you come back a bit
later?”
Asking about the menu

These are phrases you can ask the waiter if you aren’t sure of
something on the menu.
“What’s … exactly?”
“Is this served with … (salad)?”
“Does this have any … (seafood) in it?”
“What do you recommend?”
Ordering
What the waiter says:
“Are you ready to order?”

“Can I take your order?”
“Anything to drink?”
“Would you like … (chips) with that?”
What the customer says:
“I’ll have…”
“I’d like…”
“Can I have …”
“We’d like to order …”
If there are problems with the order, the waiter can say:
“I don’t think we have any more … (lobster) left. I’ll check with the
kitchen.”
“I’m sorry, but the king prawn soup is finished.”
Dealing with problems

The customer can say:
“Excuse me, but I didn’t order this.”

“I’m sorry, but this is cold.”
“Can I change my order please?”
The waiter can say:
“I’m so sorry about that…”

“Let me take it back for you.” (take it back = return it to the kitchen)
“Let me change it for you.”
Getting the bill

“Can we have the bill please?”
“Could we get the bill?”
“Could we pay please?”
(“bill” in British English; “check” in American English.)

Practise your listening!
Now listen to six conversations in a restaurant. You can also read
the tapescript as you listen.
Conversation 1
https://english-at-home.com/conversations-restaurant/
Hello. Are you ready to order?

We’d like a little longer, please.
OK.
Conversation 2
Can I take your order?
Is there anything you recommend?
The chef’s special is very popular.
Conversation 3 – Dealing with a problem

Let me take it back for you Madam.
Thank you.
Conversation 4 – Dealing with a problem

Excuse me, but this isn’t what I ordered.
Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ll change it for you straight away.
Thank you.
Conversation 5 – Changing your order

I’m sorry, but can I change my order?
Of course. What would you like instead?
The chicken salad.
Conversation 6 – Getting the bill

Can I help you?
Yes, could we have the bill?
Of course.

At The Restaurant

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

At The Restaurant

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

At The Restaurant

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

At most restaurants, you’ll see six main sections on a menu:

• Appetizers: platos para compartir.

• Entree / main course: plato principal

• Side items or sides: guarnición.

Using English at a Restaurant

Customer (you): Fine, thank you. Can I see a menu, please?

Waitperson: Certainly, here you are.

Waitperson: Grilled tuna and cheese on rye.

Customer: That sounds good. I'll have that.

Customer: Yes, I'd like a coke.

Waitperson: Thank you. (returning with the food) Here you

Customer: Thank you.

Waitperson: Can I get you anything else?

Waitperson: That'll be $14.95.

Customer: Here you are. Keep the change!

Alice: That sounds great. I'll have that.

Waitperson: Fine. Would you like an appetizer?

Waitperson: Right. That's two lasagnas. Would you care for

Kevin: Yes, I'll take the calamari.

Waitperson: The fish is fresh, so I'd recommend that.

Waitperson: What would you like to drink?

Alice: I'd like a beer.

Kevin: Thank you.

Key Vocabulary and Phrases

What the restaurant staff say:

“Of course. Please come this way.”

“Your table isn’t quite ready yet.”

Asking about the menu

“Are you ready to order?”

Dealing with problems

“Excuse me, but I didn’t order this.”

The waiter can say:

“I’m so sorry about that…”

Getting the bill

(“bill” in British English; “check” in American English.)

Hello. Are you ready to order?

Conversation 3 – Dealing with a problem

Conversation 4 – Dealing with a problem

Conversation 5 – Changing your order

Conversation 6 – Getting the bill

You might also like