Lesson 3: At the Restaurant

 

Ordering Food:

When dining anywhere, it’s helpful to have the basic skills and language needed to order the food that you want.  Here are some phrases to keep in mind.

Follow me. / This way please. Your waiter/waitress will be right with you. Someone will be right with you. I’ll be right back to take your order. May I take your order? Are you ready to order?	Could you tell me Today’s Special?   I’d like a ________________, please. I’ll have the ______________, please.
Would you like anything to drink? Would you like anything for dessert? Your order will be right out. Your food will be here shortly.	Could we get the bill, please? Could I have the check, please?
How’s everything? How’s the food? How are you doing here?   Enjoy your meal.	Possible answers: Great, thank you. Delicious, thanks. Good, thanks. Possible complaints: The food is too cold, salty, burnt, not cooked, etc… This isn’t what I ordered. The restaurant is too hot, cold, noisy, smoky, etc… The lighting is too low.

 

Useful Words:

a fancy restaurant a fast-food restaurant a buffet the bar a chef the cook waiter / waitress daily special the menu appetizers

soup salad dessert breakfast brunch lunch dinner smoking / non-smoking dishwasher the check / bill & tip

 

Sample Dialogue:  Here’s an example of a conversation that you might encounter.

Remember, just barking out orders can be perceived as being rude and may have real consequences to your food. Keep in mind the polite ways to order food: I'll have a hamburger, please. I'd like the seafood spaghetti, please…

Waiter:              Welcome to Antico's. Here are your menus. Today's special is grilled salmon.
                           I'll be right back to take your order...

Waiter:              Are you ready to order?
Customer 1:      I'd like the seafood spaghetti.
Waiter:              And you?
Customer 2:      I'll have a hamburger and fries.
Waiter:             Would you like anything to drink?
Customer 1:      I'll have a coke, please.
Waiter:              And for you?
Customer 2:      Just water, please.
Waiter:             OK. So that's one seafood spaghetti, one hamburger and fries, one coke, and one water.
                          I'll take your menus.

Waiter:             Here's your food. Enjoy your meal.

Waiter:             How was everything?
Customer 2:     Delicious, thanks.
Waiter:             Would you like anything for dessert?
Customer:         No, just the bill please.

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Other Situations:

Depending on what you are buying, when heading for checkout or in the process of ordering, you might find yourself hearing the following questions being asked.

(Pay by) Cash or Check?

(At the supermarket)
Cashier:            How are you today, sir?
Customer:         Good, and you?
Cashier:            Not bad……That'll be $58.00.  Cash or check?
Customer:         (handing $60 over to the cashier) Cash.

(bags) Plastic or Paper?

(After checkout)
Cashier:            Here's your receipt.  And 2 dollars is your change.  Thank you very much.  
                         Would you like plastic or paper?
Customer:         Plastic, please.  Oh, and could you double-bag mine?

For Here or To Go?

(At Burger King)

Cashier:            Hello!  Can I help you?
Customer:         I'll have a cheeseburger with curly fries and a large coke.
Cashier:            For here or to go?
Customer:         To go, please.

Cup or Cone?

(At Baskin Robins 31 Ice Cream)
Cashier:            Hello!  Can I help you?
Customer:         Uh…I’d like a double scoop of chocolate mint and rocky road.
Cashier:            Ok, would that be cup or cone?
Customer:         Cup, please.
Cashier:            What kind of toppings do you want?
Customer:         I'll have some chocolate sprinkles.

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Now try the Restaurants and Food exercise, then practice more expressions with How Much Is It?

Home  >  Lessons  >  Lesson 3  >  Restaurants & Food | How Much Is It? | Restaurant 1 | 2 | 3

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