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Learn The Basics

1) This document provides essential terminology and phrases for dining out in English, including how to make reservations, order food, ask about dietary restrictions, request takeout, and ask for the check. 2) Key terms defined include "appetizer", "entree", "main course", "side dish", "check", and "tip". 3) Examples of polite and common phrases for ordering are given, such as "I'd like the fried rice with shrimp, please". 4) Useful phrases for special situations like allergies or incorrect orders are also listed.

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53 views5 pages

Learn The Basics

1) This document provides essential terminology and phrases for dining out in English, including how to make reservations, order food, ask about dietary restrictions, request takeout, and ask for the check. 2) Key terms defined include "appetizer", "entree", "main course", "side dish", "check", and "tip". 3) Examples of polite and common phrases for ordering are given, such as "I'd like the fried rice with shrimp, please". 4) Useful phrases for special situations like allergies or incorrect orders are also listed.

Uploaded by

ma ya
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Learn the Basics :

A party of (number of people) - a group of people who are dining together. In


this context, it does not mean a celebration.

Booking/Reservation - when you arrange in advance with the restaurant to


reserve your table at a specific time.
Bill/check - the printed receipt of what you owe for the food.
Ex. "Could we get the check, please?"
Cash - physical money, usually in the form of bills or coins.
Course - a set of food served during a meal.
Dessert - the smaller portion served after the main meal, usually sweet.
Dish - a particular variety or preparation of food.
Ex. "Tikka Masala is one of the most popular dishes in England."
Drink menu - a menu listing all the beverages, often alcoholic.

Gluten-free - food without gluten


Halal - food prepared according to Muslim law.
Kid's/Children's Menu - a menu for children. They are usually smaller portions
and limited to those who are 12 years old or younger.
Kosher - food prepared according to Jewish law.
Main course/Entree - loaned from French, entree (or main course) means the
main and most substantial portion of food served during the meal. Typically, this
could be pasta, meat, or rice.
Meal - the food you eat, or the standard time of day when food is regularly
eaten.
Ex. "The children's meal is the perfect size for a child." or "I normally eat my
meals at the kitchen table."
Menu - a printed or digital list of what food the restaurant offers.
Napkin - thin paper, tissue or cloth that you use to clean your hands or mouth.
Organic - food that is grown without pesticides or other artificial farming
methods.
Portion - the amount of food you are served.
Recommended - what the restaurant, chef or server believe to be the best or
most popular dish.
Server/waiter/waitress - the person who takes your order and delivers your
food. Waiter is used for men, and waitress is used for women, while server is
gender neutral.
Set menu - a specific menu, usually involving one more courses, such as an
appetizer, entree and dessert, for a fixed price.
Side dish - a smaller portion of food served during the meal, usually to
complement the main dish.
Ex. "French Fries/Chips are a common side dish for a hamburger."
Silverware/Cutlery - the tools you use to eat your food, such as a knife, fork, or
spoon.
Sparkling water - sometimes (but not always) called mineral water, this is
water that is carbonated.
Starter/appetizer - the food you begin your meal with. It is usually a smaller
portion and serves to ready your appetite.
Today's special/Special of the Day - the food that the restaurant is serving as a
specialty, often only available on that day.
Tip - to give someone extra money as a reward for great service.
Tap water - also known as "still water", this is water that is not carbonated and
usually comes straight from the tap.
Vegan option - a food option that contains no meat nor any animal products,
like eggs or dairy.
Vegetarian option - a food option that contains no meat, but might contain
other animal products, like eggs or dairy.

Learn How to Order :

To place a reservation, you can say:

"Hello, I would like to make a booking/reservation for a party of (number


of people) at (time) on (day)."
Ex. Hello, I'd like to make a booking for a party of 6 at 8 o'clock on Tuesday.
If you have no booking and walk into a restaurant, you can ask:
"Hello, do you have availability for a party of (number of people)?"
Or they might ask right away:
"How many people are in your party?" And you can answer with your
group size.
As you sit down, you can ask for the main menu or for special menus like the
children's menu or a drink menu. If your server comes by before you are ready,
simply tell them:
"We need a few more minutes, please."

How to Order Food in English

Order in English usually looks like this:


"I'd like the (name of the dish), please."
Ex. "I'd like the fried rice with shrimp, please." I would like…..

Here are more ways to order food, ranging from most formal to least formal.
1. Could I have the (dish name), please? (polite)
2. I'd like the.../I'll have the... (polite)
3. The (dish name), please. (neutral)
4. I want the (dish name). (informal)
5. Give me the (dish name). (informal)

When ordering for others, we often use the same forms but with indications for
who we are speaking for:

"For her/him/them, she/he/they'll have the..."


"We'll share the..."

It's also common to ask for suggestions. You can ask the server:

"What do you recommend?"


"What is the special for today?"

Your server might ask you follow-up questions, such as:

"How would you like your meat cooked?"


"How would you like your eggs cooked?"

Dietary Restrictions and Asking for Exceptions in English

If you have dietary restrictions--that is, specific needs for your food--you can
ask your server.

Here are some examples of useful phrases for common dietary restrictions:
 "Does this food contain (meat/nuts/dairy)?
 "Is this food kosher?"
 "Can I have (ingredient you want) instead of (ingredient it has)?" or
"Could I substitute the (ingredient it has) with (ingredient you want)?"
 Ex. Could I substitute the chips with a salad?
 "Is this dish vegetarian/vegan?"
 "I'm allergic to/I can't eat (ingredient), what dishes do you recommend for
me?"

Ordering To-Go/Takeaway

While many places offer food delivery through apps, sometimes it is still
cheaper to call a place directly and order! To order over the phone, it's the same
as in person--however, you'll need to be prepared to give your address and
phone number.

If you are stopping in a restaurant and would like to take your food home,
simply tell them:

"To-go, please."
"For takeaway, please."

If you're eating out at a restaurant but don't finish your food and would like to
take it home (perhaps useful in places like the US, where portions are HUGE!),
here are some useful phrases:

Could I get a to-go box?


Can I have a doggy bag? (slang for a box for takeaway).

Helpful English Phrases for Miscellaneous Situations

Here's some quick tips on troubleshooting.


If you drop your silverware or it's dirty, you can ask:

"Could I have another (fork/knife/spoon), please?"


If your food arrives cold or off in some way, tell them:
"Excuse me, my food is (cold/undercooked/overcooked), could you send this
back?"
Or, if they deliver you something you didn't order, you can say:
"Excuse me, I ordered something different, the (dish name)."
If the kitchen has run out of an ingredient, the server might tell you:
"I'm sorry, we are out of..." and then they will ask you to choose another
dish.
Whew. Hopefully this doesn't happen! When in doubt, stick to this useful
phrase:
"Could I have...(whatever you need)?"

Learn How to Ask for the Check

At last! You are full and hopefully had a great meal. Before you go, you must
ask for the check.
The best way to ask is to simply say:
"I'd like the bill/check/to pay, please!"

Sometimes the waiter might ask you if you would like to pay together as a
group, or separately. They might also ask if you prefer to pay with card or with
cash.

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