Going to a restaurant is a fun experience, especially when you’re in a new place! But if you’re learning English, ordering food can sometimes feel a little bit challenging. Don’t worry! This lesson will help you learn simple and useful phrases for ordering food in English at a restaurant. We’ll focus on practical restaurant vocabulary and easy sentences perfect for A2 level English learners. You’ll be able to speak English at a restaurant with confidence!

Why is Ordering Food in English Important?

Knowing how to order food in English is a super useful skill for many reasons:

• Travel: If you travel to English-speaking countries, you’ll definitely need to eat! Knowing these phrases will make your travel experience much smoother and more enjoyable.
• International Restaurants: Even in your own country, you might find restaurants with English menus or staff who speak English.
• Confidence: Successfully ordering meals in English is a great way to build your confidence in speaking English in real-life situations.
• Social Situations: Eating out with friends or colleagues who speak English becomes much easier and more relaxed when you know what to say.

So, let’s learn some key phrases to help you master restaurant English ordering!

Key Vocabulary for Ordering Food in English

Before we jump into phrases, let’s learn some essential restaurant vocabulary. These words will help you understand menus and talk to the staff:

• Menu: The list of food and drinks the restaurant offers.
• Waiter/Waitress: The person who takes your order and serves you food. (Waiter is often used for both men and women)
• Table: Where you sit to eat.
• Order: What you want to eat and drink.
• Drink: Something to drink (like water, juice, soda).
• Food: What you eat (like soup, salad, chicken).
• Appetizer/Starter: A small dish before the main meal.
• Main course/Main dish: The main part of your meal.
• Dessert: Something sweet after the main meal.
• Bill/Check: The piece of paper that shows how much you need to pay.

Knowing these words will make understanding the menu and communicating much easier when you are ordering food in English.

Useful Phrases for Ordering in English

Now, let’s look at some useful phrases you can use when ordering food in English. We’ll break it down into different parts of the ordering process.

Greeting and Getting Seated

• “Hello, a table for [number], please.” (e.g., “Hello, a table for two, please.”) – Use this when you arrive at the restaurant.
• “Do you have a table for [number]?” (e.g., “Do you have a table for four?”) – Another way to ask for a table.
• “We have a reservation for [name].” – If you booked a table in advance.
• “Could we sit by the window/outside/over there?” – If you have a preference for where to sit.
• “Is this table free?” – If you see an empty table and want to check if you can sit there.

Ordering Drinks

• “Can I see the drinks menu, please?” – To see what drinks they offer.
• “I’d like a [drink], please.” (e.g., “I’d like a water, please.”) – A polite way to order a drink.
• “Could I have a [drink], please?” (e.g., “Could I have a coke, please?”) – Another polite way to order.
• “For me, a [drink], please.” (e.g., “For me, a juice, please.”) – A simple way to order when the waiter is asking each person individually.
• “Just water for me, please.” – If you only want water.

Ordering Food

• “Can I see the menu, please?” – If you haven’t been given a menu yet.
• “What do you recommend?” – To ask the waiter for suggestions.
• “I’d like to order, please.” – To let the waiter know you are ready to order.
• “I’ll have the [dish], please.” (e.g., “I’ll have the pasta, please.”) – A common and easy way to order.
• “I’m going to have the [dish].” (e.g., “I’m going to have the soup.”) – Another way to say what you want.
• “For my main course, I’ll have the [dish].” – Useful when ordering multiple courses (appetizer, main course, dessert).
• “As a starter, I’d like the [appetizer].” – To order an appetizer.

Special Requests

• “I’m vegetarian/vegan.” – To inform the waiter about your dietary needs.
• “Do you have any vegetarian/vegan options?” – To ask about vegetarian/vegan food.
• “Without [ingredient], please.” (e.g., “Without onions, please.”) – If you don’t want a specific ingredient.
• “Can I have it with [side dish], please?” (e.g., “Can I have it with fries, please?”) – To ask for a specific side dish.
• “Could I have some extra [sauce/dressing], please?” – To ask for more sauce or dressing.

Paying the Bill

• “Could we have the bill, please?” – To ask for the bill.
• “The bill, please.” – A shorter way to ask for the bill.
• “Can I pay by card?” – To ask if you can pay with a credit or debit card.
• “We’d like to pay separately.” – If you want to split the bill with others.
• “Keep the change.” – If you want to leave a tip.

Example Dialogue: Ordering a Meal

Let’s see these phrases in a short example dialogue:

Waiter: Good evening, welcome to our restaurant.

You: Hello, a table for two, please.

Waiter: Of course, right this way.

(Waiter shows you to a table and gives you menus)

Waiter: Here are your menus. I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order.

(After a few minutes, the waiter returns)

Waiter: Are you ready to order?

You: Yes, I am. I’ll have the soup as a starter, and then the chicken for my main course, please.

Friend: And I’ll have the salad and the pasta, please.

Waiter: What would you like to drink?

You: I’d like a coke, please.

Friend: Just water for me, please.

Waiter: Okay. Soup, chicken, salad, pasta, coke, and water. Anything else?

You: No, thank you.

Waiter: Perfect. I’ll bring your drinks first.

(Later, after the meal)

You: Could we have the bill, please?

Waiter: Certainly. I’ll be right back with it.

Let’s Practice!

Fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases from the lesson.

1. Waiter: “Good evening, welcome to our ___________.”
2. You: “Hello, a ___________ for three, please.”
3. Waiter: “Here is the ___________.”
4. You: “I’d like to ___________, please. I’ll have the fish.”
5. Friend: “And I’ll have the ___________, please.”
6. Waiter: “What would you like to ___________?”
7. You: “A juice for me, please.”
8. Friend: “Just ___________ for me, please.”
9. You: “Could we have the ___________, please?”

Answers:

1. restaurant
2. table
3. menu
4. order
5. soup
6. drink
7. water
8. bill

Practice Speaking English for Restaurants with Lingofrnd

Learning phrases is great, but the best way to improve your spoken English practice for restaurants is to actually speak! Lingofrnd.com is an amazing AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice ordering food in English and build your confidence. You can practice dialogues, improve your pronunciation, and get comfortable speaking English at restaurants.

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We hope this lesson has helped you feel more prepared for ordering in a restaurant in English. Keep practicing, and you’ll be ordering like a native speaker in no time! Happy dining!