English Conversation at a Restaurant: 7 Common Scenarios

 

How to Have an English Conversation at a Restaurant: 7 Common Scenarios

1. Talking with the Host

Remember, the host is the person who greets you when you enter the restaurant. They’re usually standing at a podium, or you may see a sign that says, “Please wait to be seated.” This means that the host might be with another customer right now, but they’ll be back to greet you.

Maybe you called ahead of time to make a reservation, which means the restaurant knows you’re coming and has a table set aside for you. If that’s the case, the conversation will probably go something like this:

Host: Hi, welcome to [restaurant name].

You: Hello, I have a reservation.

Host: What’s your name?

You: John Smith.

Then, the host will say something like, “Right this way,” and you can follow them to your table. Or if they aren’t ready yet, they’ll say something along the lines of, “Your table will be ready in a few minutes.”

What if you don’t have a reservation? Then the conversation may look something like this:

Host: Hi, welcome to [restaurant name].

You: Hello, we’d like a table for two people.

Host: Would you like a table or a booth?

You: A booth.

Then the host will likely say either, “Right this way,” or if the restaurant is crowded, they may tell you,”It will be a 10-minute wait.”

When you ask for a table for two people, the host might ask you, “Do you have a reservation?” In this case, you’d respond, “No.”

2. Asking the Server Questions

You might not be ready to order food right away. First, you may need to ask the server some questions about the food. For the sake of these examples, we’ll talk about fried chicken. Here are some things you might ask the server about fried chicken.

How is the fried chicken made? (You may want to know what seasoning comes on the chicken or what type of oil they fry the food in.)

What side items come with the fried chicken?

Can I substitute one side item for another? (If you don’t like a side item that usually comes with the fried chicken, you can ask to replace, or “substitute” it with something else. For example, you may choose to substitute the potatoes with macaroni and cheese or vegetables. The server could say yes or no, or they might tell you that you can, but it’ll cost a little more.)

What do you recommend?

Which do you like more, the fried chicken or grilled chicken?

Some of these require a simple “yes” or “no” from the server. Others might require you to be familiar with food-related vocabulary to understand their response.

When it’s time for dessert, you may ask these questions:

Do you have a dessert menu?

Can you describe the chocolate cake?

Which dessert is your favorite?

3. Ordering Food

There are a few common phrases you could use to order food. Here are some examples:

I’ll have the fried chicken.

I would like the fried chicken.

I’d like to order the fried chicken.

Can I have the fried chicken?

In certain cases, it makes sense to use “we” instead of “I.” This is often the case if you’re ordering something for everyone, not just yourself.

We would like to share the mozzarella sticks.

We’ll start with an appetizer.

We’ll have a pitcher of beer.

Sometimes, your order will require the server to ask follow-up questions. Here are some common questions the server may ask and some possible responses.

Server: How would you like your steak/burger cooked?

You: Medium-well, please.

Server: Which two sides would you like with your meal?

You: I’ll have french fries and grilled vegetables.

Server: What dressing would you like with your salad?

You: Ranch, please.

4. Making Positive and Negative Comments About the Food

After delivering your food, your server should check on your table once or twice to see how everything is. Here are some possible phrases you could hear:

How is everything?

Does everything taste good?

How did everything come out?

Here are some possible positive and negative responses:

It’s delicious!

Everything is great, thank you.

Actually, my food is a little cold.

Excuse me, I ordered french fries, but I got potatoes.

The server will likely ask, “Can I get you anything else?” You may ask for another drink, a refill of water, extra dressing or some condiments.

5. Dealing with a Problem

Is there a problem with the food or anything else in the restaurant? When reporting a problem, it’s good to use polite phrases.

Excuse me, my food is cold.

Pardon, this isn’t what I ordered.

May I speak to your manager, please?

Here are a couple of phrases you could hear from the server after you report a problem:

I’m sorry!

Would you like to speak to a manager?

I’ll get the manager for you.

Would you like me to get you something else?

When something goes wrong with a customer’s food, many servers send the manager to the table so you can talk to someone in charge. They do this either to make the customer feel comfortable by talking to someone who’s “higher up,” or because the manager actually does have the power to give you a discount in the restaurant’s computer system.

6. Paying the Bill

It’s customary for the server to bring the bill to your table before you even ask for it. However, if the restaurant is busy or your server has forgotten to deliver your bill, you might need to ask for it. Here are a few things you can say:

Excuse me, we’d like the bill.

We’re ready to pay.

Can we have the check, please? (“Check” and “bill” mean the same thing at a restaurant.)

Do I pay you, or do I pay up front?

The server may have some questions, such as:

Can I get you anything else, or are you ready for the check?

Would you like a box? (If you didn’t eat your whole meal, your server may ask you if you’d like a box to take your left-over food home.)

Will you be paying together or separately?

Will that be cash or card?

7. Chatting with Your Dining Partner

You can talk about a variety of things with your dining partner, from jobs and hobbies to family and travel. But there are a few restaurant-related phrases you can use.

A: What are you going to order?

B: I’m thinking about the pork. How about you?

A: I’m trying to decide between the chicken salad and the turkey sandwich.

B: I hear the chicken salad is really good.

A: Oh, great, I’ll order that! Do you want to share an appetizer first?

B: That sounds great. Would you rather have the mozzarella sticks or the cheese dip?

A: I could go for some cheese dip.

B: Let’s do it!

Here’s a conversation that’s common to have once you’ve started eating your food:

A: Do you like the food?

B: Yeah! How’s yours?

A: It’s great. I’m glad I decided to order this.

B: Same. I love this restaurant.

You may have a conversation like this once it’s time to pay:

A: This one’s on me. (This is a colloquial way of saying “I will pay the bill.”)

B: No, let me pay!

A: I invited you, so it’s my treat.

B: Thank you so much.