Ordering a Meal

 1. Ordering a Meal

Waiter/Waitress: Good morning! / Good afternoon! / Good evening! Are you ready to order?

Customer 1: I am! I'll have the filet mignon and a Coke.

Waiter/Waitress: Great! (Waiter/waitress looks toward Customer 2.) How about you?

Customer 2: I would like the fish and chips.

Waiter/Waitress: One fish and chips. Anything to drink?

Customer 2: Water from the tap is good for me.

Waiter/Waitress: Water it is. (Waiter/waitress looks toward Customer 3.) And you?

Customer 3: Does the chicken roll come with cheese?

Waiter/Waitress: It does. It comes with Parmesan cheese.

Customer 3: I am allergic to cheese. Please have the cook remove the cheese.

Waiter/Waitress: Not a problem. I will make sure to tell the cook. Anything to drink?

Customer 3: A lemonade, please.

Waiter/Waitress: Great! Let me go over your order now: one filet mignon with a Coke, one fish and chips and water from the tap, and one chicken roll with no Parmesan cheese plus a lemonade. Does that sound right?

All customers: Sounds good! / Correct! / That's it!

Waiter/Waitress: I'll place your orders right now and will be back shortly with your drinks. Thank you.

English Conversations: In a Restaurant

Here are some useful phrases for ordering a meal in a restaurant in English.

Booking

“I booked a table for two for … (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?”

Going to a restaurant

Sandra and Paul are at a steak restaurant. A waiter greets them.

"Do you know what you would like to drink?" the waiter asks.
“Water and orange juice,” Sandra says.
"Thank you. Here are your menus," the waiter says.

The waiter brings water for Paul and orange juice for Sandra.

"What would you like to order?" the waiter asks.
"I would like a 12-ounce steak and mashed potatoes," Paul says.
"The same thing, but with green beans," Sandra says.
"And two orders of garlic bread," Paul says.
"Great. You should have it in soon," the waiter says.

The waiter returns after an hour.

“Sorry for your wait. Here are two orders of 12-ounce steaks with mashed potatoes and garlic bread,” the waiter says.
"I asked for green beans with mine," Sandra says.
"I'm sorry, I’ll get those for you," the waiter says.

The waiter quickly returns with Sandra's green beans.