English Language Practice: Ordering at a
Restaurant
Dining at a Restaurant Alone
This dialogue includes most of the basic questions you'll need to know when
going to a restaurant alone. Practice it with a friend.
Waitperson: Hi. How are you doing this afternoon?
Customer (you): Fine, thank you. Can I see a menu, please?
Waitperson: Certainly, here you are.
Customer: Thank you. What's today's special?
Waitperson: Grilled tuna and cheese on rye.
Customer: That sounds good. I'll have that.
Waitperson: Would you like something to drink?
Customer: Yes, I'd like a coke.
Waitperson: Thank you. (returning with the food) Here you are. Enjoy your
meal!
Customer: Thank you.
Waitperson: Can I get you anything else?
Customer: No thanks. I'd like the check, please.
Waitperson: That'll be $14.95.
Customer: Here you are. Keep the change!
Waitperson: Thank you! Have a good day!
Customer: Goodbye.
At a Restaurant With Friends
Next, use this dialogue to practice speaking at a restaurant when eating with
friends. The dialogue includes questions to help you choose what to eat. For this
role-play, you'll need three people instead of two.
Kevin: The spaghetti looks really good.
Alice: It is! I had it the last time I was here.
Peter: How is the pizza, Alice?
Alice: It's good, but I think the pasta is better. What would you recommend?
Waitperson: I'd recommend the lasagna. It's excellent!
Alice: That sounds great. I'll have that.
Waitperson: Fine. Would you like an appetizer?
Alice: No, lasagna is more than enough for me!
Kevin: I think I'll have the lasagna as well.
Waitperson: Right. That's two lasagnas. Would you care for an appetizer?
Kevin: Yes, I'll take the calamari.
Peter: Oh, that sounds good! I can't decide between the chicken marsala and
grilled fish.
Waitperson: The fish is fresh, so I'd recommend that.
Peter: Great. I'll have the fish. I'd also like a salad.
Waitperson: What would you like to drink?
Kevin: I'll have water.
Alice: I'd like a beer.
Peter: I'll take a glass of red wine.
Waitperson: Thank you. I'll get the drinks and the appetizers.
Kevin: Thank you.
Key Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key phrases used to discuss food in a restaurant when ordering
and deciding on what to eat:
Could I have a menu, please?
Here you are.
Enjoy your meal!
Would you like ...
Can I get you anything else?
I'd like the check, please.
That'll be ...
Have a good day!
The spaghetti/steak/chicken looks good.
How is the pizza/fish/beer?
What would you recommend?
I'd like my steak rare/medium/well done.
Are there any nuts/peanuts? My child has allergies.
Do you have any vegetarian dishes?
Could I have a glass of water, please?
Could you tell me where the restroom is?
I'd recommend the lasagna/steak/pizza.
Would you care for an appetizer/a beer/a cocktail?
I'd like to have a beer/steak/glass of wine.
Waiter: Hello, I’ll be your waiter today. Can I start you off with something
to drink?
Ralph: Yes. I’ll have iced tea, please.
Anna: And I’ll have lemonade.
Waiter: OK. Are you ready to order, or do you need a few minutes?
Ralph: I think we’re ready. I’ll have the tomato soup to start, and the
roast beef with mashed potatoes and peas.
Waiter: How do you want the beef — rare, medium or well done?
Ralph: Well done, please.
Anna: And I’ll just have the fish, with potatoes and a salad.
Language notes
Can I start you off with something to drink? Notice how the
question starts with “Can.” Since this is a yes/no question, the
intonation rises at the end.
And I’ll have lemonade. Notice how Anna stresses “I’ll” and
“lemonade” to emphasize her choice.
Are you ready to order, or do you need a few minutes? The word
“or” signals a choice here. Notice the rising intonation on “order,” and
the falling intonation on “minutes” (the first choice is “Are you ready to
order?” and the second choice is “Do you need a few minutes?”).
I’ll have the tomato soup to start, and the roast beef with
mashed potatoes and peas. Notice that “tomato soup,” “roast beef,”
“mashed potatoes” and “peas” are stressed because the food order is
the important information here. Notice also that “tomato soup, “roast
beef” and “mashed potatoes” are compound words. The stress falls on
the second word in each phrase.
Well done, please. Notice that the subject and verb are omitted in
the response; only the necessary information is given.
I’ll just have the fish. Anna says “just” here to mean that she does
not want a starter.
Preparing for the Dialogues
Simple dialogues will help students to order food and speak in a socially
acceptable way in a restaurant while challenging listening-
comprehension exercises will help boost their passive-understanding skills.
Before having students perform the dialogue below, ask them to name different
types of food they might find in a restaurant. Write the vocabulary on the board
and make sure students also take notes. After they do so:
Give students the dialogue and menu, and ask them to read through it carefully.
Point out the use of "would like" for asking for and making requests. You may
also want to make sure they notice the use of "here you are" instead of "please"
when handing someone something.
Pair students and ask them to role-play ordering food in a restaurant using the
menu below (or a more interesting menu you may have on hand). Both students
should switch roles a number of times.
If you have access to a computer, improve passive understanding by doing
a listening- comprehension exercise, like the one found in this practice script.
Finally, ask students what are some ways (dialogues, thematic texts, and
narrative stories) they can use to help them improve their listening-
comprehension skills in English.
Dialogue: Ordering Food in a Restaurant
Have students pair up to practice the following dialogue, then have them switch
roles.
Waiter: Hello, Can I help you?.
Kim: Yes, I'd like to have some lunch.
Waiter: Would you like a starter?
Kim: Yes, I'd like a bowl of chicken soup, please.
Waiter: And what would you like for your main course?
Kim: I'd like a grilled cheese sandwich.
Waiter: Would you like anything to drink?
Kim: Yes, I'd like a glass of Coke, please.
Waiter: Would Pepsi be OK? We don't have Coke.
Kim: That would be fine.
Waiter: (After Kim has her lunch.) Can I bring you anything else?
Kim: No thank you. Just the bill.
Waiter: Certainly.
Kim: I don't have my glasses. How much is the lunch?
Waiter: That's $6.75.
Kim: Here you are. Thank you very much.
Waiter: You're welcome. Have a good day.
Kim: Thank you. Same to you.
Sample Menu
Use this menu to practice ordering food in a restaurant. Have students swap out
different food and drink items to modify the above dialogue, or let them create
their own dialogues.
Joe's Restaurant
Starters
Chicken Soup $2.50
Salad $3.25
Sandwiches - Main Course
Ham and cheese $3.50
Tuna $3.00
Vegetarian $4.00
Grilled Cheese $2.50
Slice of Pizza $2.50
Cheeseburger $4.50
Hamburger $5.00
Spaghetti $5.50
Drinks
Coffee $1.25
Tea $1.25
Soft Drinks - Coke, Sprite, Root Beer, Ice Tea $1.75
Conversation about arriving at a restaurant and ordering
food
At the Restaurant
Waitress: Good evening sir, welcome to Stanley House, can I help you?
Jason: Can we have a table for two please.
Waitress: Please come this way please.
Ordering food
Waitress: Are you both ready to order now?
Jason: Yes, we are. Can we have the Sunday roast with vegetables and Chicken salad
please?
Waitress: Would you like anything to drink with your meal?
Jason: 2 glasses of white wine please.
After the Meal
Waitress: Would you like to see the dessert menu
Jason: No thanks, can we have the bill please.
Conversation between 3 people ordering food in a
restaurant
Waitress: Hello, I will be your waitress today. Can I get you both any drinks?
Paul: Yes. I would like an iced coffee, please.
Jane: And I will have the same please.
Waitress: OK 2 iced coffees, here you are. Are you now ready to order your, or would
you like a few more minutes?
Paul: I think we are ready to order. I will have the chicken soup to start, and the steak
with fries and the mixed vegetables.
Waitress: How do you want the steak cooked rare, medium, or well done?
Paul: I would like it well done, please.
Jane: I do not want a starter. I would like to have the fried chicken with fries and a side
salad please.
Waitress: Your meals will be here shortly.
Waitress: Here are your meals. If you need anything else just ask. Have a nice meal.
Restaurant conversation you can download it as a picture
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