Ordering Food in English: Restaurant and Café Phrases
Do more with this exercise
These are useful phrases for a restaurant or a cafe. Get a table, order your food, talk during the meal and pay the bill. Read each phrase and its short dialogue, then do the exercises.
Getting a table
A table for two, please.Say it when you arrive and you want a table.
“A table for two, please.” “This way.”
Do you have a table by the window?Ask it when you want a special table.
“Do you have a table by the window?” “Yes, of course.”
Can I see the menu, please?Ask it to read the list of food and drinks.
“Can I see the menu, please?” “Here you are.”
Are you ready to order?The waiter asks it to take your order.
“Are you ready to order?” “Yes, we are.”
Not yet, thanks. Just a minute.Say it when you need more time.
“Are you ready to order?” “Not yet, thanks. Just a minute.”
What do you recommend?Ask it when you don't know the best dish.
“What do you recommend?” “The fish is very good.”
What's the soup of the day?Ask it to know today's special soup.
“What's the soup of the day?” “Tomato soup.”
Ordering and asking about the food
I'd like the chicken soup, please.Say it to order a dish in a polite way.
“I'd like the chicken soup, please.” “Of course.”
Can I have a coffee, please?Say it to order a drink or a small thing.
“Can I have a coffee, please?” “Black or with milk?”
I'll have the pasta.Say it to tell your choice from the menu.
“And for you?” “I'll have the pasta.”
What comes with it?Ask it to know what is on the plate with the dish.
“What comes with it?” “Rice and a salad.”
Does it have any nuts?Ask it when you can't eat a food.
“Does it have any nuts?” “No, it doesn't.”
I'm vegetarian. Is there any meat in it?Say it when you don't eat meat.
“I'm vegetarian. Is there any meat in it?” “No, there isn't.”
Can I have some water, please?Ask it for a glass or a bottle of water.
“Can I have some water, please?” “Still or sparkling?”
What would you like to drink?The waiter asks it to take the order for drinks.
“What would you like to drink?” “Orange juice, please.”
During the meal
Enjoy your meal!The waiter says it when he or she brings your food.
“Here you are. Enjoy your meal!” “Thank you.”
Thank you, you too.Say it to answer a good wish.
“Enjoy your meal!” “Thank you, you too.”
It's delicious.Say it when the food is very good.
“It's delicious, thank you.”
Excuse me, can we have some more bread?Ask it when you want one more thing.
“Excuse me, can we have some more bread?” “Of course.”
Could I have a fork, please?Ask it in a polite way for a thing at the table.
“Could I have a fork, please?” “Yes, one minute.”
Sorry, this isn't what I ordered.Say it when the waiter brings the wrong dish.
“Sorry, this isn't what I ordered.” “I'm sorry. I'll change it.”
Paying the bill
Can I have the bill, please?Ask it when you want to pay.
“Can I have the bill, please?” “Sure.”
Is service included?Ask it to know if the tip is in the price.
“Is service included?” “Yes, it is.”
Can we pay separately?Ask it when each person pays for their food.
“Can we pay separately?” “Yes, of course.”
This is on me.Say it when you pay for your friends.
“Let me pay. This is on me.” “Thanks!”
Keep the change.Say it when you give the waiter some extra money.
“That's eighteen dollars.” “Here's twenty. Keep the change.”
Everything was great, thanks.Say it at the end of the meal.
“Was everything okay?” “Yes, everything was great, thanks.”
Practice exercises
Match the Phrase and the Situation
Match each phrase with the situation.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
What Do You Say?
Choose the best phrase for each situation.
7.You arrive at a restaurant with three friends. What do you say?
8.“Are you ready to order?” “___” (You need more time.)
9.You want a coffee. What do you say?
10.“Enjoy your meal!” “___”
11.You want to pay. What do you ask the waiter?
12.You want to know if the tip is in the price. What do you ask?
13.“I'm vegetarian. ___ any meat in it?”
Complete the Dialogue
Type the missing word.
How to order food in English
At a restaurant, the first phrase is the number of people: A table for two, please. Then ask Can I see the menu, please? The waiter asks Are you ready to order? If you need more time, say Not yet, thanks. Just a minute. If you don't know what to choose, ask What do you recommend?
To order, use I'd like the chicken soup, please or I'll have the pasta. For a drink, ask Can I have a coffee, please? Ask about the food with What comes with it? or Does it have any nuts? If you don't eat meat, say I'm vegetarian. Is there any meat in it?
During the meal, the waiter says Enjoy your meal! and you answer Thank you, you too. You can ask for more with Can we have some more bread? When you want to pay, say Can I have the bill, please? Ask Is service included? and Can we pay separately? if you need to.
Here is a short model dialogue. Waiter: Are you ready to order? Customer: Yes. I'd like the chicken soup, please. Waiter: And to drink? Customer: Can I have some water, please? Waiter: Of course. Enjoy your meal! Customer: Thank you. Later: Can I have the bill, please? Everything was great, thanks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between I'd like and I'll have?
Both are polite ways to order. I'd like the soup, please is a little more formal. I'll have the pasta is natural and common in restaurants. You can use either one.
Do I say bill or check?
Both are correct. People say the bill in British English and the check in American English. The question is the same: Can I have the bill, please?
What does service included mean?
Service is the money for the waiter. If service is included, the price already has it. If not, many people add a tip. The rules are different in each country, so ask: Is service included?
How can I say I don't eat meat?
Say I'm vegetarian. Is there any meat in it? You can also ask Does it have any nuts? when you can't eat a food. The waiter can then help you choose.
Answer key
1. A table for two, please.
Answer: You arrive at a restaurant with a friend.
We ask for a table for two when two people arrive.
2. What do you recommend?
Answer: You don't know the best dish.
A waiter can say which dish is good when you ask what do you recommend?
3. Does it have any nuts?
Answer: You can't eat nuts.
We ask about nuts when we are allergic or we don't eat them.
4. Enjoy your meal!
Answer: The waiter brings your food.
The waiter says enjoy your meal! as a kind wish.
5. Sorry, this isn't what I ordered.
Answer: The waiter brings the wrong dish.
Use this when the dish is not the dish you asked for.
6. Can we pay separately?
Answer: Each friend pays for their own food.
Separately means each person pays alone.
7. You arrive at a restaurant with three friends. What do you say?
Answer: A table for four, please.
You and three friends are four people. The other two phrases are for the end of the meal, or what the waiter says.
8. “Are you ready to order?” “___” (You need more time.)
Answer: Not yet, thanks. Just a minute.
Not yet means you are not ready. The other answers don't fit the question.
9. You want a coffee. What do you say?
Answer: Can I have a coffee, please?
Can I have…, please? is a polite way to order. Does it have any…? asks about the ingredients of a dish.
10. “Enjoy your meal!” “___”
Answer: Thank you, you too.
We answer a good wish with thank you, you too.
11. You want to pay. What do you ask the waiter?
Answer: Can I have the bill, please?
The bill is the paper with the price. We ask for it at the end of the meal.
12. You want to know if the tip is in the price. What do you ask?
Answer: Is service included?
Service means the money for the waiter. Is service included? asks if you have to pay it extra.
13. “I'm vegetarian. ___ any meat in it?”
Answer: Is there
Meat is uncountable, so we say is there any meat…?
14. “Can I ___ the menu, please?” “Here you are.”
Answer: see
The phrase is can I see the menu? (Can I have the menu? also works.)
15. “I'd ___ the chicken soup, please.”
Answer: like
I'd like is a polite way to say I would like.
16. “Does it have ___ nuts?” “No, it doesn't.”
Answer: any
We use any in questions: does it have any nuts?
17. “Excuse me, can we have some ___ bread?”
Answer: more
Some more bread means a second amount of bread.
18. “Can I have the ___, please?” (You want to pay.)
Answer: bill
The bill is the British word. In American English, people say the check.
19. “It's eighteen dollars.” “Here's twenty. Keep the ___.”
Answer: change
Keep the change means the waiter can keep the extra money.