A meal out follows the same order every time — table, drinks, questions, food, bill. Once you know the sentences for each step, you can eat anywhere without reading the menu twice.
1. Getting a Table
Host: Good evening. How many?
Customer: A table for two, please.
Host: Inside or outside?
Customer: Inside, if you have room.
Host: Right this way.
Customer: Thank you.
2. Ordering Drinks
Server: Can I get you something to drink?
Customer: A glass of water, please.
Server: Still or sparkling?
Customer: Still is fine.
Server: Anything else?
Customer: An iced tea as well.
3. Asking About the Menu
Customer: What do you recommend?
Server: The seafood pasta is very popular.
Customer: Does it come with a salad?
Server: It does.
Customer: Then I'll try that.
Server: Good choice.
4. Ordering the Main Course
Server: Are you ready to order?
Customer: The grilled chicken, please.
Server: Rice or potatoes?
Customer: Rice, please.
Server: Anything else?
Customer: That's all for now.
5. Asking About Ingredients
Customer: Does this soup have any dairy in it?
Server: It has cream, yes.
Customer: I can't eat dairy. Is there another one?
Server: The vegetable soup has none.
Customer: I'll have that instead.
Server: Of course.
6. A Special Request
Customer: Could I have the salad without onions?
Server: No onions. Anything else?
Customer: The dressing on the side, if that's possible.
Server: That's fine.
Customer: Thank you.
Server: You're welcome.
7. When Something Is Wrong
Customer: Excuse me. I ordered the chicken.
Server: I'm sorry. This is the fish.
Customer: Could you check for me?
Server: I'll bring the right one straight away.
Customer: Thank you.
Server: Sorry about that.
8. Asking for the Bill
Customer: Could we have the bill, please?
Server: I'll bring it right over.
Customer: Can we pay separately?
Server: No problem.
Customer: And can we pay by card?
Server: Of course.
Words to know
| still or sparkling | water without bubbles, or with bubbles Still or sparkling? Still is fine. |
| recommend | to say which dish is good and worth choosing What do you recommend? |
| come with | to be served together with something Does it come with a salad? |
| dairy | milk, cheese, cream and butter Does this soup have any dairy in it? |
| on the side | served separately, not poured over the food The dressing on the side. |
| straight away | immediately, with no delay I'll bring the right one straight away. |
| the bill | the paper showing what you have to pay Could we have the bill, please? |
| pay separately | each person pays for their own food Can we pay separately? |
Quick practice
Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.
1. A: A glass of water, please.
B: Still or ________?
2. A: What do you ________?
B: The seafood pasta is very popular.
3. A: Does it ________ with a salad?
B: It does.
4. A: Could I have the salad ________ onions?
B: No onions. Anything else?
5. A: Excuse me. I ________ the chicken.
B: I'm sorry. This is the fish.
6. A: Could we have the ________, please?
B: I'll bring it right over.
Show the answers
1. sparkling 2. recommend 3. come 4. without 5. ordered 6. bill
Common mistakes
Not: I am vegetarian. I don't eat the meat.
Say: I'm vegetarian. I don't eat meat.
Foods in general — meat, fish, bread — take no the.
Not: Can I pay with card?
Say: Can I pay by card?
English pays by card, by phone, and in cash.
Not: It was delicious the food.
Say: The food was delicious.
In English the subject comes first and stays there.
Your turn
Imagine you are eating out tonight with one friend. Say these five things aloud, one after another.
- Ask for a table and say where you would like to sit.
- Order a drink and ask the server what they recommend.
- Ask whether a dish contains something you cannot eat.
- Make one special request about how your food is served.
- Ask for the bill and ask to pay separately.
Quick review
Order a whole meal out loud without stopping: a drink, a main course, one question about the menu, one special request, and the bill. Do it twice, changing the dish the second time. The words stay the same — only the food changes.