Ordering food at a restaurant in English
Learn how to book a table, order food, ask about the menu, solve problems, pay the bill and tip in English, with a full restaurant dialogue.
In this lesson
To order food at a restaurant in English, use polite phrases such as “Could I have the chicken curry, please?” or “I’d like the fish, please.” You will also need phrases for booking a table, asking about the menu, explaining a problem and asking for the bill. This lesson covers each step, with a full dialogue.
Key point
Make every request polite: use Could I have …?, I’d like … or I’ll have …, and add please. Say thank you when the food arrives.
How do you book a table?
When you book by phone, say how many people are coming, the day, the time and your name.
Examples
- Restaurant: “Good afternoon. How can I help you?”
- You: “Hello. I’d like to book a table for four, please, for Saturday evening.”
- Restaurant: “Certainly. What time would you like?”
- You: “At 7.30, if possible.”
- Restaurant: “That’s fine. Can I take your name, please?”
- You: “Yes, it’s Perera. P, E, R, E, R, A.”
- Restaurant: “Thank you, Mr Perera. A table for four at 7.30 on Saturday. See you then.”
Tip
If your name is not common in English, spell it slowly. It saves time when you arrive.
What do you say when you arrive?
Greet the staff and say if you have a booking. A greeting such as Good evening is always a polite start.
Examples
- “Good evening. We have a reservation for four. The name is Perera.”
- “Hi. Do you have a table for two?” (when you have not booked)
- “Could we sit by the window, please?”
- Waiter: “Follow me, please. Here are your menus.”
How do you ask about the menu?
It is normal to ask questions before you order, especially about spicy food, meat and allergies. Most of these are Wh- questions or yes/no questions.
Examples
- “What do you recommend?”
- “What’s in the seafood kottu?”
- “Is this dish spicy?”
- “Do you have any vegetarian dishes?”
- “Does this contain nuts? I’m allergic to nuts.”
These words appear on most menus. To learn the names of ingredients, see our lists of vegetable names and fruit names in English.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| starter | a small dish you eat before the main meal (US: appetizer) |
| main course | the biggest part of the meal |
| side dish | a small dish served with the main course, such as rice or salad |
| dessert | something sweet at the end of the meal (UK also: pudding) |
| soft drink | a cold drink with no alcohol, such as lemonade |
| vegetarian | with no meat or fish |
How do you order food and drinks?
The waiter usually asks a few questions. Here are the most common ones and natural ways to answer.
| The waiter says | You can answer |
|---|---|
| Are you ready to order? | Yes, I’d like the fish curry, please. / Not yet. Could we have a few more minutes? |
| What would you like to drink? | A fresh lime juice, please. |
| Would you like rice or roti with that? | Rice, please. |
| Anything else? | No, that’s all, thank you. |
| How is everything? | It’s delicious, thank you. |
I’ll have is a very common way to order. It uses will for a decision you make at the moment of speaking, which you can learn more about in our lesson on the simple future tense.
Common mistake
Give me a coffee. → Could I have a coffee, please?
In English, Give me sounds rude in a restaurant, even with please. Ask a question instead.
What do you say if there is a problem?
Start with Excuse me, say what the problem is and ask for help. Words like a bit make a complaint sound softer.
Examples
- “Excuse me, I ordered the vegetable rice, but this is chicken rice.”
- “Sorry, this soup is a bit cold. Could you warm it up, please?”
- “Excuse me, we ordered about forty minutes ago. Is our food coming soon?”
- “Could I have a clean spoon, please?”
How do you ask for the bill and pay?
At the end of the meal, catch the waiter’s eye or raise your hand a little, then ask politely.
Examples
- “Could we have the bill, please?”
- “Can I pay by card?”
- “Is service included?”
- “Can we pay separately?”
- “Keep the change.”
Note
In British English, you ask for the bill. In American English, you ask for the check.
Do you need to leave a tip?
A tip is extra money that you give to the staff for good service. Tipping customs are very different from country to country.
| Country | What people usually do |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Many restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. An extra tip for good service is welcome but not expected. |
| United Kingdom | Many restaurants add a service charge, often 12.5%. If there is no service charge, people often leave 10 to 15 per cent. |
| United States | Tipping is expected. People usually leave 15 to 20 per cent of the bill in restaurants with table service. |
| Australia | Tipping is not expected, but some people leave about 10% for very good service. |
| France | Service is included in the price. People often leave a little small change for good service. |
| Japan | Tipping is not usual, and staff may politely refuse a tip. |
Note
Customs change, and every restaurant is different. Before you add a tip, check the menu or the bill for the words service charge or service included.
A full restaurant dialogue
Maya and Ken have booked a table for dinner. Read the dialogue and notice the polite phrases.
Examples
- Waiter: “Good evening. Do you have a reservation?”
- Maya: “Yes, a table for two. The name is Fernando.”
- Waiter: “This way, please. Here are your menus. Can I get you something to drink?”
- Maya: “A fresh lime juice, please.”
- Ken: “And a ginger beer for me, please.”
- Waiter (a few minutes later): “Are you ready to order?”
- Maya: “Yes. What do you recommend?”
- Waiter: “The seafood kottu is very popular.”
- Maya: “Is it spicy?”
- Waiter: “A little, but we can make it mild if you like.”
- Maya: “Great. I’ll have the seafood kottu, mild, please.”
- Ken: “Could I have the vegetable curry with rice, please? I’m vegetarian.”
- Waiter: “Of course. Anything else?”
- Ken: “No, that’s all, thank you.”
- Waiter (later): “How is everything?”
- Maya: “It’s delicious, thank you. Could we have some more water, please?”
- Ken (at the end of the meal): “Excuse me, could we have the bill, please?”
- Waiter: “Certainly. Here you are.”
- Maya: “Is service included?”
- Waiter: “Yes, there’s a 10% service charge on the bill.”
- Ken: “Can I pay by card?”
- Waiter: “Of course.”
Before you go out, you can also practise listening with the British Council LearnEnglish lesson on ordering in a café. If you are meeting new people at the meal, our lesson on introducing yourself in English will help.
Practice: at the restaurant
Check what you have learnt. Match the waiter’s questions with answers, put a conversation in order and choose the most polite phrases.
Summary
- Book a table with I’d like to book a table for …, and give the day, the time and your name.
- Order politely with Could I have …?, I’d like … or I’ll have …, and add please.
- Ask questions about the menu, and always mention an allergy.
- If there is a problem, start with Excuse me and stay polite.
- Ask for the bill (UK) or the check (US), and look for a service charge before you tip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most polite way to order food in English?
Could I have …, please? is polite in any restaurant. I’d like … and I’ll have … are also polite and very common.
What is the difference between “the bill” and “the check”?
They mean the same thing: the paper that shows how much you have to pay. The bill is British English, and the check is American English.
Do I have to leave a tip?
It depends on the country. In the United States, a tip is expected, but in Japan it is not usual. In Sri Lanka and the UK, check the bill first, because a service charge is often included.
How do I say I am vegetarian or have an allergy?
Say it before you order: “I’m vegetarian. Does this have any meat or fish in it?” or “I’m allergic to peanuts. Is this dish safe for me?”
Practise this lesson
11 questions
