This document provides useful language for dining out at restaurants. It covers common parts of menus, how to make and confirm reservations, requesting seating and ordering a meal. Sample dialog for the waiter and guest is given for arriving, ordering, during the meal, problems that may arise, and paying the bill. Key areas covered include starters, main courses, drinks, booking and confirming tables, and requesting additional items or changes to orders.

1. Eating Out
USEFUL LANGUAGE IN
RESTAURANTS

2. Parts of a menu
• Starters/Appetizers/Entrees/Hors
D'oeuvres
• Soups
• Main Courses (Meat/Fish/Vegetarian)
• Desserts
• Beverages (Coffee etc.)
• Wine/Drinks List (sometimes on a
separate menu)

3. Booking a table
WAITER
• do you have a reservation?
• for how many people?
• when for?
• for what time?
GUEST
• I'd like to make a reservation
• I'd like to book a table for two at 8 in the name of
Hand, please.

4. Arriving at the restaurant
• I've got a reservation
• Good evening, the name is Hand. I have a table
booked for six.
• do you have any free tables?
• A table for (two/three/four…), please
• Could we have a table by the window, please?
• We haven’t booked a table. Can you fit us in?
• Do you have the menu in
English/German/French ..., please?
• Do you have a high chair for young children, please?
• Could we have an extra chair, please?

5. Ordering the meal
WAITER
• can I get you any drinks?
• are you ready to order?
• I'm sorry, we're out of that
• how would you like your steak?
• is that all?
• would you like anything else?
• how long will it take? it'll take about twenty
minutes

6. Ordering the meal
GUEST
• We’re not ready to order yet. Could you give us a few
more minutes, please?
• We’re ready to order now
• could I see the menu, please?
• could I see the wine list, please?
• do you have any specials?
• what do you recommend?
• what's this dish?
• I'll have the ...
• I'll take this
• for my starter I'll have the soup, and for my main course
the steak
• Steak: rare, medium-rare, medium, well done
• we're in a hurry, how long will it take?it'll take about
twenty minutes

7. During the meal
WAITER
• enjoy your meal!
• bon appétit!
• would you like to taste the wine?
• would you like any coffee or dessert?
• was everything alright? thanks, that was delicious
GUEST
• excuse me!
• could we have ...? (another bottle of wine, some more bread,
some more milk, a jug of tap water, some water, still or
sparkling?)
• do you have any desserts?
• could I see the dessert menu?
• was everything alright? thanks, that was delicious

8. Problems
• this isn't what I ordered
• this food's cold
• Could you heat this up a bit more for me, please?
• this is too salty
• this doesn't taste right
• we've been waiting a long time
• will our food be long?
• I'm sorry but I ordered the side salad not the
vegetables.
• Excuse me this steak is over done, I ordered rare.

9. Paying the bill
• the bill, please
• could we have the bill, please?
• can I pay by card?
• do you take credit cards?
• is service included?
• can we pay separately?
• We’d like separate bills, please
• I'll get this
• This is on me
• let's split it
• let's share the bill
• Could you check the bill for me, please? It doesn’t seem right
• I think you may have made a mistake with the bill
• Keep the change

10. Things you might see
• Please wait to be seated
• Reserved
• Service included
• Service not included