Everyday Dialogues

Ordering at a
Restaurant
In this lesson, you will learn how to order food at a
restaurant. You’ll also learn vocabulary for main
courses and sides that you will find on a typical menu
in an English-speaking country. You may get hungry!

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What type of restaurants do you like to eat at?

2. Do you prefer to eat salad or cooked vegetables?
3. What type of dessert do you
like to order at a restaurant?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. order (verb) a) a salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, bacon, and an egg dressing
2. take your time b) a thick slice of beef
3. steak c) to tell a server what you want to eat or drink
4. potato d) a starchy vegetable with a peel (may be baked, mashed, boiled, or fried)
rice e) beaten into a smooth mixture
5.
mashed f) don’t rush, do something as slowly as necessary
6.
Caesar salad g) a bun, a round piece of baked bread
7.
house salad h) a chilled, creamy dessert made with whipped cream and egg
8.
roll i) fork, knife, spoon
9. j) a starchy small cereal grain that is boiled
mousse
10. k) a basic salad with greens and fresh vegetables,
cutlery
11. usually served with an oil and vinegar dressing

1
Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns being
each character. Practice your intonation and pronunciation. Circle
any new words or phrases that you need to practice.

Waiter: Good evening. Can I take your order?

Customer: Could you give me a few more minutes?

Certainly. Take your time.

Waiter: (a few minutes later)
Are you ready to order now?

Customer: Yes. I’d like an eight-ounce steak, please.

Waiter: Would you like potatoes or rice with your steak?

Customer: What kind of potatoes do you have?

Waiter: We have baked, mashed, or French fries.

Customer: I’ll have French fries, please.

Waiter: And how would you like your steak done?

Customer: Medium-rare, please.

Waiter: Would you like anything to start?

Customer: I’ll have a salad, please.

Waiter: We have Greek, Italian, and Caesar salad, as well as a house salad.

Customer: I’ll have the house salad with oil and vinegar dressing.

Waiter: Would you like a beverage?

Customer: I’ll have a large Diet Coke.

Waiter: And would you like anything for dessert?

Customer: What do you suggest?

Waiter: The apple pie is my favorite.

Customer: Okay. I’ll try that.

Waiter: I’ll put your order in and be right back with some hot rolls and butter.

Customer: Thank you.

2
Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. Can I take your order? 6. And how would you 11. Would you like a beverage?
like your steak done?
• Would you like • Would you like
to order now? • How would you like anything to drink?
• Are you ready to order now? your steak cooked? • Will there be
• Have you had time to look • How do you prefer anything to drink?
at the menu yet? your steak?
12. I’ll have a large Diet Coke.
2. Could you give me 7. Medium-rare, please.
• I’ll have a cup of coffee.
a few more minutes?
• rare • Just water, please.
• Can I have a few more • medium
minutes, please? • medium-well 13. What do you suggest?
• I’d like a few more minutes. • well-done
• What do you recommend?
• I’m not quite ready. I need • What’s good?
a few more minutes. 8. Would you like
• Any suggestions?
anything to start?
3. Certainly. Take your time. • Would you like anything 14. The apple pie is my favorite.
to begin with?
• Of course. No rush. • The chocolate
• Would you like an appetizer?
• Sure. I’ll come back mousse is delicious.
in a few minutes. • How about a soup
or salad to start? • The lemon cheesecake
is wonderful.
4. I’d like an eight-ounce
9. We have a Greek, • The strawberry
steak, please. tart is fantastic.
Italian, and Caesar salad,
• I’ll have a 12-ounce as well as a house salad.
15. I’ll try that.
steak, please. • in addition to
• Can I please have • I’d like that.
the rack of lamb? 10. I’ll have the house salad • I’ll order that.
• Can I have the pork roast? with oil and vinegar dressing. • I’ll take that.
• I’d like the roast beef, please.
• Could I have the fried chicken? • with Thousand 16...... be right back with
• Can I have the grilled Island dressing some hot rolls and butter.
salmon, please? • with Italian dressing
• with French dressing • be back in a
• with blue cheese dressing minute with your water.
5. I’ll have French fries, please.
• be back right away with
• I’d like fries with that. your cutlery and napkins.
• I’ll get the fries.

3
Listening Practice
Two student volunteers will go to the front of the class and read the dialogue
from page 2. Fill in the missing words as you listen. Listen again with two new
speakers. Now look back at page 2 and check your work. Did you fill in the
correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Waiter: Good evening. Can I take your order?

Customer: Could you give me a few more minutes?

. Take your time.

Waiter: (a few minutes later)

Are you ready to order now?

Customer: Yes. I’d like an eight-ounce , please.

Waiter: Would you like potatoes or with your steak?

Customer: What kind of potatoes do you have?

Waiter: We have baked, , or French fries.

Customer: I’ll have French fries, please.

Waiter: And how would you like your steak ?

Customer: Medium-rare, please.

Waiter: Would you like anything to start?

Customer: I’ll have a salad, please.

Waiter: We have Greek, Italian, and salad, as well as a house salad.

Customer: I’ll have the house salad with oil and vinegar dressing.

Waiter: Would you like a ?

Customer: I’ll have a large Diet Coke.

Waiter: And would you like anything for dessert?

Customer: What do you ?

Waiter: The apple pie is my favorite.

Customer: Okay. I’ll try that.

Waiter: I’ll put your order in and be right back with some hot and butter.

Customer: Thank you.

4
Vocabulary Building
Work with your partner. Fill in the chart below
with as many food items as you can think of.

Appetizer Entrée
(First Course) (Main Course) Side Dish Dessert Beverage

salad steak French fries pie Coke

5
Write Your Own Dialogue
Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3. One of
you will be a waiter and one of you will be a customer. Practice
and present the dialogue to your class.

6
A RESTAURANT DIALOGUE

– without reservation (2 people) Waiter :

Good evening sir, can I help you ?
Customer : Yes, Have you got a free table ?
Waiter : Yes, certainly sir, where would you like to sit ?
Customer : near the window ?
Waiter : Yes, certainly sir. follow me, this way please.
Customer : Can I have the menu please ?
Waiter : Yes, here you are sir. (wait for the guest to choose)
Waiter : Are you ready to order ?
Customer : Yes. Can I have Chicken carbonara pasta please?
Waiter : Yes of course. What would you like to drink?
Customer : Can I have a glass of white wine please?
Waiter : Yes of course. Can I recommend a nice French wine to you?
Customer: Will it match the food?
Waiter: Yes, it is a pleasant white wine that will match your sauce. Anything else?
Customer : No that’s all thank you.
Waiter : So you would like the Chicken carbonara pasta with white wine. I will bring the wine now and the food
will come soon. ( When the waiter brings the wine… a little time later he brings the food )
Waiter : Here we are sir. Your Chicken carbonara pasta, I hope you enjoy your meal sir. ( After eating the meal )
Customer : Waiter, can you come here please ?
Waiter : Yes, can I help you ?
Customer : Can I have the bill ?
Waiter : Yes, certainly sir. Just a moment. Here you are.
Customer : Can I pay by credit card ? Waiter : Yes of course. I hope you will come again.
Customer : Thank you so much. G