Ordering at a Restaurant

Practice ordering food, asking about the menu, and handling the bill with confidence.

Dialogue Sample

A: Good evening! Are you ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes?

B: I think I'm ready. I'll have the grilled salmon, please.

A: Excellent choice! Would you like anything to drink with that?

B: Could I get a sparkling water, please? And actually — does the salmon come with vegetables?

A: Yes, it comes with seasonal vegetables and rice. Would you like any substitutions?

B: No, that sounds perfect. Thank you!

Natural Phrases to Know

When ordering

I'll have the... I'd like the..., please. Could I get...? I'll go with the... What do you recommend? I'm not sure yet — what's popular here?

Asking about the menu

What comes with that? Is this dish spicy? Does this contain nuts/dairy/gluten? Could you explain what [dish] is? How is this prepared?

Making special requests

Could I have it without...? Is it possible to substitute...? I'm allergic to... — is that in this dish? Could I have the sauce on the side? Could I make a small change to the order?

At the end of the meal

Could we have the bill, please? We'd like to split the bill. I'll pay by card. Everything was wonderful, thank you! Keep the change!

Your Turn — Fill in the Blanks

You are Speaker B (the customer). Read A's lines and type what you would say.

A: Hi there, welcome! Can I take your order?

A: Great choice! And to drink?

A: Of course! Anything else I can get for you?

A: Here's your bill whenever you're ready!