Anna:
Hello
everyone! Welcome back to Everyday English Talk, the podcast where we practice
simple, everyday English together. I’m Anna.
Ben:
And
I’m Ben! We are so happy you are joining us today. Whether you are at home,
commuting to work, or maybe even sitting in a restaurant right
now, this episode is for you.
Anna:
Today,
we are going to talk about a very important topic: how to order food at a restaurant
like a pro.
Ben:
That’s
right. Many English learners feel nervous when they have to speak to a waiter.
But today, we will give you the phrases you need to feel confident.
Anna:
We
will walk you through the whole experience, from arriving to paying the
bill. Don’t forget to download the free PDF transcript and practice
exercises to study later.
Ben:
Let’s
jump into our first situation!
#
Anna:
Ben,
I am really looking forward to our dinner tonight. I heard this new Italian
place is excellent, but it is always very crowded.
Ben:
You
are right, Anna. When a restaurant is popular, the first thing a pro
does is make sure they have a spot. I think I should call them first.
Anna:
Good
idea. In English, we call this booking a table or making a reservation.
If you call them, what exactly do you say?
Ben:
I
usually keep it simple. I say, Hi, I’d like to book a table for two
people for tonight at seven o'clock, please. It is important to say the number
of people and the time clearly.
Anna:
That
is perfect. But sometimes, we just walk into a café or a small restaurant
without calling. When we enter, we usually see a person at the front.
Ben:
Yes,
that is the host. When they see us, I can ask, Hi, do you have a
table for two? If they have space, they will grab two menus
and say, Yes, please follow me.
Anna:
I
like it when they lead us to a nice table by the window. Once we sit down, the waiter
usually comes over quite quickly to say hello.
Ben:
They
might start by asking about drinks. They often say, Can I start you
off with something to drink? or Would you like some water?
Anna:
I
usually like to look at the menu first because I might want a special
juice or a soda. So I tell them, Just some water for now, please. This
gives us a few minutes to look at the food.
Ben:
Reading
a menu
in English can be a bit difficult because there are so many words. I always
look for the main sections. I see Starters at the top.
Anna:
Starters are the small dishes
you eat first, like bread or a small salad. Then there are the Main
Courses, which are the big plates of food like pasta or steak.
Ben:
I am
looking at the pasta section now, but everything looks so good. I am having a
hard time choosing.
Anna:
When
that happens, I don't just guess. I ask the waiter for help. I say,
This is my first time here, what do you recommend?
Ben:
That
is a very smart move. The waiter knows which dishes are the most popular.
They might say, Our lasagna is the best in the city.
Anna:
If
that sounds good, I finally make my decision. When the waiter
comes back with their notepad and asks, Are you ready to order? I am ready.
Ben:
I use
a very polite phrase to tell them my choice. I say, I’d like to have the
lasagna, please. Or I can say, I’ll have the spaghetti.
Anna:
Those
are the best ways to say it. You don't need to say I want. I’d like to
have or I’ll have sounds much more natural and professional.
Ben:
Also,
if I want my drink to be very cold, I make sure to tell them, With lots of
ice, please. Being specific is part of ordering like a pro.
Anna:
Exactly.
Now that we have placed our order, we can relax and wait for the delicious food
to arrive.
Anna:
Ben,
let's look at some of the great expressions we used in this part.
Ben:
I'd
love to!
Anna:
Let’s
start with the phrase "book a table." This means you call the restaurant
to save a seat before you get there. For example: I want to book a table
for my mother’s birthday next Saturday.
Ben:
Our
second one is "follow me." This is what the staff says
when they take you to your seat. For example: Your table is ready near the
window, please follow me.
Anna:
Next
is "what
do you recommend?" You use this to ask the waiter
which dish is the best. For example: I can't decide what to eat, what do you
recommend?
Ben:
Then
we have "a table for [number]." This is the easiest way to tell
the host
how many people are in your group. For example: Hello, we would like a table for
three, please.
Anna:
Finally,
we have "ready to order." This means you have finished
looking at the menu and you know what you want to eat. For example: We
have made our choice, we are ready to order now.
Anna:
When
you go to a restaurant, do you usually know what you want to eat, or do
you ask the waiter for a recommendation?
Ben:
Let
us know in the comments!
#
Anna:
So,
Ben, our order is in, but I forgot to mention something important. I really
don't like spicy food. In fact, spicy peppers make me feel a bit
sick.
Ben:
Oh,
you should definitely tell the waiter that. Even if the menu
doesn't say a dish is spicy, it is better to be safe. You can say, I'm allergic to
spicy peppers, or Is this dish very spicy?
Anna:
That
is a good point. Sometimes I also want to change a dish a
little bit. For example, if I order a salad but I hate onions, I can ask for a
small change.
Ben:
Right.
You can say, Could I have the salad without onions, please? Most restaurants
are happy to do this for you.
Anna:
And
what if I want the dressing but I don't want it all over my
lettuce?
Ben:
A pro
tip for that is to say, Could I have the dressing on the side? This
means they put the sauce in a small bowl next to your salad. Then you can add
as much as you want.
Anna:
I
love that. Now, let’s imagine we are waiting for our food. We are talking and
having a good time, but then we look at the clock. It has been forty minutes!
Ben:
That
is a long time for a lasagna. If the food is very late, you don't have to be
angry, but you should say something. You can catch the waiter’s
attention and say, Excuse me, could you check on our order, please?
Anna:
That
sounds very polite. It asks the waiter to go to the kitchen and see what is
happening. Usually, they will come back and say, It will be ready in two
minutes.
Ben:
When
the food finally arrives, it looks beautiful. The waiter puts the plates
down and asks, Is there anything else I can get for you?
Anna:
I
might need some extra napkins or maybe some more water. I can say, Could I have
some more water, please?
Ben:
The waiter
will bring it and then say, Enjoy your meal! After we start eating, the waiter
often comes back after five minutes. They want to make sure the food tastes
good.
Anna:
They
usually ask, Is everything okay here? I always try to give a nice answer
if I like the food. I say, Yes, it’s delicious, thank you!
Ben:
But
what if the food is cold? A pro knows how to fix this. You can say, I’m sorry,
but my soup is a bit cold. Could you heat it up for me?
Anna:
Most waiters
will say, Oh, I am so sorry, let me take that back to the kitchen for you. It
is okay to ask for what you need.
Ben:
I
agree. Another thing I often ask for is a side dish. If my main
course is just meat, I might want some vegetables too.
Anna:
You
can say, I’d
like a side of roasted vegetables with that. It makes the meal much
better.
Ben:
Now
that we have everything we need, we can finally enjoy our dinner.
Anna:
It’s
time to talk about some more useful phrases from our conversation.
Ben:
Let’s
do it.
Anna:
The
first one is "allergic to." You use this when a certain
food makes you sick. For example: I am allergic to seafood, so I cannot
eat shrimp or crab.
Ben:
Our
second phrase is "without [something]." This is how you ask
the kitchen to leave an ingredient out. For example: I’ll take a cheeseburger without
pickles, please.
Anna:
Third,
we have "check on our order." This is a polite way to ask why
your food is taking a long time. For example: Excuse me, we have been waiting
for a while, could you check on our order?
Ben:
Next
is "is
everything okay?" This is what the waiter asks to make
sure you are happy with your food. For example: The waiter came to our
table and asked if everything was okay.
Anna:
Finally,
we have "on the side." This means you want your sauce or dressing
in a separate small dish. For example: I like my fries, but I want the ketchup on the side.
Anna:
Have
you ever had to send food back to the kitchen because it was
cold or incorrect?
Ben:
Tell
us about your experience in the comments.
#
Anna:
That
was such a big meal, Ben. I am so full I can barely move! But the waiter
is coming back to our table again.
Ben:
I
know what they are going to ask. They usually have a big smile and say, Would you like
to see the dessert menu? or Would you like some coffee?
Anna:
Even
though I am full, it is hard to say no to dessert. I usually ask,
What
do you have for dessert?
Ben:
They
might have chocolate cake, fruit, or ice cream. I usually just go for a coffee.
I like a nice warm drink after I eat.
Anna:
Once
we finish our coffee, the evening is coming to an end. Now comes the
part that many people find a bit confusing: getting the bill.
Ben:
In
the United States, people often call it the check. In the UK, we say the bill.
Both are perfectly fine to use.
Anna:
To get the bill,
you don't need to stand up or shout. You can just catch the waiter’s
eye and say, Could we have the bill, please?
Ben:
When
the bill
arrives, we have to decide how we want to pay. Sometimes, I go out with a large
group of friends and we all want to pay for our own food.
Anna:
In
that case, we can tell the waiter, Can we pay separately? or We would
like to split the bill, please. This means the waiter
will give everyone their own small bill.
Ben:
But
since today is a special dinner for us, I want to pay for everything. I can say
to you, Anna, don't worry about it, it’s my treat!
Anna:
Oh,
thank you, Ben! That is so kind. I will get the bill next time we go
out.
Ben:
Another
thing to remember is the tip. In many countries, it is polite to
leave some extra money for the waiter if they did a good job.
Anna:
That’s
true. If the bill is twenty-eight dollars and I give the waiter
thirty dollars, I can say, Keep the change. This means they can keep the
two dollars as a tip.
Ben:
Saying
keep
the change makes you sound like a real pro. It shows you are happy
and you are being generous.
Anna:
Before
we stand up to leave, I always like to say a quick thank you to the staff. I
say, The food was wonderful, thank you so much.
Ben:
It is
a small thing, but it makes the staff feel good. They worked hard to make our
dinner nice.
Anna:
I
agree. Ordering
like a pro is not just about the words you use, it is about being
polite and confident.
Ben:
I
feel much more confident now. I think I’m ready to go to a real Italian restaurant
and use all these phrases.
Anna:
Let’s
review the final set of phrases for this episode.
Ben:
Great
idea.
Anna:
First
is "the
bill" or "the check." This is the paper that tells
you how much money you owe. For example: We are finished eating, so I will ask
the waiter
for the
bill.
Ben:
Second
is "split
the bill." This is when a group of friends divides the total
cost. For example: The meal was expensive, so we decided to split the bill
equally.
Anna:
Third
is "it’s
my treat." You say this when you want to pay for someone else’s
meal. For example: Happy birthday! Put your wallet away, it’s my treat
today.
Ben:
Fourth
is "keep
the change." You say this when you want the waiter
to have the remaining money as a tip. For example: The coffee
was four dollars and I gave him five. I said, keep the change!
Anna:
Finally,
we have "for dessert." This refers to the sweet food you eat at
the end of a meal. For example: I am saving some room in my stomach for
dessert because I love chocolate.
Anna:
When
you go out to dinner, do you prefer to split the bill or do you like to take
turns paying for the whole meal?
Ben:
We
would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
#
Anna:
Now
it’s your turn to practice! We want you to use what you learned today.
Ben:
That’s
right. Let’s start with a Listening challenge. Go back and listen to the
conversation again. Can you find the phrases “what do you recommend”
and “keep
the change”? Try to hear exactly how we pronounce them.
Anna:
Next
is your Speaking challenge. Stand in front of a mirror and imagine you are in a
restaurant.
Say these three sentences out loud with confidence:
Anna:
First.
I’d
like to book a table for two at eight o’clock, please.
Anna:
Second.
Could
I have the sauce on the side?
Anna:
Third.
We
would like to split the bill, please.
Ben:
Finally,
a Writing challenge. Write three sentences in the comments section. Tell us
about a time you went to a restaurant. What did you order and did you enjoy
the meal? Try to use at least one new phrase from today.
Anna:
Remember,
practicing a little bit every day is the best way to improve your English.
Ben:
You
are doing a great job. Just keep going, one step at a time!
#
Anna:
Let’s
do a quick recap of what we covered today. We followed the whole process of
eating out, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.
Ben:
Here
are the six most important phrases from today’s episode to keep in your mind:
Anna:
First.
Book a
table – to reserve a spot before you arrive.
Ben:
Second.
What
do you recommend? – to ask the waiter for their
favorite dish.
Anna:
Third.
I’d
like to have... – a polite and natural way to order your food.
Ben:
Fourth.
On the
side – to ask for sauce or dressing in a separate bowl.
Anna:
Fifth.
Split
the bill – to share the cost of the meal with your friends.
Ben:
Sixth.
Keep
the change – to leave a small tip and stay
professional.
Anna:
Learning
English is a journey, and being able to order food is a huge milestone. Be
patient with yourself and keep practicing these phrases.
Ben:
The
more you use them, the more they will become a natural part of your vocabulary.
You can do it!
#
Ben:
Thanks
for listening to Everyday English Talk! We hope you feel like a pro now.
Anna:
We
really enjoyed sharing these tips with you. We hope you can use them very soon
at your favorite restaurant.
Ben:
Don’t
forget to download the free PDF transcript and vocabulary exercises. It has
everything we talked about today to help you study.
Anna:
Tell
us in the comments - what is the one food you always order when you go out? We
love reading your answers!
Ben:
Thank
you for being with us today.
Anna:
Bye
for now!
