A2 · Elementary · Food and drink
Order at a restaurant
4 short A2 English scripts to practise how to order at a restaurant. Read one out loud, record yourself, listen back and try again.
Key phrase Could we have the bill, please? (American English: Could we get the check, please?)
Dinner before the train
Excuse me! Are you our waiter? Great. I think we're ready to order. Sorry, we were talking so much that we forgot to look at the menu!
For a starter, can we have the garlic bread? Then for my main course, I'd like the chicken burger with chips, and my friend would like the mushroom risotto. Oh, and a big bottle of sparkling water for the table, please.
We'll look at the dessert menu later. Actually, my friend says she already knows: chocolate cake! And when you have a moment, could we have the bill at the end? We need to catch a train at ten. Thank you!
American English
Excuse me! Are you our waiter? Great. I think we're ready to order. Sorry, we were talking so much that we forgot to look at the menu!
As an appetizer, can we get the garlic bread? Then for my main course, I'd like the chicken burger with fries, and my friend would like the mushroom risotto. Oh, and a big bottle of sparkling water for the table, please.
We'll look at the dessert menu later. Actually, my friend says she already knows: chocolate cake! And when you have a moment, could we get the check at the end? We need to catch a train at ten. Thank you!
The bill moment
Sorry, quick question before we order. What do you recommend? Is the curry very spicy? I love spicy food, but my friend doesn't. Last time she cried at a Thai restaurant.
OK, we'll share the curry and the noodles, and have two plates of rice. Oh, and could we have some water for the table? For my friend, just in case!
That was delicious, thank you! Can we split the bill four ways? Two of us are paying by card and two in cash. And is service included, or do we leave a tip? Included? Perfect. Thanks so much. Everything was great, and we'll definitely come back.
American English
Sorry, quick question before we order. What do you recommend? Is the curry really spicy? I love spicy food, but my friend doesn't. Last time she cried at a Thai restaurant.
OK, we'll share the curry and the noodles, and get two plates of rice. Oh, and could we have some water for the table? For my friend, just in case!
That was delicious, thank you! Can we split the check four ways? Two of us are paying with cards and two in cash. And do we add the tip on the card machine? What's normal here, eighteen or twenty percent? Thanks so much. Everything was great.
Dinner with his parents
Hello, we're ready to order, thank you. For a starter, I'd like the soup, and my boyfriend would like the salad. His parents will have the mushrooms, because they love them.
Can you recommend a main course? Is the lamb spicy? No? Perfect. I'm meeting his parents for the first time, and I can't eat spicy food in front of them. My face goes red like a tomato!
And for dessert, could we share one chocolate cake? Four spoons, please. Oh, and if his mum asks, I only had salad. Thank you, you're the best waiter in the world!
American English
Hi, we're ready to order, thank you. For an appetizer, I'll have the soup, and my boyfriend will have the salad. His parents are getting the mushrooms, because they love them.
Can you recommend an entrée? Is the lamb spicy? No? Perfect. I'm meeting his parents for the first time, and I can't eat spicy food in front of them. My face turns red like a tomato!
And for dessert, can we share one chocolate cake? Four forks, please. Oh, and if his mom asks, I only had salad. Thank you, you're the best waiter in the world!
Three friends, one calculator
Right, who's got a calculator? The waiter just brought the bill, and it's ninety-six pounds. There are three of us, so that's thirty-two each. Easy.
But wait. Tom had two desserts and three coffees, and I only had water. Fine, fine, let's split it equally. It's more fun. Sara, have you got your card? Oh, you forgot your wallet. Again!
OK, I'll pay for you this time, but you're paying next week. And don't forget the tip. Ten percent is enough, I think. The waiter was great. He laughed at all of Tom's jokes, so he deserves twenty!
American English
Okay, who has a calculator? The waiter just brought the check, and it's ninety-six dollars. There are three of us, so that's thirty-two each. Easy.
But wait. Tom had two desserts and three coffees, and I only had water. Fine, fine, let's split it equally. It's more fun. Sara, do you have your card? Oh, you forgot your wallet. Again!
OK, I'll pay for you this time, but you're paying next week. And don't forget the tip. Twenty percent is normal here, I think. The waiter was great. He laughed at all of Tom's jokes, so he deserves twenty-five!
Key words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| starter / appetizer (US) noun | a small dish before the main meal |
| main course noun | the biggest part of a meal |
| dessert noun | sweet food at the end of a meal |
| bill / check (US) noun | the paper that shows how much to pay in a restaurant |
| waiter noun | a person who brings food in a restaurant |