In this lesson, you will:
• Learn how to place an order politely at a restaurant
• Practice using starters, main courses, desserts, and drinks vocabulary
• Ask and answer questions about food preferences
• Understand and describe the sequence of ordering a meal
Listen to the audio and answer the questions in the quiz below.
At the Restaurant: Placing the Order
Waiter: Are you ready to order?
Mrs. Smith: Yes, I think we are.
Waiter: Very good. Madam, may I start with you? What
would you like for your starter?
Mrs. Smith: I would like the Caesar salad, please.
Waiter: Excellent choice. And for you, sir?
Mr. Smith: I’ll have the tomato soup, please.
Waiter: Perfect. And for your main courses, madam?
Mrs. Smith: I’d like the grilled salmon with roasted
potatoes.
Waiter: Very well. And you, sir?
Mr. Smith: I’ll have the ribeye steak, medium-rare, with
mashed potatoes.
Waiter: Excellent. Would you like anything to drink while
you wait?
Mrs. Smith: Maybe later, thanks!
Mr. Smith: For me, I’ll take a sparkling water.
Waiter: Very good. And would you like to finish with a
dessert today?
Mrs. Smith: I think I’ll have the chocolate mousse.
Mr. Smith: I’ll have the apple pie, please.
Waiter: Wonderful choices. Thank you very much. I’ll be
right back with your order.
✅ Vocabulary
• Menu – the list of food and drinks available at a restaurant
• Starter / appetizer – the first small dish served before the main course
• Main course / entrée – the primary dish in a meal
• Dessert – sweet dish served at the end of a meal
• Drink / beverage – something you drink, like juice, water, or wine
• Order – to ask for food or drink at a restaurant
• Waiter / waitress / server – the person who takes your order and serves food
• Bill / check – the list of items you ordered with the price
• Table – where you sit to eat
• Ribeye steak – a juicy, flavorful cut of beef from the rib section, usually grilled or pan-seared
• Caesar salad – a salad with lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing
• Tomato soup – a warm soup made from tomatoes, sometimes served with bread
• Grilled chicken – chicken cooked on a grill, usually seasoned
• Vegetable risotto – Italian rice dish cooked slowly with vegetables and broth
• Chocolate cake – sweet dessert made with chocolate and flour
• Fruit salad – mix of fresh fruits, sometimes served with syrup or yogurt
• Breadstick – long, thin, baked bread, usually served as an appetizer
• Orange juice – juice extracted from oranges
• Sparkling water – water with bubbles, sometimes called soda water
✅ Useful Sentences / Takeaways
1- Placing an Order Politely
• I would like the ribeye steak, please.
• Can I have a Caesar salad to start?
• I’ll have the chocolate cake for dessert.
• Could we have two glasses of orange juice?
• Could I see the menu, please?
2- Asking About Food
• What’s in the vegetable risotto?
• Is the tomato soup hot or cold?
• How is the grilled chicken cooked?
• Do you have any vegetarian options?
3- Confirming the Order
• So, that’s one ribeye steak, one Caesar salad, and one chocolate cake, right?
• Would you like any drinks with that?
• That will be all for the order?
4- Asking About Payment / Bill
• Could we have the bill, please?
• How much is it in total?
• Can I pay by card?
5- General Restaurant Phrases
• Enjoy your meal!
• Thank you very much!
• The food is delicious.
• Excuse me, could we get some breadsticks?