RESTAURANT ENGLISH

Going out to eat is a great way to practise your English in a foreign country. You’ll learn many new words and expressions. If you can’t pronounce something on the menu, point and ask “How do I say this?” Most servers are used to dealing with English learners.

Questions your server may ask:

Do you have a reservation? (Did you call ahead of time?)

How many? (How many seats do you need?)

Table for two?

Are you ready to order?

Do you need some more time?

Can I start you off with a drink?

Would you like to hear the specials?

What can I get for you? (Place your order.)

What would you like with that? (Choose your side dish)

Would you like an appetizer to start?

How is everything? (Does it taste good?)

Can I get you anything else? (Are you ready for the bill?)

Did you enjoy everything?

Did you save room for dessert? (Would you like dessert?)

Questions you may need to ask:

May I see the menu/dessert menu/wine list?

What do you recommend?

Is it spicy?

Is it enough to share?

Can I have it without…(butter)?

Can I substitute the …(chicken) for … (beef)?

Can I get this to-go?

Can we get the bill, please?

Can I have a refill, please?

Showing Gratitude:

Thank you it was delicious.

I really enjoyed it.

I’m full, thank you.

Thank you for the recommendation.

We’ll come again.

I’m afraid I didn’t save any room for dessert.

Concerns and complaints:
To get a server’s attention, make eye contact with him or her. Say “excuse me” when she is nearby (wait until she is finished talking with other guests). Smile and explain your problem or concern. Here are some concerns you may have:

We’ve been waiting quite a while.

Would you mind heating this up?

This isn’t what I ordered.

This tastes a bit off. (It doesn’t taste right.)

You gave us the wrong bill.

Words that mean the same thing in a restaurant:

server/waiter (male)/waitress (female)

the bill/the receipt/the check

appetizer/starter

entree/main event/dinner

to-go/take-out/doggie-bag/leftovers

hot/spicy

beverage/drink

right this way/follow me/your table is ready

*Don’t Forget to Tip

In many English speaking countries it is polite to pay more than the cost of the bill. This extra money is called a tip. A tip is a gift for good service. Find out who (and how much) you should tip before you travel. (taxi driver, server, hair dresser…) If you don’t tip (in some countries), your server may think you were unhappy with the service.

Vocabulary

Note: Many English words and expressions about food come directly from French. This is why some words about food are written with an accent (for example: à la carte). However, you may also see such words written without accent.

Click in this link to download the vocabulary.

Understanding the Menu

If you are going to be working in a restaurant, it is important that you understand the menu. Different menus use different words to mean the same thing. They also use certain words to make food sound more delicious. It isn't just the server who should know the menu. Hosts, bartenders, and bussers may also get asked questions about the menu from the guests. Cooks have to know the menu inside-out as well. After all, if an item says it is smothered in mozzerella cheese it can't just have a sprinkling of cheddar.

Most menus are divided into sections. You may need to help a guest find the entrees, or desserts. A guest might call a drink a beverage or a refreshment. Learn the different terms that are used so that you can understand and serve your guests promptly and accurately.

Menu Section

Descriptive Words and Expressions on a Menu

Menus often contain special language to make items sound delicious. These words and expressions can also convince the guests to order more food, such as appetizers or dessert. It is useful for servers to learn these expressions in order to sound more knowledgable and achieve better sales. In many English speaking countries, especially North America, having higher sales means earning better tips.

Behind the Bar

Tending bar requires special skills, such as learning special recipes, measuring, mixing and serving drinks, and chatting with guests. No matter which country you are working in, you are sure to come across English patrons who want a cold drink. Study the lists and expressions bartenders use. Then read the dialogue and check your understanding.

Glassware

Classic Cocktails

There are many different ways to prepare classic cocktails. Every bar or restaurant has rules about how much alcohol to put in a cocktail and how to build it. The following recipes do not contain specific amounts. Use them to learn the names of the cocktails, liquors, and mixes.

Common Liquor

Beer and Coolers

Sample Conversation

Bartender:	Hi there. What can I get for you?
Guest:	I need something cold.
Bartender:	You've come to the right place.
Guest:	Do you have any specials on?
Bartender:	We have highballs on for half price.
Guest:	Sorry, I meant for beer.
Bartender:	Our beer special tonight is a pitcher of local draft with a half dozen wings for $12.99.
Guest:	I guess I should have brought a friend. I think I'll just have a Heineken for now.
Bartender:	Sure, would you like that on tap or in a can?
Guest:	Do you have it in a bottle?
Bartender:	No, I'm afraid we don't.
Guest:	That's okay. I'll take a pint.
Bartender:	A pint of Heineken coming up.
Guest:	Actually, you better just make it a sleeve.
Bartender:	Sure. And should I start you a tab?
Guest:	No, I'm driving. How much do I owe you?
Bartender:	$5.25.
Guest:	Here's 6. Keep the change.
Bartender:	Thank you.

Check your understanding

1- Which of the following is Not on special tonight?

a) Jugs of beer b) Chicken wings c)Bottles of Heineken d) Mixed drinks

2- What does the bartender give the guest to drink?

a) A glass of beer b) A bottle of beer c) A pitcher of beer d) A can of beer

3- How much money did the bartender make as a tip?

a) $6.00 b) $5.25 c) $0.75 d) $0.25

Answers(c/a/c)

Back of the House

Working in the food and beverage industry may also mean working where the food gets stored, prepared, and cooked. The kitchen area, which is also where the dishes get cleaned, is commonly referred to as the back of the house. Whether the establishment is a restaurant, cafe, or fast-food joint, there are a number of different jobs in the back of the house, all requiring different types of English skills. Even though you may not have to deal with English guests directly, you will have to understand their needs. You may also need to communicate with coworkers whose first language is English. Study the expressions, vocabulary, and dialogue and then check your understanding by taking the quiz.

Wait staff to chef

Can you put a rush on table two's order?
What's the ETA (estimated time of arrival) on the lasagna?
How much longer for the roasted chicken?
What's the soup of the day?
One of my customers wants to know what you put in your cream sauce.
Didn't I punch in a garlic bread with cheese?
I'm missing three side salads.
Table seven said to give compliments to the chef.
My customer says this hamburger isn't cooked enough.
Are you too busy to make me a staff meal?
How much should I charge for an extra side of salsa?

Chef to wait staff

Can you run this food? It's getting cold.
The special is a rack of lamb with a tossed salad.
I can do it, but it's going to cost extra.
We just got five orders at once.
It's going to be another minute for the rice.
Are all of these separate cheques for the same table?
Did you want the chicken wings to come up first?
You asked for that hot sauce on the side, right?
How does your table like their cheesecake?
Don't forget to punch in those salads.
Taste this soup and tell me what you think.

Sample Conversation

Executive chef:	Get ready. Anna is punching in her order of ten now.
Line cook 1:	Should I get the salads and soups ready?
Executive chef:	Yes, let's see. We need five caesar salads and two soups of the day.
Line cook 1:	Any holds?
Executive chef:	Yes, hold the croutons on one salad, and put the dressing on the side for another one.
Line cook 2:	Should I get the steaks on the grill?
Executive chef:	We're going to hold on the steaks until the appies are out. I need you to put down two orders of fries.
Line cook 2:	I thought we were all out of fries?
Executive chef:	Oh, that's right. Did you tell Anna that when she started?
Line cook 2:	No, but I wrote it on the notice board.
Executive chef:	Mary, can you tell Anna there's no fries left for her table's order. Ask her what they want instead.
Waitress:	She just went for a smoke break. I'll check with them.
Executive chef:	It's to go with the kids' meals. Tell them we can do roasted or mashed potatoes instead.
Waitress:	Kids? Oh, they're not going to be happy about that.
Executive chef:	Tell them ice cream for dessert is on me. Check your understanding 1- What is happening in the kitchen? a)Food is being burnt. b)A large order is being prepared. c)A meal is being recooked. d)A line cook is making mistakes. 2- Which is true about the salads that were ordered? a)They are tossed salads. b)They'll be served with the meal. c)The executive chef is preparing them. d)Two of them have holds. 3- When will the steaks be put down? a)Before the soups. b)After the appetizers get served. c)As soon as Mary checks with the customers. Answers(b/d/b)

A ROLE-PLAY FOR ORDERING FOOD

Time: 1 hour.

Focus: The purpose of this lesson is to give basic English students the skills to order food in a restaurant.

This lesson follows a simple format of an introduction and discussion, followed by a role-play activity.

Preparation: The teacher will nee to print off and photocopy four sheets: restaurant menus, the waiters' activity sheet, the customers' sheet and the roley play prompts. (You can download the material given click on these links below).

Introduction: Tell the students that they will be ordering food from restaurants today. Invite one student up to the front and give the student a menu. After the student has had a short time to look at the menu, say, "May I take your order?"

Usually, the student will say something very basic, "Hamburger." If this is the case, I walk to my pretend kitchen, cook up a pretend hamburger, and when I am done, pretend to spit in it. The class will usually laugh and the student who ordered it may be surprised.

If the student gives a more sophisticated answer, then I write it on the board and then we begin to discuss other ways of ordering food.

Discussion: The purpose of the above demonstration is a lesson in pragmatic competence. Just barking out orders can be perceived as being rude and may have real consequences. After the student sits back down, I ask the class why I spit in the student's imaginary hamburger.

As a class we briefly discuss ways to order food: I'll have a hamburger, please. I'd like the seafood spaghetti. Then we go over other aspects of the conversation to the right.

Role-play Activity: Now, comes the real focus of the class: a role-play activity to practice ordering food.. Divide the class into three: one third of the class will begome restaurant waiters and the other two thirds will partner up and go around to the various restaurants and order food.

The waiters should receive their 'Special of the Day' prompt cards and their activity sheet. As customers visit their restaurants, waiters have to write down the orders on their activity sheets. Likewise, the customers write down what they ordered on the customer activity sheets.

Now, if you want to throw in an unscripted wrench into the works, you can hand out the complaint cards to the customers and see how both customers and waiters react. You can also instruct a few waiters to be rude and insulting on purpose.

Target Language:

Waiter: Welcome to Antico's. Here are your menus. Today's special is grilled salmon. I'll be back to take your order in a minute...

Waiter: Are you ready to order?
Customer 1: I'd like the seafood spaghetti.
Waiter: And you?
Customer 2: I'll have a hamburger and fries.

Waiter: Would you like anything to drink?
Customer 1: I'll have a coke, please.
Waiter: And for you?
Customer 2: Just water, please.
Waiter: Ok. So that's one seafood spaghetti, one hamburger and fries, one coke, and one water. I'll take your menus.
Waiter: Here is your food. Enjoy your meal.

Waiter: How was everything?
Customer 2: Delicious, thanks.
Waiter: Would you like anything for dessert?
Customer 1: No, just the bill please.