Everyday Dialogues

Ordering at
a Restaurant
In this lesson, you will learn how to order food at
a restaurant. You’ll also learn vocabulary for main
courses and sides that you will find on a typical menu
in an English-speaking country. You may get hungry!

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What type of restaurants do you like to eat at?

2. Do you prefer to eat salad or cooked vegetables?

3. W
 hat type of dessert do you
like to order at a restaurant?

B. V
 ocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. order (verb) a) a salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, bacon, and an egg dressing
2. take your time b) a thick slice of beef
3. steak c) to tell a server what you want to eat or drink

4. potato d) a starchy vegetable with a peel (may be baked, mashed, boiled, or fried)
e) beaten into a smooth mixture
5. rice
f) don’t rush, do something as slowly as necessary
6. mashed
g) a bun, a round piece of baked bread
7. Caesar salad
h) a chilled, creamy dessert made with whipped cream and egg
8. house salad
i) fork, knife, spoon
9. roll
j) a starchy small cereal grain that is boiled
10. mousse
k) a basic salad with greens and fresh vegetables,
11. cutlery usually served with an oil and vinegar dressing

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 Ordering at a Restaurant
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practice your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practice.

Waiter: Good evening. Can I take your order?

Customer: Could you give me a few more minutes?

Certainly. Take your time.

Waiter: (a few minutes later)
Are you ready to order now?

Customer: Yes. I’d like an eight-ounce steak, please.

Waiter: Would you like potatoes or rice with your steak?

Customer: What kind of potatoes do you have?

Waiter: We have baked, mashed, or French fries.

Customer: I’ll have French fries, please.

Waiter: And how would you like your steak done?

Customer: Medium-rare, please.

Waiter: Would you like anything to start?

Customer: I’ll have a salad, please.

Waiter: We have Greek, Italian, and Caesar salad, as well as a house salad.

Customer: I’ll have the house salad with oil and vinegar dressing.

Waiter: Would you like a beverage?

Customer: I’ll have a large Diet Coke.

Waiter: And would you like anything for dessert?

Customer: What do you suggest?

Waiter: The apple pie is my favorite.

Customer: Okay. I’ll try that.

Waiter: I’ll put your order in and be right back with some hot rolls and butter.

Customer: Thank you.

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 Ordering at a Restaurant
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. Can I take your order? 6. A

 nd how would you 11. Would you like a beverage?
like your steak done?
• Would you like • Would you like
to order now? • How would you like anything to drink?
• Are you ready to order now? your steak cooked? • Will there be
• Have you had time to look • How do you prefer anything to drink?
at the menu yet? your steak?
12. I ’ll have a large Diet Coke.
2. Could you give me 7. Medium-rare, please.
• I’ll have a cup of coffee.
a few more minutes?
• rare • Just water, please.
• Can I have a few more • medium
minutes, please? • medium-well 13. What do you suggest?
• I’d like a few more minutes. • well-done
• What do you recommend?
• I’m not quite ready. I need
• What’s good?
a few more minutes. 8. W
 ould you like
• Any suggestions?
anything to start?
3. Certainly. Take your time.
• Would you like 14. The apple pie is my favorite.
• Of course. No rush. anything to begin with?
• The chocolate
• Sure. I’ll come back • Would you like an appetizer?
mousse is delicious.
in a few minutes. • How about a soup
• The lemon cheesecake
or salad to start?
is wonderful.
4. I ’d like an eight-ounce
• The strawberry
steak, please. 9. We
 have a Greek,
tart is fantastic.
Italian, and Caesar salad,
• I’ll have a 12-ounce
as well as a house salad.
steak, please. 15. I ’ll try that.
• Can I please have • in addition to
• I’d like that.
the rack of lamb?
• I’ll order that.
• Can I have the pork roast? 10. I ’ll have the house salad
• I’ll take that.
• I’d like the roast beef, please. with oil and vinegar dressing.
• Could I have the fried chicken?
• with Thousand 16. ...be right back with
• Can I have the grilled
Island dressing some hot rolls and butter.
salmon, please?
• with Italian dressing
• ...be back in a
• with French dressing
5. I ’ll have French fries, please. minute with your water.
• with blue cheese dressing
• ...be back right away with
• I’d like fries with that.
your cutlery and napkins.
• I’ll get the fries.

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 Ordering at a Restaurant
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Two student volunteers will go to the front of the class and read the
dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing words as you listen. Listen again
with two new speakers. Now look back at page 2 and check your work.
Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Waiter: Good evening. Can I take your order?

Customer: Could you give me a few more minutes?

. Take your time.

Waiter: (a few minutes later)
Are you ready to order now?

Customer: Yes. I’d like an eight-ounce , please.

Waiter: Would you like potatoes or with your steak?

Customer: What kind of potatoes do you have?

Waiter: We have baked, , or French fries.

Customer: I’ll have French fries, please.

Waiter: And how would you like your steak ?

Customer: Medium-rare, please.

Waiter: Would you like anything to start?

Customer: I’ll have a salad, please.

Waiter: We have Greek, Italian, and salad, as well as a house salad.

Customer: I’ll have the house salad with oil and vinegar dressing.

Waiter: Would you like a ?

Customer: I’ll have a large Diet Coke.

Waiter: And would you like anything for dessert?

Customer: What do you ?

Waiter: The apple pie is my favorite.

Customer: Okay. I’ll try that.

Waiter: I’ll put your order in and be right back with some hot and butter.

Customer: Thank you.

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 Ordering at a Restaurant
Everyday Dialogues

Vocabulary Building
Work with your partner. Fill in the chart below
with as many food items as you can think of.

Appetizer Entrée
Side Dish Dessert Beverage
(First Course) (Main Course)

salad steak French fries pie Coke

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 Ordering at a Restaurant
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a waiter and one of you will be a customer.
Practice and present the dialogue to your class.

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