How to Order in a Restaurant in English: Phrases for the Menu, the Waiter, and the Bill

Ordering in a restaurant in English is useful when choosing dishes, checking ingredients, speaking with the waiter, and paying the bill. This page brings together words, phrases, and dialogues that help you ask questions about the menu, place your order clearly, and politely request changes to a dish. It is especially useful when you need to understand a question quickly and respond without hesitation.

You start with the key vocabulary, then move on to useful phrases and short dialogues. After this page, it becomes easier to move confidently from the menu to the bill, speak more naturally, and understand typical English phrases for ordering food.

Word list to learn

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Word
menu [ˈmenjuː]
appetizer [ˈæpɪtaɪzə]
starter [ˈstɑːtə]
main course [meɪn kɔːs]
dessert [dɪˈzɜːt]
side dish [saɪd dɪʃ]
salad [ˈsæləd]
soup [suːp]
steak [steɪk]
chicken [ˈtʃɪkɪn]
fish [fɪʃ]
pasta [ˈpæstə]
rice [raɪs]
vegetables [ˈvedʒtəbəlz]
seafood [ˈsiːfuːd]
beverage [ˈbevərɪdʒ]
water [ˈwɔːtə]
wine [waɪn]
beer [bɪə]
juice [dʒuːs]
coffee [ˈkɒfi]
tea [tiː]
waiter [ˈweɪtə]
waitress [ˈweɪtrəs]
table [ˈteɪbl]
reservation [ˌrezəˈveɪʃən]
bill [bɪl]
check [tʃek]
tip [tɪp]
service charge [ˈsɜːvɪs tʃɑːdʒ]
special [ˈspeʃəl]
vegetarian [ˌvedʒɪˈteəriən]
vegan [ˈviːɡən]
gluten-free [ˈɡluːtən friː]
allergy [ˈælədʒi]
spicy [ˈspaɪsi]
rare [reə]
medium [ˈmiːdiəm]
well-done [wel dʌn]
takeaway [ˈteɪkəweɪ]
order [ˈɔːdə]
pork [pɔːk]
lamb [læm]
beef [biːf]
shrimp [ʃrɪmp]
salmon [ˈsæmən]
bread [bred]
cheese [tʃiːz]
sauce [sɔːs]
dressing [ˈdresɪŋ]
potatoes [pəˈteɪtəʊz]
fries [fraɪz]
dish [dɪʃ]
portion [ˈpɔːʃən]
glass [ɡlɑːs]
chef [ʃef]
cocktail [ˈkɒkteɪl]
soft drink [sɒft drɪŋk]
sparkling water [ˈspɑːklɪŋ ˈwɔːtə]
receipt [rɪˈsiːt]
cash [kæʃ]
change [tʃeɪndʒ]
grilled [ɡrɪld]
fried [fraɪd]
roasted [ˈrəʊstɪd]
baked [beɪkt]
steamed [stiːmd]
raw [rɔː]
à la carte [ˌæləˈkɑːt]
set menu [set ˈmenjuː]
fresh [freʃ]
homemade [ˈhəʊmˈmeɪd]
dairy-free [ˈdeəri friː]
recommend [ˌrekəˈmend]
sandwich [ˈsænwɪtʃ]
burger [ˈbɜːɡə]
mushrooms [ˈmʌʃruːmz]
onions [ˈʌnjənz]
ice [aɪs]
refill [ˈriːfɪl]

Useful phrases

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Phrase
Table for two, please.
I have a reservation under the name...
Could I see the menu, please?
What do you recommend?
What's today's special?
I'll have the chicken, please.
Could I get this without onions?
I'm allergic to nuts.
Is this dish spicy?
Could I have a glass of water, please?
I'd like a bottle of red wine.
How would you like your steak?
Medium, please.
Everything was delicious, thank you!
Could we get the bill, please?
Is service charge included?
Can I pay by card?
Keep the change.
Could I get this to go?
Thank you for a lovely meal!

Dialogue

Click the speaker icon to hear the full dialogue

Waiter
Good evening! Welcome to The Blue Olive. Do you have a reservation?
Guest
Yes, I booked a table for two under the name Ivanov, at 7 p.m.
Waiter
Ah yes, right this way, please. Here's your table. Can I get you started with some drinks?
Guest
I'll have a glass of red wine, and my wife would like sparkling water.
Waiter
Certainly. Here are the menus. I'll be right back with your drinks.
Guest
Thank you. The menu looks great. What would you recommend?
Waiter
Our chef's special today is grilled sea bass with lemon butter sauce — it's fantastic. And our steak is also very popular.
Guest
Sounds wonderful. I'll have the sea bass, please. And for my wife, could we get the chicken with salad?
Waiter
Of course. How would you like your sea bass cooked? We can do it grilled or pan-seared.
Guest
Grilled would be perfect, thank you.
Waiter
Excellent choice. Would you like any side dishes with that?
Guest
Yes, roasted vegetables for the sea bass, and mashed potatoes for the chicken, please.
Waiter
Perfect. I'll put that order in right away. Enjoy your drinks!
Guest
Everything was absolutely delicious! Could we get the bill, please?
Waiter
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Here's your bill. Service charge is included.
Guest
Great. Here's sixty — keep the change. Thank you for a wonderful evening!
Waiter
Thank you so much! Have a wonderful evening!

Common mistakes

Avoid these common mistakes

Wrong I want the chicken
Correct I'll have the chicken, please / I'd like the chicken

In a restaurant, people usually say "I'll have" or "I'd like" when ordering. "I want" sounds rude.

Wrong Give me bill
Correct Could we get the bill, please? / Could I have the check?

Use a polite request such as "Could we get" or "Could I have." The article is necessary here.

Wrong I am agree with this
Correct I'll go with this / That sounds good

When choosing a dish, say "I'll go with ..." or "I'll have ...", not "I am agree."

Wrong This food is very delicious
Correct This food is delicious / This is very delicious

"Delicious" is already a strong word, so you usually do not need to add "very."

Wrong I don't eat pork meat
Correct I don't eat pork

In English, "pork" already means pig meat, so adding "meat" is unnecessary.

About This List

When restaurant English matters most

Ordering in a restaurant in English matters when you need to choose a dish, check ingredients, speak with the waiter, and pay the bill without confusion. This page covers not only the basic restaurant scenario, but also related situations where you need ready-made lines instead of isolated word translations.

What this page helps you handle

  • place an order politely and naturally.
  • ask for a dish without a certain ingredient, sauce, or level of spice.
  • clarify drinks, dessert, the bill, and the payment method.

Most useful restaurant phrases in English

Some of the most useful lines are I'd like the grilled chicken, Could you make it less spicy?, Could we have the bill?, and What do you recommend?. These phrases help you move from the menu to the order faster and feel more confident when speaking with a waiter.

Who this page is for

This page is useful for travelers preparing for a trip abroad, learners who want practical restaurant English in advance, or anyone who wants to quickly review food-ordering phrases before a vacation. You can study the vocabulary, review ready-made lines, and prepare for a real restaurant situation in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually it is enough to raise your hand and say, "Excuse me!" or "Could I get some help, please?" These phrases sound polite and work in almost any restaurant situation.

"Could I get this without [ingredient], please?" is the standard pattern, for example, "without onions."

"I'm allergic to ..." is the natural phrase, for example, "I'm allergic to nuts," "eggs," or "dairy."

"Could we get the bill, please?" is common in British English, while "Could we get the check, please?" is common in American English.

In the US, 15-20% is common. In many parts of Europe, 5-10% or simply saying "Keep the change" is enough. Always check whether a service charge is already included.

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