English Conversations: In a Restaurant
Booking
“I booked a table for two for … (8pm).
“It’s under the name of …”
“A table for two please.”
What the restaurant staff say:
“Of course. Please come this way.”
Or…
“Your table isn’t quite ready yet.”
“Would you like to wait in the bar?”
“We’re fully booked at the moment. Could you come back a bit later?”
Asking about the menu
These are phrases you can ask the waiter if you aren’t sure of something on the menu.
“What’s … exactly?”
“Is this served with … (salad)?”
“Does this have any … (seafood) in it?”
“What do you recommend?”
Ordering
What the waiter says:
“Are you ready to order?”
“Can I take your order?”
“Anything to drink?”
“Would you like … (chips) with that?”
What the customer says:
“I’ll have…”
“I’d like…”
“Can I have …”
“We’d like to order …”
If there are problems with the order, the waiter can say:
“I don’t think we have any more … (lobster) left. I’ll check with the kitchen.”
“I’m sorry, but the king prawn soup is finished.”
Dealing with problems
The customer can say:
“Excuse me, but I didn’t order this.”
“I’m sorry, but this is cold.”
“Can I change my order please?”
The waiter can say:
“I’m so sorry about that…”
“Let me take it back for you.” (take it back = return it to the kitchen)
“Let me change it for you.”
Getting the bill
“Can we have the bill please?”
“Could we get the bill?”
“Could we pay please?”
(“bill” in British English; “check” in American English.)
(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘restaurant’?
(2) What is your favourite restaurant and why?
(3) Do you like expensive restaurants?
(4) How often do you go to restaurants?
(5) Do you think the ambience is important in restaurants?
(6) What kind of restaurant would you like to open?
(7) What’s the best restaurant name you’ve heard of?
(8) Are you happy with the restaurants in your town?
(9) Is restaurant food the best?
(10) Have you ever complained about the food or service in a restaurant?
STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) If you could have your own restaurant, what would you call it?
(2) What do you think of fast food restaurants?
(3) Would you go to a romantic restaurant with a friend?
(4) What do you think people study on a restaurant management course?
(5) Do you prefer restaurants that are cheap and cheerful or very fancy?
(6) Do you think you should tip the staff in restaurants?
(7) Would you like to work as a restaurant critic?
(8) What’s the longest you’d wait for a restaurant table?
(9) What’s the most expensive meal you’ve had at a restaurant?
(10) Would you like to eat at a different restaurant every night for the rest of
your life?
Restaurants
What is your favorite restaurant near where you live?
What is the best restaurant you have ever eaten at?
What types of foreign food restaurants have you eaten at?
Have you ever eaten at a restaurant abroad? What was it like?
What (besides good food) makes a restaurant great?
Do you prefer to eat at your parents’ house or a restaurant?
What is the worst restaurant you have eaten at?
What is the strangest restaurant you have heard of?
How do you feel about theme restaurants?
Do you prefer darker or brighter interiors for restaurants? Why?
ESL conversation questions about food and eating out
1. How many times do you eat out each week?
2. What motivates you to eat out? (Enjoy restaurants, don’t have enough time, hate
doing dishes, not a good chef, etc.)
3. What’s your favorite restaurant in town?
4. What’s your favourite cuisine?
5. What’s your favourite quick, cheap meal?
6. What’s your favourite expensive restaurant?
7. Is there a particular cuisine that you think is overrated?
8. What’s your favourite dish to eat?
9. What foods do you refuse to eat?
10. What are your thoughts about fast food restaurants?
11. Do you tip when you eat out?
12. If you don’t like a meal, do you complain to the waiter or not? Why?
13. If you find a hair in some food, do you tell the waiter or not say anything?
Why?
14. Do you prefer fine dining or casual dining?
15. What’s the fanciest restaurant you’ve ever been to?
16. Is there a restaurant that you’re dying to eat at?
17. Is there a meal that you’re dreaming about trying one day?
18. Do you prefer to eat out or dine at home on your birthday?
19. Do you enjoy spicy food?
20. Do you like elaborate dishes or simple flavours?
21. Do you prefer indoor dining or dining outside (e.g. on a patio)?
22. List 20 unhealthy foods.
23. List 20 healthy foods.
24. What is your go-to breakfast?
25. What is your ideal meal to eat at lunch?
26. What is your favourite meal to eat for dinner?
27. Did your family always eat dinner together or not?
28. Do you eat dinner in front of the TV or at the dining table?
29. Is there any food that you can’t eat?
30. What do you think of airplane food?
31. Do you prefer the main course or dessert?
32. What is your favourite sweet dish to eat?
33. What is your favourite type of cake to eat?
34. When you treat yourself with food, what do you eat?
35. Do you do a lot of meal prep? Or do you prefer to cook every day?
36. Name 3 foods that you would like to try one day.
37. Name 3 foods that you think are gross.
