Mom:
Hi! It’s just me and my two kids today. Can we please have a table for three?
Waiter:
Of course! Right this way. Here’s your menu. Can I start you off with any drinks?
Mom:
I’ll have a water, and can my kids get a juice, please?
Waiter:
Sure! We have apple, orange, and cranberry juice. What would you like for your kids?
Mom:
They’ll have apple juice, please.
Waiter:
Great! I’ll bring the drinks right away. Do you need any help with the menu, or are you ready to order?
Mom:
Can you tell me about the specials today?
Waiter:
Today’s special is grilled salmon with a side of mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Would you like to try that?
Mom:
Sounds good, but is there any chance the salmon has any dairy in it? My daughter has a dairy allergy.
Waiter:
Let me check with the kitchen. Yes, the salmon is dairy-free, so it should be fine for your daughter.
Mom:
Great, we’ll have that. I’ll have the grilled chicken entrée for myself, and my kids would like the spaghetti with tomato sauce.
Waiter:
Perfect. Would you like any appetizers before the main course?
Mom:
What appetizers do you have?
Waiter:
We have a house salad, soup of the day, and garlic bread.
Mom:
We’ll have the house salad to start.
Waiter:
Great choice! And would you like any dessert after your meal?
Mom:
What desserts do you have?
Waiter:
We have chocolate cake, cheesecake, and vanilla ice cream.
Mom:
We’ll have the chocolate cake, please. And if we need a drink refill during the meal, is that okay?
Waiter:
Of course, I’ll be happy to refill your drinks.
Mom:
Thanks! And how much should I leave for a tip?
Waiter:
A tip of 15% is standard, but you can leave whatever you feel is appropriate.
Mom:
Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind!
Vocabulary List
- Menu – A list of food and drinks available at a restaurant.
- Example: “Can I see the menu, please?”
- Appetizer – A small dish served before the main meal.
- Example: “We ordered soup as an appetizer.”
- Entrée – The main dish in a meal.
- Example: “I’ll have the grilled chicken for my entrée.”
- Dessert – A sweet dish usually served at the end of a meal.
- Example: “Would you like some dessert after your meal?”
- Special – A dish offered by the restaurant that is different from the regular menu or at a discounted price.
- Example: “The special today is grilled salmon.”
- Allergy – A reaction by the body to certain food or substances that can cause harm.
- Example: “My son has a peanut allergy.”
- Drink refill – Asking for more of the drink you’ve already ordered.
- Example: “Can I get a drink refill, please?”
- Check – The bill or receipt from the restaurant for your meal.
- Example: “Can we get the check, please?”
- Tip – Money given to the server as a thank you for their service.
- Example: “I left a 15% tip for the waiter.”
Grammar Tip:
When ordering food, here are some useful sentence structures:
- Asking about the menu: “Can you tell me about the specials today?” or “What do you recommend?”
- Inquiring about dietary restrictions: “Does this dish contain dairy?” or “Are there any nuts in this meal?”
- Making a request: “I’ll have the grilled chicken, please.” or “We’ll have the soup to start.”
- Asking for a refill: “Can I get a drink refill, please?” or “Could we have more water, please?”
FILL IN THE BLANK
Mom: Hi! It’s just me and my two kids today. Can we please have a table for ?
Waiter: Of course! Right this way. Here’s your . Can I start you off with any drinks?
Mom: I’ll have a water, and can my kids get a , please?
Waiter: Sure! We have apple, orange, and cranberry . What would you like for your kids?
Mom: They’ll have apple juice, please.
Waiter: Great! I’ll bring the drinks right away. Do you need any help with the , or are you ready to order?
Mom: Can you tell me about the today?
Waiter: Today’s special is grilled with a side of mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Would you like to try that?
Mom: Sounds good, but is there any chance the salmon has any in it? My daughter has a dairy allergy.
Waiter: Let me check with the kitchen. Yes, the salmon is , so it should be fine for your daughter.
Mom: Great, we’ll have that. I’ll have the grilled entrée for myself, and my kids would like the spaghetti with sauce.
Waiter: Perfect. Would you like any before the main course?
Mom: What appetizers do you have?
Waiter: We have a house , soup of the day, and garlic bread.
Mom: We’ll have the house salad to start.
Waiter: Great choice! And would you like any after your meal?
Mom: What desserts do you have?
Waiter: We have chocolate cake, , and vanilla ice cream.
Mom: We’ll have the , please. And if we need a drink during the meal, is that okay?
Waiter: Of course, I’ll be happy to refill your drinks.
Mom: Thanks! And how much should I leave for a ?
Waiter: A tip of % is standard, but you can leave whatever you feel is appropriate.
Mom: Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind!