ESL CONNECT - Ordering in a Restaurant

Section 1

Stage 1 — Warm-up

Eating out in English

5 minutes · Discussion & context setting

Discuss with your partner:

1. Do you enjoy eating in restaurants? What kind of food do you like?

2. Have you ever eaten in an English-speaking country? Was it different from ordering at home?

3. What do you find difficult about ordering food in English?

Teacher note: Elicit restaurant vocabulary students already know. Ask: what do you say when you arrive? When you need more time? When something is wrong?

Today's scenario — tonight's menu at The Olive Garden Bistro:

2 guests Casual dining One guest is vegetarian

5 min

Stage 2 — Vocabulary

Key restaurant vocabulary

10 minutes · Gap-fill exercise

Click a word, then click a blank to fill it. Hover over a word to see its meaning. Click a filled blank to remove it.

reservation

starter

allergic

recommend

well-done

bill

sparkling

portion

Complete the sentences with the correct word from the box.

I made a for two people under the name Johnson.

For my , I'd like the prawn cocktail, please.

I am to nuts — is there anything in this dish?

Could you something from the menu? I can't decide.

I'd like my steak , please — not pink in the middle.

Excuse me, could we have the , please? We're in a bit of a hurry.

Could I have water, please? Not still.

The was very generous — I couldn't finish it!

10 min

Stage 3 — Functional language

Useful phrases for restaurants

8 minutes · Study & practise

Arriving and being seated

Good evening. I have a reservation for two.

We don't have a reservation — do you have a table for two?

Could we sit by the window, please?

Could we have a few minutes to look at the menu?

Ordering food and drinks

I'd like the soup of the day to start.

For my main course, I'll have the grilled salmon.

Could I have the risotto without the mushrooms, please?

What do you recommend?

Asking about the menu

Does this dish contain nuts?

Is this suitable for vegetarians?

How is the chicken cooked?

Could you tell me what comes with the salmon?

During the meal

Excuse me, we've been waiting quite a long time.

I'm sorry, but I ordered the risotto, not the curry.

Could we have some more bread, please?

Everything is delicious, thank you.

Paying and leaving

Could we have the bill, please?

Could we pay separately?

Is service included?

Thank you very much — it was a lovely meal.

Practise saying each phrase aloud. Pay attention to polite forms like "Could I...?" and "I'd like..." — these are more natural than "I want..."

8 min

Stage 4 — Question forms

Restaurant question forms drill

10 minutes · Multiple choice quiz

10 min

Stage 5 — Role play

A meal at the bistro

12 minutes · Pair work

How to use: Student A = Waiter/Waitress. Student B = Customer. Use the script as a guide — improvise your own orders using the menu!

Student A — Waiter / Waitress

Welcome guests, take their order, answer questions about the menu, and deal with any requests politely. If asked about allergens, the curry is nut-free. The risotto can be made without mushrooms.

Student B — Customer

You are dining with a friend who is vegetarian and allergic to nuts. You want a 3-course meal. Use the menu on Stage 1. Ask questions before ordering.

Waiter — Student A

Good evening! Welcome to The Olive Garden Bistro. Do you have a reservation?

Customer — Student B

[Say yes and give your name. Ask if you can sit by the window.]

Waiter — Student A

Of course! Right this way. Here are your menus. Can I get you anything to drink while you look?

Customer — Student B

[Order drinks for both of you. One person wants sparkling water, the other wants a glass of house wine.]

Waiter — Student A

Lovely. Are you ready to order, or would you like a few more minutes?

Customer — Student B

[Ask for a few more minutes. Then, when ready, ask what the waiter recommends for the main course.]

Waiter — Student A

I'd definitely recommend the grilled salmon — it's very popular tonight. The vegetable curry is also excellent.

Customer — Student B

[Order a starter and main course for yourself. Ask if the curry contains nuts, because one guest is allergic.]

Waiter — Student A

The curry is nut-free, don't worry. And for your companion?

Customer — Student B

[Order a starter and main for your companion. Ask if the risotto can be made without mushrooms.]

Waiter — Student A

Absolutely, no problem at all. I'll put that order in for you now. Enjoy!

Customer — Student B

[After the meal, get the waiter's attention politely. Ask for the bill and ask if you can pay separately.]

Waiter — Student A

Of course! I'll bring it right away. Is service included? Yes, it is — 12.5%. Was everything to your liking?

Customer — Student B

[Give a positive response. Thank the waiter and say you will come back soon.]

Swap roles and order again!

This time, the customer is more demanding — they want to change a dish, send something back, and ask for a different table. Waiter: stay polite!

12 min

Stage 6 — Summary

Lesson complete!

5 minutes · Review & feedback

Today's lesson

Ordering in a Restaurant

B1 level · ~40 minutes

What you practised today:

8 key vocabulary words for dining out

Functional phrases for 5 stages of a restaurant visit

6 question form exercises (polite requests, modal verbs, indirect questions)

A full mock restaurant role play with a real menu

Homework ideas:

1. Write a short review (80–100 words) of a restaurant you have been to recently.

2. Write a dialogue: a customer phones a restaurant to make a reservation and ask about the menu.

3. Find a restaurant menu online in English and practise ordering from it aloud.

Great work today! The key to ordering confidently is knowing a few polite phrases — you don't need perfect grammar to communicate well in a restaurant.

Ordering in a Restaurant

Practise real restaurant English with confidence