Ordering food in English involves vocabulary for menu items, polite requests, modifications, and payment. This guide covers the most common words and phrases you’ll need to confidently order food in restaurants, cafes, and fast-food places.
Menu Items
Start by learning the basic categories and common items you’ll see on menus. This will help you recognize what you want and make your order more smoothly.
Common Food Categories
These are the main sections you’ll find on most menus.
| English Category | Example Items | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Appetizers | salad, soup, nachos | “We’ll start with the soup.” |
| Main Courses | steak, pasta, chicken | “I’d like the grilled chicken.” |
| Desserts | ice cream, cake, pie | “Can I have the chocolate cake?” |
| Beverages | water, coffee, juice | “I’ll have a glass of orange juice.” |
Common Items
These are some of the most common food items across different categories.
| English Item | Category | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| burger | main course | “I’ll take the cheeseburger.” |
| fries | side dish | “Can I get fries with that?” |
| salad | appetizer/main | “I’d like a side salad.” |
| soup | appetizer | “What kind of soup do you have?” |
| pasta | main course | “Spaghetti carbonara, please.” |
| steak | main course | “Medium rare steak, please.” |
| ice cream | dessert | “Two scoops of vanilla ice cream.” |
| cake | dessert | “Is the cake homemade?” |
| coffee | beverage | “Black coffee, please.” |
| water | beverage | “Just water for me, thanks.” |
Ordering Phrases
Once you know the items, you need the phrases to put them together and speak politely.
Making a Request
Use these polite phrases to order your food.
| English Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I’d like … | “I’d like the chicken salad.” |
| Can I have …? | “Can I have a cheeseburger?” |
| I’ll have … | “I’ll have the fish and chips.” |
| Could I get …? | “Could I get a cup of coffee?” |
| We’ll take … | “We’ll take two pizzas.” |
Asking Questions
Use these to ask about the menu or ingredients.
| English Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| What do you recommend? | “What do you recommend for dessert?” |
| What’s in …? | “What’s in the Caesar salad?” |
| Is this vegetarian? | “Is the soup vegetarian?” |
| Does this have nuts? | “Does the cake have nuts?” |
| Can I see the menu? | “Can I see the menu, please?” |
Modifying Your Order
Use these to make changes or special requests.
| English Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| No …, please | “No onions, please.” |
| Extra … | “Extra cheese on the pizza.” |
| Hold the … | “Hold the mayo, please.” |
| On the side | “Fries on the side.” |
| Make it … | “Make it spicy, please.” |
How would you ask for additional cheese on your pizza?
Extra …
'Extra …' means you want more of that ingredient.
If you don’t want onions on your burger, which phrase would you use?
No …, please
'No …, please' is used to politely ask for something to be left out.
Paying and Finishing
These are the words and phrases you’ll use when you’re ready to pay and leave.
Asking for the Bill
Use these to signal you’re done and want to pay.
| English Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Can we have the check? | “Can we have the check, please?” |
| Could I get the bill? | “Could I get the bill?” |
| Is it all together? | “Is it all together or separate?” |
| Separate checks, please | “Separate checks, please.” |
| Do you take credit cards? | “Do you take credit cards?” |
Paying
These words are helpful when you’re actually paying.
| English Word | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| cash | “I’ll pay with cash.” |
| card | “Can I pay by card?” |
| tip | “Is the tip included?” |
| change | “Keep the change.” |
| receipt | “Can I get a receipt?” |
Summary
Ordering food in English is about combining the right vocabulary with polite phrases. Start with menu items, then practice making requests, asking questions, and finally paying. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for what you need!
Remember, the most important phrase is “Thank you!”—being polite goes a long way.
Flashcards (1 of 39)
- Example Items: salad, soup, nachos
- Example Sentence: “We’ll start with the soup.”
- English Category: Appetizers
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
