Ordering Food

waiter serving food
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on September 22, 2022 and last updated on July 25, 2023

The topic of Ordering Food is immensely beneficial for English learners as it equips them with practical language skills for everyday situations. Exploring this subject enables learners to grasp essential vocabulary, phrases and expressions related to dining out or placing food orders.

Mastering these skills enhances communication and boosts confidence when interacting with English-speaking waitstaff or restaurants. Embracing this topic empowers learners to navigate culinary experiences seamlessly and enriches their language proficiency.

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

About Ordering Food

There’s nothing like ordering food at a restaurant to make you feel better after a long day. You’re about to sit down, relax, and enjoy a meal with friends or family. But then you have to deal with the menu—and all the options it presents.

Sure, there are plenty of things that can make this process easier: servers who are friendly, menu items that are well-priced and delicious, and even your own familiarity with the restaurant itself. But sometimes it feels like there’s something more going on that makes ordering food at restaurants so much trickier than it should be.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • waiter (noun)
  • waitress (noun)
  • server (noun)
  • order (noun)
  • tricky (adjective)
  • confusing (adjective)
  • get someone's attention (phrase)
  • meal (noun)
  • request (noun)

Conversation Questions

My Image
  • What frustrates you about ordering food in a restaurant?
  • Do you get nervous when ordering food?
  • Do you always regret the food you order?
  • Have you had any bad experiences when ordering food?
  • How do you feel when ordering food in English?
  • Do you usually take a long time to decide what to order?
  • If you can't decide what to order, what do you do?
  • Do you ever ask for things that are not on the menu?
  • Have you ever had to return something that you ordered?
  • Do you ever ask for a special request like "not too much cheese"?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.