At the restaurant

1) The waiter

What can I do for you?

Can I help you?

Can I take your coat?

Have you booked a table?

How many are you?

Would you follow me, please?

Can I take your order, sir/madam?

What would you like to start with?

What would you like to drink?

What would you like for dessert?

How would you like your steak? (rare, medium, well done)

Do you want a salad with it?

What kind of dressing?

Anything to drink?

Do you want a dessert?

The burgers are very good.

Sorry, the hamburgers are off.

Is everything all right?

Did you enjoy your meal?

Are you paying together?

May I show you to a table?

If you wait, there'll be a table for you free in a minute.

Do you want vegetables with it?

Why don't you try the pizza?

It'll take about 20 minutes.

2) The guest

A table for two, please.

May we sit at this table?

The menu, please.

What's on the menu?

Do you want fish?

What's Irish Stew like?

We're not ready yet.

The steak for me, please.

Can you bring me the ketchup, please?

A salad, please.

I'll have the same.

That's all, thank you.

Can I have the bill (AE: check), please?

This is on me.

Here you are.

The rest is for you.

Have you got wine by the glass?

I'd prefer red wine.

Please bring us another beer.

Could I have chips (AE: French Fries) instead of salad?

What can you recommend?

Please bring me the bill (AE: check) with my coffee.

I think you've made a mistake.

Questions your server may ask:

Do you have a reservation? (Did you call ahead of time?)

How many? (How many seats do you need?)

Table for two?

Are you ready to order?

Do you need some more time?

Can I start you off with a drink?

Would you like to hear the specials?

What can I get for you? (Place your order.)

What would you like with that? (Choose your side dish)

Would you like an appetizer to start?

How is everything? (Does it taste good?)

Can I get you anything else? (Are you ready for the bill?)

Did you enjoy everything?

Did you save room for dessert? (Would you like dessert?)

Questions you may need to ask:

May I see the menu/dessert menu/wine list?

What do you recommend?

Is it spicy?

Is it enough to share?

Can I have it without…(butter)?

Can I substitute the …(chicken) for … (beef)?

Can I get this to-go?

Can we get the bill, please?

Can I have a refill, please?

[Scroll up to play Restaurant English-Part 2]

Showing Gratitude:

Thank you it was delicious.

I really enjoyed it.

I’m full, thank you.

Thank you for the recommendation.

We’ll come again.

I’m afraid I didn’t save any room for dessert.

Concerns and complaints:

To get a server’s attention, make eye contact with him or her. Say “excuse me” when she is nearby (wait until she is finished talking with other guests). Smile and explain your problem or concern. Here are some concerns you may have:

We’ve been waiting quite a while.

Would you mind heating this up?

This isn’t what I ordered.

This tastes a bit off. (It doesn’t taste right.)

You gave us the wrong bill.

Words that mean the same thing in a restaurant:

server/waiter (male)/waitress (female)

the bill/the receipt/the check

appetizer/starter

entree/main event/dinner

to-go/take-out/doggie-bag/leftovers

hot/spicy

beverage/drink

right this way/follow me/your table is ready

*Don’t Forget to Tip

In many English speaking countries it is polite to pay more than the cost of the bill. This extra money is called a tip. A tip is a gift for good service. Find out who (and how much) you should tip before you travel. (taxi driver, server, hair dresser…) If you don’t tip (in some countries), your server may think you were unhappy with the service.

Booking a table - Đặt bàn

do you have any free tables?

nhà hàng còn bàn trống không?

a table for ..., please

cho tôi đặt một bàn cho ... người

two

hai

three

ba

four

bốn

I'd like to make a reservation

tôi muốn đặt bàn

I'd like to book a table, please

tôi muốn đặt bàn

when for?

đặt cho khi nào?

for what time?

đặt cho mấy giờ?

this evening at ...

cho tối nay lúc …

seven o'clock

bảy giờ

seven thirty

bảy rưỡi

eight o'clock

tám giờ

eight thirty

tám rưỡi

tomorrow at ...

cho ngày mai lúc …

noon

trưa

twelve thirty

mười hai rưỡi

one o'clock

một giờ

one thirty

một rưỡi

for how many people?

đặt cho bao nhiêu người?

I've got a reservation

tôi đã đặt bàn rồi

do you have a reservation?

anh/chị đã đặt bàn chưa?

Ordering the meal - Gọi món

could I see the menu, please?

cho tôi xem thực đơn được không?

could I see the wine list, please?

cho tôi xem danh sách rượu được không?

can I get you any drinks?

quý khách có muốn uống gì không ạ?

are you ready to order?

anh chị đã muốn gọi đồ chưa?

do you have any specials?

nhà hàng có món đặc biệt không?

what's the soup of the day?

món súp của hôm nay là súp gì?

what do you recommend?

anh/chị gợi ý món nào?

what's this dish?

món này là món gì?

I'm on a diet

tôi đang ăn kiêng

I'm allergic to ...

tôi bị dị ứng với …

wheat

bột mì

dairy products

sản phẩm bơ sữa

I'm severely allergic to ...

tôi bị dị ứng nặng với …

nuts

lạc

shellfish

đồ hải sản có vỏ cứng

I'm a vegetarian

tôi ăn chay

I don't eat ...

tôi không ăn …

meat

thịt

pork

thịt lợn

I'll have the ...

tôi chọn món …

chicken breast

ức gà

roast beef

thịt bò quay

pasta

mì Ý

I'll take this

tôi chọn món này

I'm sorry, we're out of that

xin lỗi, nhà hàng chúng tôi hết món đó rồi

for my starter I'll have the soup, and for my main course the steak

tôi gọi súp cho món khai vị, và bít tết cho món chính

how would you like your steak?

quý khách muốn món bít tết thế nào?

rare

tái

medium-rare

tái chín

medium

chín vừa

well done

chín kỹ

is that all?

còn gì nữa không ạ?

would you like anything else?

quý khách có gọi gì nữa không ạ?

nothing else, thank you

thế thôi, cảm ơn

we're in a hurry

chúng tôi đang vội

how long will it take?

sẽ mất bao lâu?

it'll take about twenty minutes

mất khoảng 20 phút

During the meal - Trong bữa ăn

Nếu bạn muốn gọi phục vụ, cách gọi lịch sự mà đơn giản là:

excuse me!

xin lỗi!

Sau đây là một số câu nói bạn có thể gặp hoặc muốn dùng trong bữa ăn:

enjoy your meal!

chúc quý khách ăn ngon miệng!

bon appétit!

chúc quý khách ăn ngon miệng!

would you like to taste the wine?

quý khách có muốn thử rượu không ạ?

could we have ...?

cho chúng tôi …

another bottle of wine

một chai rượu khác

some more bread

thêm ít bánh mì nữa

some more milk

thêm ít sữa nữa

a jug of tap water

một bình nước máy

some water

ít nước

still or sparkling?

nước không có ga hay có ga?

would you like any coffee or dessert?

quý khách có muốn gọi cà phê hay đồ tráng miệng không?

do you have any desserts?

nhà hàng có đồ tráng miệng không?

could I see the dessert menu?

cho tôi xem thực đơn đồ tráng miệng được không?

was everything alright?

mọi việc ổn cả chứ ạ?

thanks, that was delicious

cám ơn, rất ngon

Problems - Rắc rối

this isn't what I ordered

đây không phải thứ tôi gọi

this food's cold

thức ăn nguội quá

this is too salty

món này mặn quá

this doesn't taste right

món này không đúng vị

we've been waiting a long time

chúng tôi đợi lâu lắm rồi

is our meal on its way?

món của chúng tôi đã được làm chưa?

will our food be long?

đồ ăn của chúng tôi có phải chờ lâu không?

Paying the bill - Thanh toán hóa đơn

the bill, please

cho xin hóa đơn

could we have the bill, please?

mang cho chúng tôi hóa đơn được không?

can I pay by card?

tôi có thể trả bằng thẻ được không?

do you take credit cards?

nhà hàng có nhận thanh toán bằng thẻ tín dụng không?

is service included?

đã bao gồm phí dịch vụ chưa?

can we pay separately?

chúng tôi trả tiền riêng được không?

I'll get this

để tôi trả

let's split it

chúng ta chia đi

let's share the bill

chia hóa đơn đi

Things you might see - Các dòng chữ bạn có thể gặp

Please wait to be seated

Xin vui lòng chờ đến khi được xếp chỗ

Reserved

Đã đặt trước

Service included

Đã bao gồm phí dịch vụ

Service not included

Chưa bao gồm phí dịch vụ

Restaurant 1

·         Waiter/Waitress - Asking a Customer about Seating

·         Do you have a reservation?

·         How many people?

·         Party of four?

·         Table for two?

·         Smoking or non-smoking?

·         Would you like a table in the smoking or non-smoking section?

·         There's a 15-minute wait.

·         Customer - about Seating

·         We have reserved a table for 2 at 7 p.m.  The name is Johnson.

·         We don't have a reservation.  How long do we have to wait?

·         Party of five.

·         Non-smoking, please.

·         I'd like the non-smoking section, please.

·         Waiter/Waitress - Greeting Customers Seated at the Table

·         Hi, how are we doing today?

·         Hello, how are you this evening?

·         Hi, my name's Terry.  I'll be your waiter this evening.

·         I'm John.  I'll be your server this evening.

·         Would you like to order something to drink first?

·         Would you like to order something to drink while you are looking at the menu?

·         Would you like to start with something to drink?

·         Can I get you something to drink?

·         Here's the menu.

·         I'll be with you in few minutes.

·         I'll come back to take your orders in a few minutes.