Vocabulary · Food and drink
Restaurant in English
A2
The restaurant in English: the people and the place, the menu and the courses of a meal, what you find on the table, and useful phrases to order, ask for the bill and leave a tip. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
The place and the people
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| restaurant(n.)“Let's go to the restaurant.” | a place where you pay to eat | /ˈrestrɒnt/ |
| waiter(n.) | a man who serves food at tables | /ˈweɪtə/ |
| waitress(n.) | a woman who serves food at tables | /ˈweɪtrəs/ |
| chef(n.) | a professional cook in a restaurant | /ʃef/ |
| customer(n.) | a person who buys something | /ˈkʌstəmə/ |
| table(n.) | furniture you sit at to eat | /ˈteɪbəl/ |
The meal
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| menu(n.) | the list of dishes and prices | /ˈmenjuː/ |
| starter / appetizer(n.) | a small dish before the main course | /ˈstɑːtə/ |
| main course(n.) | the biggest dish of the meal | /meɪn kɔːs/ |
| dessert(n.) | something sweet at the end of a meal | /dɪˈzɜːt/ |
| drink(n.) | something like water, juice or tea | /drɪŋk/ |
| side dish(n.) | a small extra dish, like chips or salad | /saɪd dɪʃ/ |
On the table
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| plate(n.) | a flat dish you eat from | /pleɪt/ |
| fork(n.) | a tool with points for eating | /fɔːk/ |
| knife(n.) | a tool for cutting food | /naɪf/ |
| spoon(n.) | a tool for soup and desserts | /spuːn/ |
| glass(n.) | you drink water from it | /ɡlɑːs/ |
| napkin(n.) | paper or cloth to clean your mouth | /ˈnæpkɪn/ |
Useful phrases
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I'd like...(phrase) | a polite way to ask for something | /aɪd laɪk/ |
| Can I have...?(phrase) | a simple way to ask for something | /kən aɪ hæv/ |
| the bill / check(n.) | the paper that shows what to pay | /ðə bɪl/ |
| tip(n.) | extra money for good service | /tɪp/ |
| to order(v.) | to ask for food or drinks | /ˈɔːdə/ |
| to book / reserve(v.) | to ask for a table in advance | /bʊk/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Bill (UK) or check (US)?
In the UK, ask Can I have the bill, please? In the US, ask Can I have the check, please? People understand both.
Knifes ❌: the plural is knives
Some nouns in -f or -fe change to -ves in the plural: knife → knives, life → lives, leaf → leaves. And remember: the k of knife is silent, /naɪf/.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Restaurant
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “Restaurant” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Frequently asked questions
How do you order food in a restaurant in English?+
Say I'd like + dish: I'd like the chicken, please. It is polite. You can also ask Can I have + dish? The waiter asks you What would you like? or Are you ready to order?
Is it the bill or the check?+
The bill is British English and the check is American English. The standard question is Could I have the bill, please? A shorter way is The bill, please.
Do you have to tip in a restaurant in the US?+
Yes. In the US, people expect a tip (extra money for the waiter): usually 15 to 20% of the bill. In the UK, it is more of a choice: about 10 to 12% if service is not included.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/restaurant
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.