Lesson

Eating Out

Restaurant and dining vocabulary

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Eating Out — Key Vocabulary

This lesson covers essential vocabulary used when dining at restaurants, cafés, and business meals. You'll learn common words, phrases, and collocations that help you order, pay, and discuss menus professionally.

Understand names of courses and common menu items
Use terms for booking, ordering, and paying correctly
Recognize formal vs. informal vocabulary used in business settings

Table

Eating Out Reference Table

Word	Part of Speech	Example
starter / appetizer	noun	We shared a starter before the main course.
main course / entrée	noun	For the main course I'll have the grilled salmon.
dessert	noun	What's for dessert? I recommend the cheesecake.
menu	noun	Could we see the menu, please?
reservation / to reserve	noun / verb	I made a reservation for a meeting lunch at 12:30.
bill / check	noun	May we have the bill, please?
waiter / server	noun	The server took our order quickly.
to order / to place an order	verb	Please order the vegetarian option for the client.
side dish	noun	A side dish of vegetables comes with the meal.
specials	noun	Today's specials include a seasonal salad and steak.

Tip

Key Tip: Formal vs. Informal Vocabulary

When eating out, choose vocabulary according to the context. Business meals usually require more formal phrasing.

Use 'reservation' instead of 'book' at formal restaurants.
Say 'Could we have the bill, please?' in professional settings — it's polite and neutral.
Use 'starter' or 'appetizer' depending on regional preference; both are acceptable.

Match your vocabulary to the tone of the meeting (formal vs. casual).

Example

Examples in context

I made a reservation for a business lunch at 1:00 PM.

Could we see the menu, please? We need to decide quickly.

I ordered the vegetarian main course and a side dish of roasted vegetables.

When the meeting ended, we asked the server for the bill.

Tip

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these universal errors when using eating-out vocabulary.

Confusing countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., 'a menu' is countable, 'fish' as food can be uncountable).
Using the wrong article: say 'the bill' or 'a bill' depending on context — check specificity.
Mixing regional terms without context (e.g., check vs. bill) — consider audience.
Incorrect word order in polite requests: use 'Could we have...' or 'May I have...'.
Using plural verbs with singular nouns (e.g., 'The menu is' not 'The menu are').

Double-check article use, singular/plural agreement, and polite request structures.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Focus on polite forms for requests and correct verb patterns.

Quiz

Complete: She ordered the _____ to start the meal.

Hint: Think of the first small course of a multi-course meal.

Quiz

Which word is the British English term for the paper with the amount due at a restaurant?

Hint: Consider regional differences (UK vs US) in dining vocabulary.

Key Points

Vocabulary

starter

noun CEFR B1 //ˈstɑːrtər//

A small dish served at the beginning of a meal.

For the starter, I'll have the tomato soup.

Vocabulary

main course

noun CEFR B1 //meɪn kɔːrs//

The primary or largest dish in a meal.

The main course was fish served with rice.

Vocabulary

dessert

noun CEFR A2 //dɪˈzɜːrt//

A sweet course served at the end of a meal.

We shared a chocolate dessert after the meeting.

Vocabulary

reservation

noun CEFR B1 //ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən//

An arrangement to have a table held at a restaurant for a specific time.

I made a reservation for eight people at 7 pm.

Vocabulary

bill

noun CEFR A2 //bɪl//

The list of items ordered and the total amount to pay at a restaurant (British English).

Could we have the bill, please? We're ready to leave.

Vocabulary

check

noun CEFR A2 //tʃɛk//

The paper with the total amount to pay at a restaurant (American English).

In the US, customers usually ask for the check at the end of the meal.

Vocabulary