English for Ordering Food: Phrases That Work

Level: A1–A2 (CEFR) · Author: eslworkout editorial team · Last updated: 2026-09-13

Ordering food is one of the first real conversations most English learners have, and one of the few where a small set of fixed phrases carries the whole exchange. A server does not expect a grammar performance; they expect a clear order, a question or two and a thank you. That is why ordering food rewards ten well-practised sentences far more than a long vocabulary list.

This guide gives the phrases that work at a cafe counter, at a sit-down restaurant and at a takeaway, in the order you will need them: greeting, ordering, asking about the menu, making special requests and paying. A short model conversation and a five-day practice plan come at the end.

Start with a greeting, not with the order

The exchange begins before the food. Catch the server's attention with Excuse me, then greet and state what you need: A table for two, please. Or Can we sit outside? At a busy counter, Hello, could I order, please? is enough.

Three habits make every phrase that follows sound polite:

Use could or would, not I want. I'd like a coffee and Could I have a coffee are both safe; I want a coffee is correct grammar but sounds like a demand in a service situation.

Put please at the end. Could I have the soup, please. Not please could I have soup now.

Answer the question you are asked. Servers almost always ask two things: eat in or takeaway, and anything else? Short answers work perfectly: For here, please. No, that's everything, thank you.

Ordering at a cafe or counter

At a counter, keep it short and finish with please; a clear sentence is also what the queue behind you wants.

Ordering at a sit-down restaurant

Notice that I'll have and I'd like do the same job. Both are natural, and using the same one twice in a row keeps the order simple to follow. When everyone at the table orders, one person can say We're ready to order now and then let the others speak.

Asking about the menu

Questions are where a learner needs the most practice, because the answer comes back fast and often contains a new word. These forms cover most of what you want to know:

What's in the pasta dish? Does the salad contain nuts? Is the soup vegetarian? How spicy is the curry? What does this come with? Is it served hot or cold? Is there a set menu at lunchtime?

Keep the question short and start with Does, Is or What. If you do not know the name of an ingredient, describe it: the small green vegetable, or the sauce with cream. Most servers are used to this and will happily point at the menu.

One practical habit: ask about the dish before you order it, not after it arrives.

Making special requests

Special requests are ordinary in restaurants, and the polite pattern is a question with could or can, followed by please:

Could I have it without onions, please? Could you make the dressing on the side? Can I have the sauce separately, please? Could I change the chips for a salad? Is it possible to have no ice in the water?

For food you cannot eat, state it as a fact and then ask your question. I don't eat pork. Is there pork in this dish? I'm allergic to shellfish. Which dishes are safe for me? Restaurants can tell you the main ingredients, but they cannot promise how the kitchen prepared the food, so ask directly and choose something else if the answer is not clear.

Two useful words to know: on the side means the sauce or dressing comes in a separate dish, and extra means a little more. Could I have some extra bread, please is a complete request.

Paying and leaving

When you are ready, catch the server's eye and say the sentence calmly: Could we have the bill, please? In American English the same request is Could we have the check, please?

Paying brings two more questions. Can I pay by card? and Do you take cash? If a group is splitting the cost, Can we pay separately? solves it in four words. In many countries a service charge is added to the bill, so if you are unsure, ask Is service included? and tip on top of that only if you want to. To finish, Thank you, that was lovely works anywhere.

A short model conversation

The restaurant version is longer but no harder: Could we have a few more minutes, please? What would you recommend? I'd like the chicken, please. And at the end: Could we have the bill, please? Six or seven short sentences and the conversation is complete.

A five-day practice plan

Phrases come back when they are used, not when they are read, so practise out loud for five minutes a day:

Listen to the recording once and count two things only: how many times you said please, and whether each request started with could, can or I'd like. Those two habits carry most of the politeness in this situation, and a daily workout that mixes grammar, vocabulary and listening keeps them in use: start with the A1 Day 1 Workout or browse the vocabulary exercises for food and shopping words. If you want the grammar behind the polite forms first, our present simple guide explains the difference between routines and requests, and the common beginner mistakes guide covers the errors that make an order sound abrupt.

Frequently asked questions