Lesson 9: Ordering Food and Dining Etiquette

Instructor: “Hello and welcome back to Spoken English for Daily Use! Today, we are learning how to order food in a restaurant and use proper dining etiquette. This is a very useful skill when traveling or dining out. Let’s get started!”

Part 1: Common Restaurant Phrases

[Scene: Slide with useful phrases for ordering food.]

Instructor: “When you go to a restaurant, these are the phrases you will need:

👩💼 Waiter/Waitress: Hello! Welcome. How can I help you?

🦰🎓 You: ✅ Can I see the menu, please? ✅ I’d like to order a coffee, please. ✅ Could I have a cheeseburger with fries? ✅ May I get a glass of water, please? ✅ What do you recommend? ✅ Can I get the bill/check, please?

💡 Tip: ‘I’d like’ and ‘Could I have’ sound more polite than ‘I want’.”

Part 2: Understanding the Menu

[Scene: Slide showing different sections of a menu.]

Instructor: “Most restaurant menus are divided into different sections. Here’s what you’ll usually see:

📌 Appetizers/Starters – Small dishes before the main meal (e.g., soup, salad). 📌 Main Course – The biggest meal (e.g., pasta, steak, rice & curry). 📌 Desserts – Sweet dishes (e.g., cake, ice cream). 📌 Drinks – Beverages (e.g., soda, coffee, tea, juice).”

Part 3: Ordering Food – Sample Conversations

[Scene: Two people ordering food in different situations.]

Instructor: “Let’s see some real conversations!”

🗣 Dialogue 1: Ordering in a Fast-Food Restaurant 🔹 Cashier: Hi! Welcome to Burger King. What would you like? 🔹 Customer: I’d like a cheeseburger and a coke, please. 🔹 Cashier: Would you like fries with that? 🔹 Customer: Yes, please.

🗣 Dialogue 2: Ordering in a Café 🔹 Barista: Good afternoon! What can I get for you?

🔹 Customer: Could I have a cappuccino and a croissant, please? 🔹 Barista: Sure! Anything else? 🔹 Customer: No, that’s all.

🗣 Dialogue 3: Asking for Recommendations 🔹 Waiter: Hello! What would you like to order? 🔹 Customer: I’m not sure. What do you recommend? 🔹 Waiter: Our special today is grilled salmon with garlic butter. 🔹 Customer: That sounds great! I’ll have that.

Part 4: Polite Dining Etiquette

[Scene: Slide with dining etiquette rules.]

Instructor: “In English-speaking countries, there are some basic dining etiquette rules to follow:

✅ Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when ordering and receiving food. ✅ Don’t talk with your mouth full. ✅ Use utensils properly (fork, knife, spoon). ✅ Wait for others before starting your meal (in formal settings). ✅ Leave a tip (in countries like the USA, tipping is expected—usually 10-20%).

Following these rules makes you look polite and respectful!”

Part 5: Student Practice (Role-Playing Activity)

Instructor: “Now, let’s practice! I will say a sentence, and you respond as if you are ordering food in a restaurant.”

📌 Waiter: Welcome! What would you like to order? ✅ (Student answers: I’d like a pasta and a lemonade, please.)

📌 Waiter: Would you like anything else? ✅ (Student answers: No, thank you! OR Yes, I’d like a dessert.)

📌 Waiter: Here’s your food. Enjoy your meal! ✅ (Student answers: Thank you! OR Thanks a lot!)

“Great job! Now, let’s do a quick quiz!”

Instructor: “Now you know how to order food politely and use good dining manners! Try using these phrases when you eat out, and you’ll sound confident and natural. In the next lesson, we will learn how to give directions and ask for locations. See you soon!”