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Restaurant Vocabulary
Welcome to our video on essential restaurant vocabulary! In this video, we’ll guide you through the key terms and phrases you need to know when dining out. Whether you’re ordering food, asking for the check, or making a reservation, this video has got you covered. Perfect for travelers and language learners, this guide will make your next dining experience much smoother. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more useful language tips!
Vocabulary
Transcript
Introduction:
- Host: Hello and welcome to the English Magnet. Today’s video: Restaurant Vocabulary Made Easy! When abroad the most common experience is having a bite in a foreign restaurant. Using English is relevant not only in English speaking countries but also any other country where you don’t speak the local tongue. English is the go-to way of communicating in the food industry. And so, in this video, we’ll cover key terms related to choosing a restaurant, ordering, while eating, and paying the bill. Plus, we’ll explore essential phrasal verbs and common questions. Ok, let’s do this!
Part 1: Choosing a restaurant
Can you easily pick a place to eat at or do you dwell on the matter for far too long? While we can’t help you with this decision-making process, let us at least clarify a few terms.
Cuisine – A style of cooking characteristic of a specific country or region. Italian, Thai, French, Japanese, Turkish, Ethiopian, Chinese, Mediterranean and California cuisines to name a few.
Menu – A list of the dishes available in a restaurant, resembling a poster, brochure or small book. For drinks it’s either called a drink menu or wine list! Note that many restaurants also have a kids’ menu!
Reservation – A deal made in advance to have a table at a restaurant saved for customers.
Location – The place where the restaurant is situated, its address and position.
Reviews – Opinions about a restaurant from previous customers. These are usually accessible online. By the way, you too can share your experience!
Price range – A scale showing how cheap or expensive a restaurant is. ($-$$-$$$-$$$$)
Seating – The arrangement of chairs and tables for customers. You might sit in a chair, a booth or a bench.
Specials – Dishes offered at a reduced price or for a limited time. It’s always good to ask about any specials a restaurant might have.
Allergy – A harmful reaction to a substance; this can be mild to life threatening (common ones are nut allergy & seafood allergy).
Dietary options – Choices available for people with dietary restrictions (like, vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free).
Part 2: Ordering food
Menu in hand, you’re now deciding what to eat! It’s mouth-watering and at that moment all that matters is the food you’ll get on your plate.
Order – To ask for the food and drink you wish to eat and drink.
Appetizer / Starter – A small dish served before the main meal.
Entrée / Main course – The most substantial dish of a meal.
Side dish – A food item that accompanies the main course. Like the fries to your steak.
Beverage – A drink, especially one other than water.
Dessert – The sweet course eaten at the end of a meal. You know you want one! 🙂
Waiter/Waitress – A person who serves food and drinks to customers.
Doneness – How a food is cooked, especially meat. What you really need to remember are: blue, rare, medium rare, medium, medium-well & well-done.
Condiments – Substances used to add flavor to food, such as salt, pepper, mustard, or ketchup.
Silverware / Cutlery & Tableware – Tools used for eating, such as forks, knives, chopsticks and spoons for silverware and cutlery and cups, plates and bowls for tableware.
Part 3: While eating
At that point it’s all about the taste buds, enjoy your meal!
Taste – What the food feels like: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, umami, savory, spicy…
Table manners / Etiquette – The rules used while eating, like closing your mouth while chewing.
Napkin – A piece of cloth or paper used for wiping the mouth and hands while eating. The messier the dish, the more napkins you’ll need!
Course – One of the parts of a meal, such as an appetizer, soup or salad, entrée, or dessert.
Refill – An additional serving of a drink.
Seasoning – Salt, herbs, or spices added to food to enhance flavor.
Garnish – A decorative ingredient added to a dish to improve its appearance or flavor. Like a mint leaf on a slice of cake.
Portion – The amount of food served for one person. Generally a portion is larger in North America, keep that in mind.
Complaint – A concern about the service or food (like an order mix up or a hair in your soup). Feel free to voice a complaint, but stay civil, restaurants gracefully accommodate customers in such circumstances.
Spill – An accidental fall of liquid or food often resulting in a mess. Hopefully not on your clothes.
Part 4: Paying the bill
You’ve just enjoyed a meal you didn’t cook and you won’t have to wash the dishes, so it’s time to compensate the restaurant!
Digestif – An alcoholic beverage served after a meal like a vermouth or whisky.
Check/Bill – The statement of charges for a meal.
Doggie bag / To-go box – A container for taking home leftover food.
Splitting the bill – To divide the cost of the meal among the diners. You pay for what you eat, no drama!
Service charge – An additional fee added to the bill for service.
Subtotal – The total amount before taxes and tips. Total – The final amount to be paid, including taxes and tips.
Tip/Gratuity – Money given to the waiter/waitress for their service. It’s common to give around 15% but it depends on the type of restaurant and also the country you’re in, it can vary widely. (US – around 20%)
Cash – Banknotes and coins.
Change – The money returned to a customer when they have paid more than the amount due in cash.
Dine and dash – The act of leaving a restaurant without paying, just don’t do it, it’s obviously illegal.
Part 5: Useful phrasal verbs
Plenty of phrasal verbs are used in a restaurant setting. Let’s go over their meanings and some examples.
Look up
Definition: To search for information about something.
Example: Before picking a restaurant, let’s look up reviews online to see which one has the best ratings.
Eat out / Dine out
Definition: To eat at a restaurant rather than at home. On a terrace or inside, you’re still ‘eating out’.
Example: We love to dine out on weekends to try different cuisines.
Dig in
Definition: To start eating vigorously. Usually uttered when everybody gets their main course.
Example: The waiter just brought our food. Everyone, dig in!
Top Off
Definition: To fill something completely, often to the brim.
Example: Can you please top off my drink?
Plate Up
Definition: To arrange food on a plate before serving it.
Example: The chef is plating up our meals now; they’ll be ready in a minute.
Send Back
Definition: To return food to be fixed or replaced.
Example: If your steak is undercooked, don’t hesitate to send it back to the kitchen.
Cut Down On
Definition: To reduce the amount of food.
Example: I’m trying to cut down on sugar, so I’ll skip dessert tonight.
Bolt Down
Definition: To eat something very quickly.
Example: He bolted down his brunch because he was running late.
Chip In
Definition: To contribute money towards the bill.
Example: Let’s all chip in to cover the cost of the birthday cake.
Settle Up
Definition: To pay what you owe.
Example: Before we leave, let’s settle up the bill to make sure everyone has paid their share.
Part 6: Common questions
Exploring restaurants in unfamiliar places often requires seeking help, as you adjust to different culinary practices and dining environments outside your everyday comfort zone. So here is a list of common questions travelers tend to ask to ease their experience when eating out.
When choosing a restaurant (you might be asking these over the phone or in person):
Do you have a table for 2(or 3,4…) on Saturday (day or date) at 6 pm (time)? (for booking a table)
Can we see a menu? / Is your menu available online?
Do you offer outdoor seating?
Do you have vegetarian/vegan options?
Can you accommodate food allergies / special dietary needs?
Ordering food (to a waiter or waitress):
Can you tell me about the chef’s specials today?
Can you leave out or change any ingredients in the dish?
How spicy is this dish?
Can you recommend a good wine or drink pairing with my meal?
Is tap water available, and is there a charge for it?
By the way, tap or still water is just regular water, while sparkling is with gas, the fizzy kind.
While eating (to a waiter or waitress):
To get a waiter’s or waitress’s attention, it’s useful to start with ‘excuse me’, nod, make eye contact or use their name. (on screen: excuse me + the following questions)
Could I get a fork/knife/spoon/chopsticks please?
Can I get some extra napkins/bread/butter/cheese, please?
May we get a refill on drinks, please? (On screen: May / Can both talk about permission, may is more formal)
Is it possible to have my steak cooked a little longer?
Is it possible to split this dish into two plates?
Paying the bill:
Could I get a to-go box/doggie bag for my leftovers?
Could we have the check/bill, please?
Can we split the check?
Do you accept credit cards? / Can I pay with cash?
Could you explain this charge on the bill?
Waiters and waitresses work in tough conditions, courtesy and kindness will help them help you!
Wrap up
- Host: There you go, restaurant vocabulary made easy. Hopefully, you’ll soon be in a restaurant abroad to sharpen your speaking skills in real time. And if you’re in the mood, watch more of our videos! A link to some free material to practice by yourselves can be found in the description below. Keep practicing, and you’ll get the hang of it. Thank you for watching. Until next time!