Vocabulary: At the Restaurant & Dining Out

Welcome to the exhaustive guide on dining out! In this interactive vocabulary lesson, we will cover the essential words you need to navigate a restaurant.

We will explore the roles of restaurant staff, the different courses on a menu, table settings, and how native speakers use dining-related idioms in everyday conversation. Read through the vocabulary, test your knowledge in the quizzes, and complete today's missions below.

Staff & People List:

Waiter / Waitress / Server - A person whose job is to serve customers at their tables.
Chef - A professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant.
Host / Hostess - A person who greets and seats customers at a restaurant.
Bartender - A person who mixes and serves drinks at a bar.
Barista - A person who makes and serves coffee.
Sommelier - A wine steward, typically in a fine restaurant.
Busser - A person who clears tables in a restaurant.
Manager - A person responsible for controlling the restaurant.
Customer / Patron / Diner - A person who buys goods or services, or is eating in a restaurant.

Menu & Courses List:

Menu - A list of dishes available in a restaurant.
Appetizer / Starter - A small dish of food served before the main part of a meal.
Main course / Entree - The primary dish of a meal.
Side dish - A small portion of food served to accompany a main dish.
Dessert - The sweet course eaten at the end of a meal.
Beverage - A drink, especially one other than water.
Specials - Dishes not on the regular menu, usually changing daily.
Catch of the day - Fresh fish that the restaurant bought or caught that morning.
Vegetarian / Vegan - Food that does not contain meat or any animal products.
Gluten-free - Food that does not contain the protein gluten.
Allergy - A damaging immune response to certain foods.
Bill / Check - A printed statement of the money owed for a meal.
Receipt - A printed piece of paper showing that you have paid.
Tip / Gratuity - A small sum of money given to someone for a service.
To-go box / Doggy bag - A container for taking leftover food home.

Table & Items List:

Reservation - An arrangement to have a table kept for your use.
Fully booked - Having no available tables.
Table for two - Requesting a table with two seats.
Napkin - A piece of cloth or paper used to wipe the fingers or lips.
Cutlery / Silverware / Utensils - Knives, forks, and spoons used for eating.
Fork / Knife / Spoon - Implements used for lifting, cutting, and eating food.
Chopsticks - A pair of small sticks used for eating Asian food.
Plate / Bowl - Dishes from which food is eaten or served.
Glass / Mug / Cup - Containers for drinking liquids.
Straw - A thin tube used for sucking drink from a container.
Highchair - A tall chair with a tray, used by a baby or toddler.
Toothpick - A short pointed piece of wood for removing food from between teeth.

Expressions List:

On the house - Given away free by the restaurant.
Grab a bite - To get something to eat quickly.
Go Dutch - To share the cost of a meal equally.
Foot the bill - To pay for something, especially an expensive meal.
Dig in - To start eating enthusiastically.
Eat like a bird - To eat very little.
Eat like a horse - To eat large amounts of food.
Sweet tooth - A great liking for sweet-tasting foods.
Spill the beans - To reveal a secret.
Piece of cake - Something that is very easy to do.
A lot on my plate - Having a lot of work to do or problems to deal with.
Mouth-watering - Smelling, looking, or sounding delicious.
Out of this world - Extremely good or impressive.

Please enable JavaScript to view the interactive flashcards, take the quiz, and download the audio resources.

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

Filter the words below and click on any card to reveal its definition, audio pronunciation, and a sentence-building mini-game.

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of the restaurant vocabulary and idioms.

visibility Definition Match

What do we call the person who brings food to your table?

forum Course Match

A small dish served before the main course is called an...

warning VOCABULARY TRAP

In American English, does the word "Entree" mean the starter or the main course?

psychology Idiom Meaning

If a meal is "on the house", who pays for it?

workspace_premium

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

Complete these real-world tasks to lock the vocabulary into your memory.

Roleplay 🍽️ Pretend you are at a restaurant. Out loud, order your favorite meal and a beverage using English. (e.g., "I would like the fried rice and a coffee, please.")

Idiom Practice 🎤 Record a voice note of yourself saying: "Let us go Dutch on this meal." Send it to a friend when you invite them out!

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Let's review the key concepts covered in the interactive module above to ensure you are ready to dine out with confidence.

The People & The Menu

Staff: Use the gender-neutral term Server instead of waiter/waitress. If you need wine advice, ask the Sommelier.
Courses: A typical meal starts with an Appetizer (or Starter), moves to the Main Course (or Entree in the US), and ends with Dessert.
Dietary Needs: Be sure to specify if you need a Vegetarian (no meat), Vegan (no animal products at all), or Gluten-free option.

Dining Idioms

Native speakers love using food-related idioms!

Go Dutch: To split the bill equally with your friends.
Foot the bill: To generously pay for everyone's meal.
On the house: When the restaurant gives you something for free (like a dessert for your birthday).

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Vocabulary: At the Restaurant & Dining Out

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

The People & The Menu

Dining Idioms

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