Dinner at a restaurant in English, from booking to bill
Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's under Kim.
“Hello, we booked a table for two. The name is Kim.”
When: At the host stand when you arrive
The moment
You call a bistro in the West Village to book dinner for you and a friend, then arrive and order for both of you. One dish comes out wrong, so you fix it politely and then ask to split the check.
A2 · Unit 1 · Eating out · Checkpoint
This is the unit’s checkpoint: one roleplay that puts the unit’s scenes together.
The lines
Arriving with a booking
At the door, say you have a booking and give the name: 'Hi, we have a reservation for two at seven-thirty. It's under Kim.' Then the host takes you to your table.
Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's under Kim.
“Hello, we booked a table for two. The name is Kim.”
When to use it: At the host stand when you arrive
What you’ll hear back: Perfect, right this way. (Good, please follow me.)
Ordering for two
When you order for the table, start with 'We'll have' or 'Can we get'. Then say each dish: 'Can we get the burger and the salmon, please?' 'Can we get' is very common and polite enough.
Can we get the burger and the salmon, please?
“We want the burger and the salmon, please.”
When to use it: When the server asks 'What can I get you?'
What you’ll hear back: Great choices. How would you like the burger cooked?
Words for this scene
| Word or phrase | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Could we get separate checks? | KUD-wee get SEP-rit CHEKS | Can each person get their own bill? |
Before you ring us up, could we get separate checks? Before you make the bill, can each of us pay alone? Tip: Ask early; some busy places won't split after printing the check. | ||
| I think there's a mix-up. | ai THINK thairz uh MIKS-up | I think something went wrong with the order. |
I think there's a mix-up. I ordered the salmon, not the steak. I think the order is wrong. I wanted the fish, not the beef. Tip: 'Mix-up' blames nobody, so it keeps things friendly. | ||
| We're all set, thanks. | weer ALL SET, THANKS | We don't need anything more, thank you. |
No dessert for us. We're all set, thanks. Could we get the check? We don't want a sweet dish. We need nothing more. Can we have the bill? Tip: In the US the check won't come until you ask. | ||
Your objective
Book a table for two, order for both of you, sort out the dish that comes out wrong, and ask to split the bill.
- a table for two
- the wrong dish
- splitting the bill
Lines that get it done
- I think there's a mix-up. · I think something went wrong with the order.
- Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's under Kim.
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. You arrive at the restaurant. You booked a table with the name Kim. What do you tell the host?
- Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's under Kim.
- Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's on Kim's name.
- Hi, we reserved two. The name is under Kim table.
- Hi, Kim made reservation, we are two for her.
Show the answer
Hi, we have a reservation for two. It's under Kim.
In American English, a reservation is 'under' a name.
2. The server brings steak, but you ordered salmon. What is a friendly way to start?
- I think there's a mix-up. I ordered the salmon.
- You made a mistake. I don't want this steak.
- I think there's a mix-up. I order the salmon now.
- Excuse me, this steak is a confusion for me.
Show the answer
I think there's a mix-up. I ordered the salmon.
'There's a mix-up' doesn't blame the server, and 'I ordered' is correct past tense.
3. You and your friend each want to pay for your own food. What do you ask the server?
- Could we get separate checks?
- Could we get different moneys?
- Could we get two separated bills paying?
- Could we check separate, please?
Show the answer
Could we get separate checks?
Americans say 'the check' for the bill, and 'separate checks' means one bill per person.