Placing the Initial Order
The customer calls the restaurant and places their initial food order, stating dishes and quantities.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
delivery
The service of bringing food from a restaurant to your home or location, often used when ordering takeout over the phone.
order
A request to buy or receive specific food items; in this context, it's what you ask for from the restaurant.
spicy
Describes food with a hot, burning flavor from peppers or spices; useful when specifying how you want your dish prepared.
lo mein
A popular Chinese noodle dish stir-fried with vegetables or meat; 'vegetable lo mein' means it has veggies but no meat.
spring rolls
Thin, crispy fried rolls filled with vegetables or meat, commonly served as an appetizer in Chinese cuisine.
extra
Means additional or more than the usual amount; here, 'extra side of white rice' means an additional portion.
confirm
To check or verify that information is correct; restaurants use this to avoid mistakes in your order.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'd like to place an order for delivery, please.
This is a polite way to start a phone order; 'I'd like to' is a formal expression for making requests, and 'please' adds courtesy. Use it when calling to order food.
What can I get for you?
A common question from service staff to ask what the customer wants; it's friendly and direct. Restaurant workers use this to invite you to order.
I'll have one General Tso's Chicken, spicy please.
This shows how to order a specific dish with details; 'I'll have' means 'I want,' and 'spicy please' specifies the style. Useful for customizing food orders.
Got it. So, one General Tso's Chicken, spicy, and one vegetable lo mein. Anything else?
Staff repeat the order to confirm ('Got it' means understood), then ask if more is needed. This pattern helps avoid errors; use it when summarizing someone's request.
Yes, one extra side of white rice, please, and two spring rolls.
This adds items to the order; 'Yes' responds to 'Anything else?', and listing with 'and' connects items. Great for building on an initial order politely.
Can I confirm the order for you?
A polite offer to review the full order; 'Can I' asks permission, and it's useful before finalizing to ensure accuracy in transactions.