Ordering a Standard Meal
A customer orders a set meal from the menu, specifying the drink and side options, and the cashier confirms the order.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
meal
A combination of food items, like a main dish, side, and drink, often sold as a set in fast food restaurants for a fixed price.
drink
A beverage, such as soda or juice, that you choose to go with your meal in fast food orders.
side
An additional small dish that comes with the main food, like fries or salad, to complete the meal.
fries
Short for French fries, thin strips of fried potatoes that are a popular side in fast food.
large
A bigger size option for meals, which usually costs a little more but gives more food.
regular
The standard or normal size of a meal, not the bigger one, and often cheaper.
total
The final amount of money you need to pay for your entire order.
order number
A unique number given to your order so you know when it's ready to pick up.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
What can I get for you today?
This is a polite way for a cashier to ask what the customer wants to order. It's useful in service situations to start the conversation; the grammar uses 'get for you' to mean 'prepare or serve for you'.
I'd like the Big Mac meal, please.
A common way to politely request a specific item. 'I'd like' is a contraction of 'I would like', which is more formal and polite than 'I want'; use this when ordering food to sound courteous.
What drink would you like with that?
This asks for a choice of beverage to go with the main order. 'With that' refers to the previous item mentioned; it's useful for customizing orders and shows polite inquiry with 'would you like'.
Could I get a Coke, please? And for the side, can I have fries?
A polite request for specific options. 'Could I get' is a soft way to ask for something; 'and for the side' connects choices. Use this pattern to specify drink and side in set meals.
Would you like to make that a large meal for an extra dollar?
This offers an upsell for a bigger size. 'Would you like to' is a polite suggestion; 'make that a large' means to upgrade it. It's common in fast food to encourage spending more.
No, thanks. The regular size is fine.
A polite way to decline an offer. 'No, thanks' is courteous refusal; 'is fine' means it's acceptable. Use this when you don't want changes to your order.
So that's one regular Big Mac meal with Coke and fries. Your total comes to $8.50.
This confirms the order and gives the price. 'So that's' summarizes; 'comes to' means equals in total. Repeat this structure to verify orders and state the amount clearly.