{"id":6319,"date":"2026-07-09T00:08:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T00:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/restaurant-english-phrases-taiwan\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T00:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T00:08:09","slug":"restaurant-english-phrases-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/fr\/restaurant-english-phrases-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant English (\u9910\u5ef3\u82f1\u6587): 60+ Phrases to Order Like a Local"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nQuick Answer \uff08\u5feb\u901f\u89e3\u7b54\uff09\uff1a<\/strong> Restaurant English \uff08\u9910\u5ef3\u82f1\u6587\uff09 follows a predictable order: you book a table \uff08”I’d like to make a reservation for two at 7″\uff09, get seated, ask about the menu \uff08”What do you recommend?”\uff09, order \uff08”I’ll have the\u2026”\uff09, handle any problems politely, then ask for the bill \uff08”Could we get the check, please?”\uff09. Learn one or two go-to phrases for each stage and you can eat out in English almost anywhere.<\/div>\n

Roughly 15\u201320% of a first trip abroad is spent inside restaurants, caf\u00e9s, and food counters \u2014 and it’s where most Taiwanese travelers freeze up. The good news: waiters use the same 40 or 50 sentences every shift, in the same order. Master that script and \u9910\u5ef3\u82f1\u6587 stops being scary. This guide walks through every stage of a meal \u2014 \u8a02\u4f4d \uff08booking\uff09, \u9ede\u9910 \uff08ordering\uff09, \u7d50\u5e33 \uff08paying\uff09 \u2014 with the exact phrases native speakers use, plus the small cultural rules \uff08like tipping\uff09 that trip people up.<\/p>\n

\u8a02\u4f4d\u82f1\u6587\uff1aMaking a Reservation<\/h2>\n

Popular restaurants in the US, UK, and Australia expect you to book ahead, especially on weekends. A reservation call or app message needs just three pieces of information: how many people, what time, and the name to hold it under. Keep it that simple and you’ll sound completely natural.<\/p>\n

Here are the phrases that cover almost every booking:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • “I’d like to make a reservation for two, please.”<\/strong>\uff08\u6211\u60f3\u8a02\u4f4d\uff0c\u5169\u4f4d\u3002\uff09<\/li>\n
  • “Do you have a table for four this Friday at seven?”<\/strong>\uff08\u9019\u9031\u4e94\u665a\u4e0a\u4e03\u9ede\u6709\u56db\u4eba\u7684\u4f4d\u5b50\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
  • “It’s under the name Chen.”<\/strong>\uff08\u8a02\u4f4d\u540d\u5b57\u662f Chen\u3002\uff09<\/li>\n
  • “Could we get a table by the window?”<\/strong>\uff08\u53ef\u4ee5\u8981\u9760\u7a97\u7684\u4f4d\u5b50\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If the restaurant is fully booked, you’ll hear “I’m sorry, we’re fully booked at that time \u2014 would eight o’clock work?”<\/em> A quick “That works, thanks”<\/em> ou “Do you have anything earlier?”<\/em> keeps the conversation moving.<\/p>\n

    \"\u8a02\u4f4d\u82f1\u6587
    Booking ahead \uff08\u8a02\u4f4d\uff09 is expected at popular Western restaurants on weekends.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u5230\u9910\u5ef3\u5831\u5230\uff1aArriving and Getting Seated<\/h2>\n

    The moment you walk in, a host or hostess greets you. If you booked, say “Hi, I have a reservation under Lin.”<\/strong> If you didn’t, the phrase you want is “Table for three, please.”<\/strong> That’s it \u2014 no long explanation needed.<\/p>\n

    The host will often ask a follow-up question. Knowing the common ones means you won’t be caught off guard:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • “Do you have a reservation?”<\/em> \u2192 “Yes, under Wang.” \/ “No, table for two, please.”\uff08\u6709\u8a02\u4f4d\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
    • “Would you prefer a booth or a table?”<\/em> \u2192 “A booth, please.”\uff08\u8981\u5361\u5ea7\u9084\u662f\u4e00\u822c\u684c\u4f4d\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
    • “Inside or outside?”<\/em> \u2192 “Inside is fine, thanks.”\uff08\u5ba4\u5167\u9084\u662f\u5ba4\u5916\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
    • “Right this way.”<\/em> means follow me<\/strong> \u2014 just walk with them.\uff08\u9019\u908a\u8acb\u3002\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      One honest tip: in Taiwan we’re used to seating ourselves at casual spots, but at most Western sit-down restaurants you wait to be seated. Look for a “Please wait to be seated”<\/em> sign near the door and let the host lead you.<\/p>\n

      \"restaurant
      At Western sit-down restaurants, wait to be seated rather than choosing your own table.<\/em><\/p>\n

      \u770b\u61c2\u83dc\u55ae\u82f1\u6587\uff1aReading the Menu<\/h2>\n

      A Western menu is split into sections, and knowing the words saves you from ordering three starters by accident. Appetizers<\/strong> \uff08\u524d\u83dc, also called starters<\/em> in British English\uff09 come first, then entr\u00e9es<\/strong> ou mains<\/strong> \uff08\u4e3b\u9910\uff09, then desserts<\/strong> \uff08\u751c\u9ede\uff09 and boissons<\/strong> \uff08\u98f2\u6599\uff09. Watch out for one classic trap: in American English an entr\u00e9e<\/em> is the main course, but in French and some other contexts it means the starter. On a US menu, entr\u00e9e = main.<\/p>\n

      When something on the menu is unclear, these questions get you an answer fast:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • \u201c"Que recommandez-vous?"\u201d<\/strong>\uff08\u6709\u4ec0\u9ebc\u63a8\u85a6\u7684\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
      • “What’s today’s special?”<\/strong>\uff08\u4eca\u5929\u7684\u7279\u9910\u662f\u4ec0\u9ebc\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
      • “What comes with the steak?”<\/strong>\uff08\u725b\u6392\u9644\u4ec0\u9ebc\u914d\u83dc\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
      • \u201c Ce plat est-il \u00e9pic\u00e9 ? \u201d<\/strong>\uff08\u9019\u9053\u83dc\u8fa3\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
      • “How big is the portion?”<\/strong>\uff08\u4efd\u91cf\u591a\u5927\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Menu abbreviations matter too. “GF” means gluten-free, “V” usually means vegetarian, and “VG” means vegan. If you have a food allergy, the single most useful sentence in this entire article is “I’m allergic to peanuts \u2014 does this contain any?”<\/strong>\uff08\u6211\u5c0d\u82b1\u751f\u904e\u654f\uff0c\u9019\u9053\u83dc\u6709\u55ce\uff1f\uff09Say it clearly; good staff take allergies seriously.<\/p>\n

        \"\u83dc\u55ae\u82f1\u6587
        Learn the menu sections \u2014 appetizers, entr\u00e9es, desserts \u2014 before you order.<\/em><\/p>\n

        \u9ede\u9910\u82f1\u6587\uff1aOrdering Your Food<\/h2>\n

        This is the moment everyone rehearses in their head. You don’t need fancy grammar \u2014 you need one reliable opener. The three most natural are “I’ll have\u2026”<\/strong>, “Can I get\u2026”<\/strong>, et “I’d like\u2026”<\/strong> Any of them works; “I’ll have the grilled salmon” sounds exactly like a local.<\/p>\n

        A typical ordering exchange looks like this:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Server: \u201c"Vous avez choisi?"\u201d<\/em>\uff08\u53ef\u4ee5\u9ede\u9910\u4e86\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
        • You: “Yes. I’ll have the cheeseburger, please.”<\/strong>\uff08\u597d\uff0c\u6211\u8981\u4e00\u4efd\u8d77\u53f8\u6f22\u5821\u3002\uff09<\/li>\n
        • Server: “How would you like your burger cooked?”<\/em>\uff08\u6f22\u5821\u8981\u5e7e\u5206\u719f\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
        • You: “Medium, please.”<\/strong>\uff08\u4e94\u5206\u719f\uff0c\u8b1d\u8b1d\u3002\uff09\u2014 for steak, the scale runs rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, well-done<\/em>.<\/li>\n
        • Server: “Anything to drink?”<\/em>\uff08\u8981\u559d\u9ede\u4ec0\u9ebc\u55ce\uff1f\uff09<\/li>\n
        • You: “Just water, thanks.”<\/strong>\uff08\u6c34\u5c31\u597d\uff0c\u8b1d\u8b1d\u3002\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Need a moment? “Could you give us a few more minutes?”<\/strong>\uff08\u53ef\u4ee5\u518d\u7d66\u6211\u5011\u5e7e\u5206\u9418\u55ce\uff1f\uff09buys time without any awkwardness. And when you want to customize, “Can I get that without onions?”<\/em>\uff08\u53ef\u4ee5\u4e0d\u8981\u6d0b\u8525\u55ce\uff1f\uff09or “Can I have the dressing on the side?”<\/em>\uff08\u91ac\u6599\u53ef\u4ee5\u5206\u958b\u653e\u55ce\uff1f\uff09are the exact phrases to use.<\/p>\n

          \"\u9ede\u9910\u82f1\u6587
          \u201cI’ll have\u2026\u201d is the simplest, most natural way to start any order.<\/em><\/p>\n

          Want to hear these phrases in a real conversation flow? This short lesson runs through a full ordering exchange from start to finish:<\/p>\n