The same fifteen words as the cards above, written out in full — easy to scan, search or print.

Order up!B2phrase

a shout from the kitchen meaning a dish is finished and ready to go to the table

When a dish is ready to leave the kitchen, somebody shouts Order up!

Behind!B2phrase

a warning shouted in a kitchen to tell someone you are passing close behind them

A cook carrying something scalding shouts Behind! so nobody turns into him.

book a tableA2phrase

to arrange a table at a restaurant in advance

A guest telephones the restaurant to book a table for that evening.

a table for twoA2phrase

what you ask for at the door when two of you want to eat together

At the door they ask for a table for two, and someone escorts them to it.

the specialsB1noun

extra dishes a kitchen has made that day, not printed on the menu

Carl offers the specials, and a waiter recites them aloud.

Are you ready to order?A2phrase

what a waiter asks when it is time to tell them what you want

The waiter approaches the table and asks, Are you ready to order?

I’ll haveA2phrase

the normal polite way to start telling a waiter what you want

The guest answers, I’ll have the steak, please.

How would you like that cooked?B1phrase

what a waiter asks about meat, so you can answer rare, medium or well done

With meat, the waiter will ask, How would you like that cooked?

on the sideB1phrase

served in a separate dish rather than poured over the food

If you want the sauce served separately, ask for it on the side.

to goA2phrase

food you take away with you rather than eat in the restaurant

At the food truck, customers order to go and eat in the street.

leave a tipA2phrase

to give a little extra money for good service

Percy handles the money, and people happily leave a tip.

send it backB1phrasal verb

to return a dish to the kitchen because something is wrong with it

If a sandwich leaves the hatch badly made, Carl expects the customer to send it back.

the bill / the checkA2noun

the paper that tells you what you owe at the end of a meal — called the check in American English

Every meal ends the same way: somebody asks for the bill.

mouth-wateringB2adjective

so good to look at that your mouth begins to water

Critics called the food in this film mouth-watering.

sizzlingB2adjective

the hissing sound and look of food cooking in hot fat

Reviewers wrote about the film’s sizzling close-ups.