Every line has a ▶ button — tap it to hear that line spoken, one word at a time.
Host: Hi, welcome in! Do you have a reservation with us tonight?
Mia: Yes, we do. It should be under Mia, for seven o'clock.
Host: Let me check... Mia, party of two. Perfect, you're all set.
party of two — a group of two guests
Mia: Great. Could we get a table by the window, if there's one free?
Host: I think I can make that happen. Right this way.
Mia: Thanks so much.
Host: Here are your menus. Your server will be right with you.
right with you — here in a moment
Mia: Hi there. Table for two, please. We don't have a reservation.
Host: No problem. We're pretty full right now, so it'll be about a twenty-minute wait.
a twenty-minute wait — you wait about 20 minutes for a table
Mia: Twenty minutes is fine. Should we wait here, or at the bar?
Host: Either one. Can I get a name for the list?
Mia: It's Mia. M, I, A.
Host: Thanks, Mia. Take this pager. It'll buzz when your table's ready.
a pager — pager · buzzes when your table is ready
Mia: Perfect. We'll grab a drink at the bar in the meantime.
in the meantime — while you wait
Host: Sounds good. It shouldn't be long.
Sam: Hi there, I'm Sam. Can I start you off with something to drink?
Mia: Hi Sam. Could we get two waters to begin with?
Sam: Sure. Still or sparkling?
still or sparkling — still · flat, no bubbles | sparkling · with bubbles | tap water · from the tap, free
Mia: Just tap water is fine, thanks.
Sam: Of course. And anything from the bar?
Mia: I'll have a glass of the house red.
the house red — the restaurant's own basic red wine
Ben: Just water for me, thanks. I'm driving.
Sam: Good call. I'll give you a few minutes with the menu.
Mia: Thanks, that'd be great.
Sam: Are we ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes?
Mia: Almost. Could you tell us about the specials first?
the specials — today's extra dishes, not on the menu
Sam: Sure. Tonight we've got a grilled salmon with lemon butter, and a wild mushroom risotto.
Mia: They both sound good. What would you recommend?
Sam: Honestly, the salmon. It's our most popular dish, and it comes with roasted vegetables.
Mia: Okay, you've sold me. I'll go with the salmon.
you've sold me — you convinced me
Sam: Great choice. And for you, sir?
Ben: I'll go with the risotto, please.
Sam: So, what can I get for you?
Mia: I'll start with the soup, and then the steak for my main.
main course — the big plate · appetizer = the small first dish · side = comes with it
Sam: How would you like that cooked?
Mia: Medium, please.
rare, medium, well done — rare · red inside | medium · pink inside | well done · brown all through
Sam: Medium it is. It comes with two sides: fries, salad, or mashed potatoes.
Mia: Fries and a salad, please. And could I get the dressing on the side?
on the side — served in a separate little dish
Sam: Of course. So that's the soup, then the steak, medium, with fries and a salad.
Mia: That's right. Thank you.
Mia: Before I order, I'm allergic to peanuts. Is the pad thai safe for me?
allergic to — it makes you sick, sometimes dangerously
Sam: Thanks for letting me know. It has peanuts on top, but we can leave them off.
Mia: Is there any peanut in the sauce itself?
Sam: Let me double-check with the chef. I'll be right back.
double-check — check a second time, to be sure
Mia: Sure, thank you.
Sam: I checked with the chef. The sauce is nut-free, and they'll skip the topping on yours.
nut-free — made with no nuts at all
Mia: Perfect, I'll have that. And could I swap the rice for a salad?
Sam: Sure, that's an easy swap. I'll note it on the ticket.
Mia: Thanks, I really appreciate it.
Mia: Do you have any vegetarian options?
vegetarian — no meat, no fish
Sam: We do. The veggie pasta is very popular, and the risotto can be made vegetarian too.
Mia: Is the pasta vegan, or does it have cheese?
vegan — no meat, fish, eggs, milk or cheese
Sam: It has parmesan, but we can leave it off. The risotto has cream, though.
Mia: The pasta without cheese, then. And is it gluten-free?
gluten-free — no wheat, so no regular pasta or bread
Sam: The regular one isn't, but we can do gluten-free noodles for two dollars extra.
Mia: That works. Let's do that.
Sam: Got it: veggie pasta, no cheese, gluten-free. I'll let the kitchen know.
Sam: How's everything tasting so far?
Mia: Really good, thanks. The salmon is perfect.
Sam: I'm glad to hear it. Can I get you anything else? More bread?
Mia: Actually, yes. Some more bread for the table, please. And a refill on the water.
a refill — your glass filled up again
Sam: Absolutely. Coming right up.
coming right up — I'm bringing it right now
Ben: Oh, and could we get some extra napkins?
Sam: Of course. I'll bring those over as well.
Mia: Thanks, Sam.
Mia: Excuse me, sorry. When you have a moment?
Sam: Sure, what can I do for you?
Mia: Could we get some hot sauce? And could someone turn the AC down a little?
Sam: Of course. I'll ask the manager about the AC, and I'll grab the hot sauce right now.
grab — get something quickly (casual)
Mia: Thank you.
Sam: Are you still working on that, or can I take your plate?
still working on it — not finished eating yet
Mia: I'm still working on it, thanks.
Ben: I'm all done, thank you. It was great.
Sam: Sure thing. Did you save room for dessert?
save room — leave some space for dessert
Mia: I don't think so. Maybe just a coffee, and then the check.
Sam: Can I tempt you with dessert? Tonight we've got a chocolate lava cake, a lemon tart, and a cheesecake.
tempt you — try to persuade you to have it
Mia: They all sound good. How big is the lava cake?
Sam: It's pretty rich. Most people share it.
rich — heavy and very sweet
Mia: Then we'll share the lava cake, please. With two spoons.
Sam: Two spoons, you got it. Any coffee or tea to go with that?
Ben: A cappuccino for me, please.
Mia: And a decaf for me, if you have it.
decaf — coffee without caffeine
Sam: We do. So that's one lava cake to share, a cappuccino, and a decaf. Coming right up.
Mia: Perfect, thank you.
Sam: Here we go: the chicken, and the pasta.
Mia: Sorry, I think there's been a mix-up. I ordered the salmon, not the chicken.
a mix-up — a mistake, two things got confused
Sam: Oh, I'm so sorry about that. Let me check the ticket... you're right, that's on me.
Mia: No problem. Is it going to take long? We're a little tight on time.
Sam: Ten minutes, tops. I'll put a rush on it.
put a rush on it — ask the kitchen to hurry
Mia: Okay. And what about the chicken?
Sam: Keep it, on the house. Consider it an appetizer.
on the house — free, the restaurant pays
Mia: That's kind, thank you.
Sam: Of course. The salmon will be right out.
Mia: Excuse me, sorry to bother you. My steak is a lot more rare than I asked for.
rare — red inside | medium · pink inside | well done · brown all through
Sam: Oh no. You ordered it medium, right?
Mia: Medium, yes. This is pretty much raw in the middle.
Sam: I'm really sorry. I'll take it back and have them cook it a little longer.
take it back — return it to the kitchen
Mia: Sure. Could my husband keep eating, though? I don't want his food to get cold.
Sam: Absolutely, go ahead. And I'll take the steak off the bill. That's on us.
that's on us — the restaurant pays, it's free
Mia: Oh, you don't have to do that. But thank you.
Sam: It's the least we can do. I'll be right back with it.
Mia: Excuse me, could you check on our order? It's been about forty minutes.
check on — find out what is happening with it
Sam: I'm so sorry. It has been a while, hasn't it? Let me see what's going on.
Mia: Thanks. And while you're at it, we're still missing the fries we ordered.
Sam: You're right, they never came out. Give me one second.
Mia: Sure, no rush. We're just getting hungry.
Sam: Okay, your mains are coming right out. The kitchen got slammed with a big party.
slammed — suddenly extremely busy (casual)
Mia: No worries, these things happen. And the fries?
these things happen — a kind way to accept a mistake
Sam: On the house tonight, and they're coming with the mains. Thanks for your patience.
Mia: Could we get the check, please?
the check — the bill (US English)
Sam: Of course. All on one, or would you like to split it?
split the check — each person pays their part
Mia: Could you split it two ways? We're both paying by card.
Sam: Sure thing. I'll bring the card reader over.
the card reader — tap or insert your card here
Mia: Do you take tap?
Sam: We do. It'll ask you about a tip on the screen, so just choose what you'd like.
a tip — extra money for the service, usually 18 to 20 percent
Ben: Twenty percent is fine.
Sam: Thank you so much. Here's your copy, and have a great night.
Sam: Here's your check. Whenever you're ready, no rush at all.
Mia: Thanks. Here you go, you can put it all on this card.
Sam: I'm so sorry, it looks like your card was declined. Do you have another one?
declined — the bank said no to the payment
Ben: Oh no. Here, try mine instead.
Sam: No worries at all, it happens all the time. And that one went through.
went through — the payment worked
Mia: Phew. And could I get a box for the rest of the pasta?
a to-go box — take your leftovers home
Sam: Of course, I'll box it up for you. Thanks for coming in, have a great night.
Mia: Thank you, everything was lovely. We'll be back.