Let's go to a restaurant : 我们一起去餐馆吧。(Wǒmen yīqǐ qù cānguǎn ba)
When you enter in the restaurant , you’ll often hear :
你们几位? (nǐ men jǐ wèi) ： How many people (are in your group?) or simply 几位？(jǐ wèi)
You might respond :
Two： 两位 (liǎng wèi) Three： 三位 (sān wèi) Four： 四位 (sì wèi) etc…
What you might hear (too) :
您要点菜吗？：(nín yào diǎncài ma?) Would you like to order?
您要点什么？：(nín yào diǎn shénme?) What would you like to order?
您已经选好了吗？：(nín yǐjīng xuǎnhǎole ma?) Have you chosen already?
您要先喝点儿什么吗？：(nín yào xiān hēdiǎnr shénme ma?) Would you like to order some drinks to start with?
马上! (mǎ shàng)： Be right there!
Getting the Waiter’s attention
In a Western restaurant, we may politely say something like, “Excuse me. We’re ready to order.” Not so in a Chinese restaurant.
Waiter! Order food! ： 服务员! 点菜! (fú wù yuán! diǎn cài!)
Instead of 服务员, depending of the place (Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan…) we can use 小姐 (xiǎo jiě) for waitress.
Making your order :
I want… ：我要… （wǒ yào） or I would like： 我想要 (wǒ xiăng yào)
Examples :
I’d like an order of Kung Pao chicken ： 我要一份宫保鸡丁 (wǒ yào yí fèn gōng bǎo jī dīng)
I want a bowl of rice ： 我要一碗饭 (wǒ yào yì wǎn fàn)
Do you have chicken ？： 请问,有鸡肉吗？
Is this beef ？： 这是牛肉吗？
(While pointing to the menu) : 这个, 一份 (zhè gè, yī fèn) (One serving of this.)
I want a bottle of Coke： 我要一瓶可口可乐 （Wǒ yào yī píng kěkǒukělè）
Asking questions :
Waitress/ waiter, please give me the menu： 服务员, 请给我菜单 (Fú wù yuan，qĭng gěi wŏ cài dān)
What can you recommend?： 你有什么可以向我推荐？(nǐ yǒu shénme kěyǐ xiàng wǒ tuī jiàn?)
What’s the most popular dish here?： 这里最火的菜是什么? (zhè lǐ zuì huǒ de cài shì shén me)“
Where is the restroom ？： 洗手间在哪里 ? (xĭ shǒu jiān zài nă lǐ)
Restroom／WC：洗手间 (xĭ shǒu jiān) or 厕所 (cè suǒ)
Complaints :
这不是我点的 (zhè bú shì wǒ diǎn de) ：This isn’t what I ordered
我点了炒饭，还没到 (wǒ diǎn le chǎo fàn, hái méi dào) ：I ordered some fried rice and it hasn’t arrived.
帐单不对 (zhàng dān bù duì) ： The bill is not right.
Other phrases :
I don’t want MSG ： 我不要味精 (wǒ bú yào wèi jīng)
I don’t want it spicy ： 我不要辣的 (wǒ bú yào là de)
I don’t eat meat ： 我不吃肉 (wǒ bù chī ròu)
I am a vegetarian ： 我吃素 wǒ chī sù
I am vegan ： 我吃全素 (wǒ chī quán sù) (or 我吃 纯素 wǒ chī chún sù)
I’m sorry, is it possible not to put meat in that? : 不好意思，可以不放肉吗 ？(bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ bù fàng ròu ma?)
After the meal, you might say :
The bill, please!： 买单! (mǎi dān) or 我买单 wǒ mǎidān (I would like to pay)
How much is it (in total)?： 一共多少钱? (yí gòng duō shǎo qián)
Can I use a credit card?： 刷卡可以吗? (shuā kǎ kě yǐ mā)
Pay together： 一起付 (yī qǐ fù)
Pay separately：分开付 (fēn kāi fù)
[EXTRA]
It’s not customary to tip in restaurants in China. If the service was exceptionally good, and you are paying in cash, you can simply ask them to keep the change as a tip.
Don’t need to give me the change. It is a tip ： 别找了，算小费吧。(bié zhǎo le, suàn xiǎ fèi ba)
or
不用找了，当小费吧！(bú yòng zhǎo le dāng xiǎo fèi ba)” ：No need to get change, keep it as a tip!
