Food and Drink Vocabulary | EnglishClub

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Vocabulary (EnglishClub.com)
Note: Many English words and expressions about food come directly from French. This is why some words about food are
written with an accent (for example: la carte). However, you may also see such words written without accent.
Vocabulary
part of speech

Meaning

Example sentence

la carte
adjective

without a side dish

Is it possible to get the steak la carte? I

don't eat potatoes.

la mode
adjective

with ice cream

Would you like your apple pie la mode?

alcohol, liquor
noun

a distilled liquid such as rum or whiskey

This beer has 5% alcohol.

all you can eat

adjective

customers pay one fee and can eat as much as

they wish

These are all you can eat fries, so let me

know if you want more.

appetizer
noun

small snack before a meal

Would you like some garlic bread or another

appetizer to start?

appetizing
adjective

looks pleasing to eat

I'm afraid these pancakes don't look very

appetizing.

apron
noun

a cloth covering worn over the clothes while

cooking

Remove your apron before you come out to

the dining room.

awful (taste)
adjective

very bad taste

The customer said that her pasta was awful.

bar
noun

place in an establishment where people go to get a If you sit up at the bar you don't have to order
drink (especially alcoholic drinks)
any food.

barbeque
noun/verb

southern style of cooking over a grill

The barbeque wings are our specialty.

barstool
noun

tall seats that customers use at the bar

The guest fell off his barstool before he even

ordered a drink.

bartender
noun

staff member that mixes, pours, and serves

alcoholic beverages

I do part-time work as a bartender in a local

pub.

beverage
noun

drink

Can I bring you some beverages while you

look at the menus?

bill, cheque, check

noun

the slip of paper that tells the customer how much

to pay

Table 3 would like you to bring them their

cheque.

black coffee
adjective + noun

coffee without any milk

Should I bring some cream, or do you take

your coffee black?

boil
verb

style of cooking that involves placing food in a

deep pot of extremely hot water

We usually boil the potatoes first so that they

will cook faster.

book off
verb

mark a day that you cannot work

I need to book off the first week of May.

booster seat
noun

a plastic unit that fits on top of a chair to help

small children reach the table

Will your child be needing a booster seat

today?

booth/bench
noun

type of seating in which people sit side by side on

a cushioned area

We'd prefer a booth if you have one available.

booze
noun(idiom)

alcohol

You've been into the booze already, haven't

you?

bottle opener
noun

a device used for opening beer bottles that don't

twist off

All of the servers keep bottle openers on

their keychains.

bread basket
noun

slices of bread and butter served before and with a I'll bring you a bread basket to hold the kids
meal
down until dinner.

breaded
adjective

rolled and cooked in bread crumbs

The shrimp is breaded in our homemade

batter.

buffet
noun

self-serve tables of food that are set out for the

customer to pick and choose from

The plates and everything you need are up at

the buffet.

burnt
adjective

overcooked to the point of turning black

The toast is burnt around the edges.

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buspan
noun

rubber tub used for collecting dirty dishes

The buspan is stacked so high it's too heavy

for me to carry.

busboy, busser
noun

a person who helps out in a restaurant (especially

clearing and setting tables)

Ask the busboy to help you bring out all of the

food.

cash
noun

paper money payment

I don't have any cash. Do you accept Visa?

cash out
verb

counting and submitting the payment of all of the

customers bills at the end of one's shift

Don't forget to include any coupons from

tonight when you cash out later.

cashier
noun

staff member responsible for collecting customer's

money at the front of an establishment

We don't have a cashier; you have to pay

your server.

charge
verb

to add a fee

I will have to charge you an extra dollar to

add ice cream.

check on
verb

make sure the guests are satisfied

You should always check on your guests

about two minutes after you serve the meal.

chef
noun

staff member who is professionally trained to

prepare food

Our head chef is one of the best cooks in

town.

clear
verb

remove finished or unused items from a table

You need to clear this table and set it for four.

cocktail
noun

an alcoholic drink with juice

Would anyone care for a cocktail on this

warm sunny day?

coffee maker
noun

machine that dispenses coffee into a glass

container for pouring

You need to teach the new waitress how to

operate the coffee maker.

coffee round
noun

an offering of coffee and refills around a section of

a restaurant

Let's ask the busboy to do a coffee round

while we take a smoke break.

combo,
combination
noun

mixture

The combo platter has veggies, ribs, and

chicken fingers.

comment card
noun

a piece of paper that customers are given to

record their dining experience

When she asked for a comment card I knew

she was going to complain about the food.

complaint
noun

a problem with service or food

The guest brought his complaint to the

manager.

condiments
noun

types of sauces that are added for flavouring (i.e.

mustard)

All of the condiments you should need are on

the table.

cook
verb/noun

prepare and heat food until it is ready to serve

The guest says that this chicken isn't cooked

enough.

corkscrew
noun

tool for removing the cork from the top of a wine

bottle.

You will need to learn how to work a

corkscrew before you start bartending.

counter
noun

flat area often used for placing dishes on or

preparing food

I left one of the salads on the kitchen counter

by mistake.

coupon
noun

a slip of paper that offers the customers a

discounted rate

Your coupon is only valid for food, not for

alcoholic drinks.

complimentary
adjective

free of charge

The desserts are complimentary because the

dinner took so long.

creamer
noun

small plastic container of cream for coffee

Will you need more than two creamers for

your coffee?

credit card
noun

a plastic card that allows people to pay for

something later

You forgot to sign your credit card slip.

customer, guest
noun

person who goes to an establishment to be served

It is our policy that the customer is always

right.

customer service
noun

treatment of guests

Our restaurant got the award for having the

best customer service this year.

cutlery, silverware,
utensils
noun

tools for eating with (fork, knife, spoon)

In a fine dining restaurant the staff has to

polish the silverware.

cut off
verb

stop serving a customer any more alcohol

I cut off the man with the beard because he'd

had too much to drink.

debit
noun

use bank card to pay directly from bank account

Can we pay by debit here, or do you only take

credit cards?

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deep fried
adjective

cooked in a large pot of oil

Most of the appetizers on our menu are deep

fried.

defrost, thaw
verb

remove frozen food from the freezer to prepare

Don't forget to defrost some pies for

tomorrow.

delicious
adjective

very good taste

The cookies were so delicious they were gone

in half an hour.

delivery
noun

food brought to the home

Do you have delivery or do we have to come

in to eat?

designated driver
adjective + noun

person in a party who agrees not to consume

alcohol in order to drive everyone home safely

Is there a designated driver in your party or

are you taking a taxi?

dessert
noun

sweet treat after a meal

I think we're too full to have dessert tonight.

dessert tray
noun

a plate of all of the desserts that customers can

view and order from

I'll bring the dessert tray around and see if I

can tempt any of you with a slice of cake or
pie.

dirty dishes
adjective + noun

plates that customers are finished with

I'll just clear these dirty dishes and make

some room for you.

discount
noun

at a cheaper cost

We got a discount because we are regular

customers.

dishpit
noun

area in the restaurant where the dirty dishes are

placed.

Jody is not going to want to go into the

dishpit today.

dishwasher
noun

the staff member/machine that washes the dirty

dishes

Can you bring the dishwasher these pans to

clean?

doggie bag
noun

unfinished food that is packed up for the customer

to take home

I can't finish my steak, but I'll take a doggie

bag.

double
noun

two shots of alchohol in one drink

Make that a double in a tall glass, please.

draft
noun

beer from a keg that pours out of a tap

We have a selection of local beers on draft.

dressing
noun

liquid topping for salads

Would you like Italian or French dressing?

dry
adjective

no sauce

I'll have dry toast with two eggs.

entre, main course the largest part of a meal (after appetizer, before
noun
dessert)

The entres are after the lunch specials on

page 6 of the menu.

fast-food
noun

an eatery that offers quick inexpensive food

We don't provide table service. This is a

fast-food restaurant.

fine dining
noun

a very expensive eating establishment

The waiters wear bowties because it's a fine

dining restaurant.

float
noun

small amount of cash used to make change at the

beginning of a server or bartender's shift

I need a roll of quarters for my float.

free refills
adjective + noun

beverages that can be filled again without any cost Have all of the soda you want; it's free refills
here.

fry
verb

cook over an element in oil

Don't fry the vegetables too long or they will

go soggy.

garnish
noun/verb

food that is added to a plate for appearance or

colour(i.e. parsley or fruit)

Don't forget to garnish all of the entrees that

go out.

glassware
noun

group of drinking glasses

Make sure the glassware doesn't have any

spots before you put it away.

gloves (plastic)
noun

covering for the hands to prevent the spread of

germs

Whenever you are handling food make sure

you are wearing gloves.

gratuity/tip
noun

extra money given as a thank you for service

When we have a large party we're allowed to

add a 15% gratuity to the bill.

greet
verb

say hello and welcome customers to the

establishment

Your priority as a hostess is to greet the

guests at the door with a smile.

grill
noun/verb

cooking over iron slats that allow for oil and fat to
drop down

The healthiest way to prepare meat is on a

grill.

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hairnet
noun

a covering worn on the head while preparing food

If you don't want to wear a hat, you can wear

a hairnet.

happy hour
noun

short amount of time when alcoholic drinks are on

sale

We're expecting a rush because it's almost

happy hour.

highball
noun

alcohol served with soda

Our highballs are on for half price today.

highchair
noun

a tall chair with a plastic tray designed for a baby

The party is for ten plus a highchair.

hold
verb

leave off/without

I'll take a hamburger, hold the bun.

homemade
adjective

made from a recipe

We serve the best homemade soup in town.

host, hostess
noun

staff member in charge of greeting and seating

customers in a restaurant

Please wait and the hostess will seat you.

ingredients
noun

all of the different foods that are combined in a

recipe

I'll check the ingredients to make sure there

aren't any nuts.

kettle
noun

pot for boiling water for tea

I'll put the kettle on and make some fresh tea.

last call
noun

the last chance for a person to get an alcoholic

drink before the establishment closes

We'll have two more screwdrivers for last call.

lemon, lime wedge

noun

a small segment of lemon or lime put on the rim of I'd like a lemon wedge for my ice water
a glass
please.

lineup
noun/verb

a number of people waiting for something

Is this the lineup to pay or get seated?

liqueur
noun

alcohol that has a syrupy/sweet taste

Can I offer you a coffee liqueur to go with

your dessert?

make change
verb + noun

give customers money back from a payment

We can make change if all you have is large

notes.

manager
noun/adjective

person in charge of a section of a restaurant

I'd like to speak to the floor manager about

the service.

melt
verb

warm to soften (i.e. cheese/butter)

First, melt two tablespoons of butter in the

microwave.

menu
noun

a booklet of all of the food that can be ordered

Do you have a children's menu we could see?

microwave
noun

a small appliance that heats and cooks food

quickly

We can heat your dinner in the microwave if

you like.

mild
adjective

not spicy

I'd like a half dozen mild chicken wings.

nightclub
noun

establishment where adults go to dance and drink

alcoholic beverages

If you work at the nightclub you will have to

stay until 2 AM.

non alcoholic
beverage
adjective + noun

a drink that resembles a certain drink without the

alchohol

Can I order a non alcoholic beer?

notepad
noun

paper that a server uses to write down orders

Just let me grab my notepad and I'll take your

order.

on the rocks
preposition + noun

on ice

I'll take a whiskey on the rocks.

on the side
preposition + noun

request for a food item to NOT be put on top of

another food item

For the nachos, can we have the sour cream

on the side?

order
verb/noun

make a request to a server

Is everyone ready to order lunch now?

over charge
verb

give a customer a bill that is too high (by mistake)

I think you over charged us for our drinks;

we only had one each.

pack up
verb

put in a take-out container for the customer to

bring home

Would you like me to pack up the rest of that

pizza?

party
noun

group of people at or waiting for a table

A party of twelve just walked in without a

reservation.

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patio
noun

outdoor seeating

We closed the patio because it looks like it's

going to rain.

paycheque
noun

money given to the staff every week or two

You'll get a paycheque every other Monday.

pitcher, jug
noun

a container with a spout to pour water, beer, or

other beverages out of

We'll take a pitcher of beer with four glasses.

portion
noun/verb

a separate amount of food

The chicken fingers are already portioned in

the freezer.

pour
verb

dispense liquid from a container

Can I pour you folks another glass of water?

prepare
verb

get food ready

The servers have to prepare the salads

themselves.

pub
noun

establishment that specializes in casual food and

alcoholic beverages

I can wear whatever I want when I work at

the pub.

punch clock and

punch card
noun

a machine that staff members place a card into

when they begin and finish a work shift

I don't want staff members hanging around

the punch clock.

punch in, out

verb

put a card in the punch clock to mark the time you You can punch out as soon as you finish
start and end a shift
sweeping the floors.

punch something in
verb

enter an order into a computer system

I'm going to punch in a large order now, so

get ready.

rare
adjective

cooked meat that is pink inside

This steak is too rare for me to eat.

recipe
noun

list of ingredients and instructions for preparing a

certain type of food

Our chef is so talented that he almost never

bothers with a recipe.

regulars
noun

people who come into an establishment often

You can give the regulars a complimentary

drink from time to time.

reservation
noun

a request to have a table saved for a certain

amount of people

We don't take any reservations; it's first

come first served here.

restrooms
noun

place for people to use a toilet and wash hands

The restrooms are to your left and down the

stairs.

roll-up
noun

a set of cutlery wrapped in a napkin

Before we punch out we have to prepare

enough roll-ups for the night shift.

rush
noun

a large amount of customers arriving at the same

time

We always have a rush after church on

Sundays.

rush
noun/verb

prepare quickly for a certain reason

Can you put a rush on this spaghetti; I forgot

to punch it in.

sauce
noun

liquid flavouring added to food

What kind of sauce would you like on your ice

cream, butterscotch or chocolate?

schedule
noun/verb

a notice of the time and date each staff member

has to work in a certain period of time

If you want to book off a day, let me know

before I make the schedule.

seasoning
noun

dry flavouring added to food

He wants the chicken plain without any

seasoning.

self-serve
adjective

the customers bring their own food items to the

table and do not pay for service

We have a buffet on, so it's self-serve for

lunch.

senior's discount
noun

a reduced price for people over a certain age (i.e.

over 65)

We have a senior's discount of 25% off on

Mondays.

separate cheques
adjective +
noun/verb +noun

a different bill for each member/group sitting at a

table

We asked for separate cheques but it all

came on one bill.

serve
verb

look after a customer, bring items to a customer

Is there someone in charge of serving out on

the patio?

set
verb

get a table ready with items such as cutlery and

glassware

I need you to clear and set table five for a

party of eight.

shade
noun

place outside that is not in the sun

We'd like to sit on the patio if there is any

shade.

shot
noun

one ounce of alcohol served in a small glass (shot

glass)

Let's do a shot to get this party started.

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shooter
noun

an ounce of alcohol and juice combined

Is there a shooter that has orange juice in it?

side dish
noun

choice of food that goes with a main meal

The two side dishes are mashed potatoes or

french fries.

sour
adjective

acid or fermented taste

I think the milk has gone sour from sitting out

of the fridge too long.

sous chef
noun

staff member who works under and assists the

main chef

Our sous chef is leaving to become the head

chef at another restaurant.

specials
noun

items that were prepared particularly for a certain

day and are usually at a reduced price

Would you like to hear the specials before

you decide on lunch.

specialty
noun

food item that a restaurant is popular for

Homemade fish and chips is our specialty.

spicy
adjective

hot flavour

Any item with three chilies beside it means

that the dish is very spicy.

stay
verb

to eat in the restaurant

Are these coffees to go or to stay.

stir, mix
verb

spin round and round with a spoon

Stir the soup for a few minutes before you

serve it.

straw
noun

long hollow plastic stick for drinking out of

Can I please get a straw for my ice tea?

straight up
adjective

alcoholic drink without any mix or ice

He always has a straight up glass of rum after

his meal.

substitute
verb

replace one item for another

Can I substitute the carrots for corn?

supervisor
noun

staff member in charge of watching over things

and dealing with problems

When I'm not here George will be your

supervisor.

sweet
adjective

taste with a lot of sugar

If you like sweet things, you'll love our

chocolate cheesecake.

take-out
adjective/verb

food that is packed up and eaten at home

You can either eat in or order food to

take-out.

two-minute check
noun

a visit to a table approximately two minutes after

the food has been served to check for satisfaction

Don't forget to do your two-minute check to

make sure the steak is cooked properly.

terminal
noun

computer system for punching in food orders

There's one terminal in the kitchen and one

on the bar.

till
noun

drawer of a cash register that money is kept in

You need a key to open the till and make

change.

to go
verb

to take out of the restaurant

We're just going to order a pizza to go.

toppings
noun

food items that go on top of other food items to

add flavour

What type of toppings would you like to have

on your pizza?

uniform
noun

clothing that staff members have to wear

The uniform here is black pants and a white

shirt.

waiter, waitress
noun

staff member in charge of taking orders and

serving food and beverages

When I got promoted from a hostess to a

waitress I started making tips.

waiting list
noun

list of groups who want a table to eat at

We have a twenty minute waiting list tonight.

warm up
verb

heat food to an enjoyable temperature for eating

Would you mind warming up the baby's bottle

for me?

well- done
adjective

cooked for longer than average

The meat was so well-done it had no flavour.

wine list
noun

a menu of all of the wine you can order from the

glass, litre, or bottle

You will notice that we have a lot of local wine

on our wine list.

winery
noun

a place where wine is made, tasted, and sold

There is another winery up the hill that you

might enjoy stopping at.

wine tasting
adjective

sampling different types of wine

If you are intersted in trying some wines you

should go on a wine tasting tour.

Vocabulary Quiz>

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