Restaurant Vocabulary Worksheets

Press Print worksheet to match twelve table words, from napkin to pitcher, to their meanings.

A sample is on the sheet. What you type replaces it.

What you type stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to us.

NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.At the restaurantnapkinforkknifespoonplatebowlglassmugtableclothstrawtraypitchera narrow tube you sip a cold drinkthrougha large jug with a handle and a lipfor pouringa large, thick cup for cocoa ortea, held by its handlea handle with a sharp metal edge,used to cut fooda dish with high sides that holdssoup, rice or cereala piece of cloth or paper used atmeals to keep cleana nearly flat dish that a meal iseaten froma tool with a small round end forsoup and other liquidsa flat board for carrying dishesa tool with points for lifting foodto your moutha cover of cloth or plastic laidacross the top of a tablea cup with no handle, for colddrinks
NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.At the restaurantAnswer keynapkinforkknifespoonplatebowlglassmugtableclothstrawtraypitchera narrow tube you sip a cold drinkthrougha large jug with a handle and a lipfor pouringa large, thick cup for cocoa ortea, held by its handlea handle with a sharp metal edge,used to cut fooda dish with high sides that holdssoup, rice or cereala piece of cloth or paper used atmeals to keep cleana nearly flat dish that a meal iseaten froma tool with a small round end forsoup and other liquidsa flat board for carrying dishesa tool with points for lifting foodto your moutha cover of cloth or plastic laidacross the top of a tablea cup with no handle, for colddrinks
More options

Next step Next: find food words in a word searchMatch more everyday words

All 48 rows

People and places 12

  • booth A table set between two high-backed benches. Our family sat in a booth.
  • busser A worker who clears the tables and sets them again. A busser took away the empty plates.
  • cashier The worker you pay at the register. Pay the cashier on your way out.
  • chef The cook in charge of the kitchen. The chef made a new soup today.
  • counter A high, narrow table where you order or pick up food. We ordered at the counter.
  • customer A person who pays to eat at the restaurant. The customer asked for more bread.
  • dining room The room where guests sit and eat. The dining room has twenty tables.
  • host The person who greets guests and shows them to a table. The host led us to a table by the window.
  • manager The person in charge of the restaurant and its staff. The manager thanked us for coming.
  • patio An outdoor area with tables. On warm days we eat on the patio.
  • restroom A room with toilets and sinks for guests. The restroom is down the hall.
  • server The worker who notes your order and carries your meal to you. The server wrote down our order.
Show all 48 rows (36 more)

On the table 12

  • bowl A dish with high sides that holds soup, rice or cereal. She ate a bowl of rice.
  • fork A tool with points for lifting food to your mouth. The fork goes to the left of the plate.
  • glass A cup with no handle, for cold drinks. May I have a glass of water?
  • knife A handle with a sharp metal edge, used to cut food. Cut the chicken with your knife.
  • mug A large, thick cup for cocoa or tea, held by its handle. He drank cocoa from a mug.
  • napkin A piece of cloth or paper used at meals to keep clean. Put the napkin on your lap.
  • pitcher A large jug with a handle and a lip for pouring. There is a pitcher of water on the table.
  • plate A nearly flat dish that a meal is eaten from. The plate was hot.
  • spoon A tool with a small round end for soup and other liquids. Eat the soup with a spoon.
  • straw A narrow tube you sip a cold drink through. The lemonade came with a straw.
  • tablecloth A cover of cloth or plastic laid across the top of a table. The tablecloth is white.
  • tray A flat board for carrying dishes. The server carried four plates on a tray.

The menu 12

  • appetizer A small dish served before the main part of the meal. We shared an appetizer of vegetable rolls.
  • beverage Any kind of drink. Milk is the beverage he chose.
  • dessert Something sweet, such as cake or fruit, served last. We had fruit salad for dessert.
  • ingredient One of the foods that go into a dish. Cheese is an ingredient in pizza.
  • main course The largest dish of the meal. Her main course was grilled fish.
  • menu The card that lists the dishes and what each one costs. We read the menu before ordering.
  • portion The amount of food served to one person. The portion of pasta was large.
  • refill A second serving of a drink in the same glass. The server offered a refill of water.
  • side dish A small extra food that comes with the main dish. Rice is the side dish.
  • special A dish that is on offer for today only. Today's special is tomato soup.
  • takeout Food bought at a restaurant and eaten somewhere else. We ordered takeout and ate at home.
  • vegetarian Made without meat or fish. The bean soup is vegetarian.

What people say 12

  • A table for two, please. Asking for seats for two people. You say it to the host at the door.
  • Anything to drink? The server asks which beverage you want. The server says it before or after you order food.
  • Are you ready to order? The server asks what you want to eat. The server says it at your table.
  • Can I pay by card? Asking if a bank card is accepted. You say it when the check comes.
  • Could I have the check? Asking for the paper that shows what you must pay. You say it when the meal is over.
  • Could we have more water? Asking for your glasses to be filled again. You say it to the server.
  • Does this have meat in it? Asking what a dish is made of. You say it before you order.
  • Enjoy your meal. The server hopes that you like the food. The server says it when the food arrives.
  • For here or to go? Asking if you will eat in or take the food away. The cashier says it at the counter.
  • I would like the soup. Telling the server what you have chosen. You say it when you order.
  • Is everything all right? The server checks that you are happy with the meal. The server says it while you eat.
  • What do you recommend? Asking which dish the server thinks is good. You say it when you cannot decide.

How this list was compiled: Word list chosen for this site on 2026-10-02. Each meaning is written in our own words and was checked that day against the entry for the word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. The twelve phrases in What people say, and the plain-words note on what each one is for, are our own. The example after each meaning is our own. Licence: own work

How it works

These restaurant vocabulary worksheets print twelve words down the left and their meanings, mixed up, down the right. Four sets cover people and places, the table, the menu, and what people say when they order and pay.

Read the full guide

Four sets

Set opens on On the table: napkin, fork, knife, spoon, plate, bowl and six more. People and places has server, chef, host and booth. The menu has appetizer, main course, side dish and dessert.

At the restaurant: what people say

The last set matches a sentence to what the speaker wants. Could I have the check? is asking for the paper that shows what you must pay. For here or to go? is asking if you will eat in or take the food away.

  • The words are American: server, check, takeout, restroom. Type your own pairs in the box to swap any of them.

Questions and answers

What words do you need at a restaurant?

The people (server, chef, host, cashier), the things on the table (napkin, fork, knife, spoon, plate, glass), the parts of a menu (appetizer, main course, side dish, dessert, beverage) and a few sentences for ordering and paying.

What is the difference between a menu and a check?

The menu is the list of food and drinks with their prices, read before you order. The check is the paper that shows what you must pay, brought when the meal is over.

Do the worksheets have an answer key?

Yes. It prints as a second page. To print the sheet alone, uncheck Add an answer key as the last page under More options.

More tools

Show 6 more

Browse Handwriting