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Ordering Food at a Café

Students learn useful café words and polite phrases like “would like” and “could I have” while listening to a café conversation and practicing it in pairs. They also role-play ordering with the AI, write a short order, and review key expressions in sentence-building activities.

B1 Intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher

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1. Image

Look at the café scene and imagine the conversation. What would you like to order today?

Teacher note: Look at the café scene and imagine the conversation. What would you like to order today?

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2. Vocabulary

  • menu
    a list of food and drinks you can order
  • counter
    the place where you order and pay
  • waiter
    a person who serves customers in a café
  • bill
    the paper or total amount you pay
  • takeaway
    food or drink you take with you
  • for here
    food or drink you eat in the café
  • special
    a dish or drink that is not always on the menu
  • recommend
    to suggest something good
  • I'd like...
    a polite way to order something
  • Could I have...?
    a polite way to ask for food or drink
  • Anything else?
    a question used to ask if the customer wants more
  • That'll be...
    a phrase used to say the price

Teacher note: Vocabulary set for café ordering and payment, with clear B1-friendly definitions and polite customer phrases.

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3. Grammar

Polite requests in cafés: would like and could I have

When we order food and drinks, we often use polite request forms. These sound friendly and natural in cafés, restaurants, and other service situations.

1) would like

Use would like to say what you want in a polite way.

Form:

  • I would like + noun
  • I’d like + noun
  • I’d like + to + verb

Examples:

  • I’d like a cappuccino, please.
  • I would like a ham sandwich.
  • I’d like to sit near the window.
  • We’d like two teas, please.

2) could I have

Use could I have to ask for something politely.

Form:

  • Could I have + noun, please?

Examples:

  • Could I have a latte, please?
  • Could I have two croissants?
  • Could I have the menu, please?
  • Could I have a bottle of water?

3) Short polite answers from staff

Café staff often answer with short, polite phrases.

Examples:

  • Certainly.
  • Of course.
  • Sure.
  • No problem.
  • Here you are.

4) Common mistakes

  • Wrong: I would like a tea, please?
    Right: I’d like a tea, please.
  • Wrong: Could I have a coffee please.
    Right: Could I have a coffee, please?
  • Wrong: I would likes a sandwich.
    Right: I’d like a sandwich.
  • Wrong: Could I have for a salad?
    Right: Could I have a salad?

5) Remember

  • Use would like for a polite statement of what you want.
  • Use could I have for a polite question.
  • Add please to sound more natural and respectful.

Quick check

Compare these two requests:

  • I’d like a decaf coffee, please.
  • Could I have a decaf coffee, please?

Both are correct. They are polite, clear, and useful when ordering in a café.

Teacher note: Clear B1 grammar reference for polite café requests, with forms, examples, and common mistakes.

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4. Grammar practice

Choose the best answer for each sentence.

1.

Which sentence is the most polite and natural in a café?

2.

Which phrase best asks for a sandwich in a polite way?

3.

Choose the sentence with the correct meaning: the customer is making a polite request.

4.

Which sentence is correct for asking about a choice of drink?

5.

Which reply sounds natural after the waiter asks, 'Would you like anything else?'

6.

Which sentence uses 'would like' correctly?

Teacher note: Grammar practice on polite café requests with six multiple-choice items testing form, meaning, and natural use of would like, could I have, and I'd like.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • Q1B. I'd like a cappuccino, please.
  • Q2A. Could I have a cheese sandwich, please?
  • Q3B. I'd like a tea, please.
  • Q4A. Could I have a large water, please?
  • Q5A. Yes, please. That's all.
  • Q6A. She would like a fruit salad.

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5. Listening

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Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

  1. What drink does the customer order?
  2. What snack does the customer choose?
  3. What does the café worker recommend?
  4. Is the order for here or takeaway?
  5. How much is the bill?
  6. What does the customer ask after hearing the total?
Teacher audio script
Lena: Good morning. What can I get for you today?
Ben: Hi. I'd like a latte, please.
Lena: Of course. Would you like a small or a large one?
Ben: A large, please.
Lena: And would you like something to eat?
Ben: Yes, could I have a chicken wrap?
Lena: Sure. I can recommend the tomato soup as well. It is very popular.
Ben: That sounds nice, but just the wrap, thanks.
Lena: No problem. Is that for here or takeaway?
Ben: For here, please.
Lena: Great. Anything else?
Ben: No, that's all.
Lena: Right. The total is nine pounds fifty.
Ben: Okay, could I have the bill, please?
Lena: Certainly. Your order will be ready in a few minutes.

Teacher note: Listening practice with a natural café dialogue about ordering a drink and snack, asking for a recommendation, and paying the bill.

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6. Multiple choice

Listen to the dialogue, then choose the best answer for each question.

1.

What drink did Sam order?

2.

What food did Sam order?

3.

Was the order for here or takeaway?

4.

What did Mia offer after the drink?

5.

How much was the order?

Teacher note: A short multiple-choice check on the café listening, focused on what was ordered, service details, and the final payment.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • Q1A. A cappuccino
  • Q2A. A cheese sandwich
  • Q3A. For here
  • Q4A. Something to eat
  • Q5A. Eight pounds and twenty pence

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7. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Café role-play in pairs

Work with a partner. One person is the customer and the other is the café worker. Keep your voices natural, polite, and clear.

How to speak

  • Start with a friendly greeting.
  • The customer should order one drink and one snack.
  • The café worker should ask a helpful follow-up question.
  • Include for here or to go.
  • End with the price and a polite closing.

Useful phrases

Customer

  • I’d like a coffee and a muffin, please.
  • Could I have a green tea, please?
  • Is that for here or to go?
  • That’s all, thank you.

Café worker

  • Good afternoon. What can I get for you?
  • Would you like anything to eat?
  • We have table service today.
  • That will be £7.20, please.

Pair practice ideas

  1. Order a hot drink and a sweet snack.
  2. Ask for a cold drink and a sandwich.
  3. Choose one item from the specials.
  4. Ask the worker to recommend something.
  5. Say you are allergic to nuts and check the ingredients.
  6. Finish the order and pay the bill.

Role-play challenge

Try the conversation twice:

  • Round 1: speak slowly and focus on accuracy.
  • Round 2: speak more naturally and use better intonation.

Remember

  • Use polite requests.
  • Speak in short, clear sentences.
  • Listen carefully and answer the other person’s question.

Teacher note: Pair speaking practice for a café role-play: customers and staff use polite requests, ask about drinks and snacks, confirm takeaway or table service, and finish with the price.

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8. AI conversation

Roles set by your teacherRole-play

Who is responsible for what

Stay in your role during the live voice chat. The AI partner follows the other role.

You (student)

Customer

AI partner

Café worker

What to do

  • Use your microphone and speak in English.
  • Keep the role-play short, about 5 minutes.
  • Stay in character and stay on the café topic.
  • Try to use polite phrases like “I’d like…”, “Could I have…?”, and “Can I have…?”.

Students connect here for a live 5-minute AI voice conversation.

Teacher note: Role-play a short café ordering conversation using polite requests and useful phrases.

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9. Writing task

Write a short dialogue or message about ordering food at a café. Include at least four useful phrases from the lesson, such as I'd like, Could I have, for here, takeaway, or That'll be. Keep it natural and suitable for adults at B1 level.

Aim for at least 60 words.

Teacher note: Writing task for B1 adults: learners write a short café order message or dialogue using polite request language and key café phrases.

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10. Short answer

Answer each question in 1–3 short sentences.

1.

What do you usually order at a café?

2.

Do you usually eat in or take your order away?

3.

What polite phrase do you want to remember from this lesson?

Teacher note: Short personal reflection questions about café habits and ordering preferences.

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11. Fill in the blanks

Complete the café phrases with the correct words.

like a cappuccino, please.
I have a croissant, please?
Is that for here or ?
I'd like the , please.
Can you a sweet snack?
Are there any today?
I am to nuts.
I'd like a coffee, please.

Teacher note: Fill-in-the-blanks practice with common café ordering phrases and polite request forms.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • Blank 1I'd
  • Blank 2Could
  • Blank 3takeaway
  • Blank 4bill
  • Blank 5recommend
  • Blank 6specials
  • Blank 7allergic
  • Blank 8decaf

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12. Word ordering

Put the words in order to make each café sentence.

Sentence 1 / 4

Your sentence

Tap words to place them here

Word bank

Sentence 1 of 4: 0 / 5 words placed

Teacher note: Easy sentence-ordering practice with four short café request and payment sentences.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • Slide 1I'd like a latte, please.
  • Slide 2Could I have a tuna sandwich, please?
  • Slide 3Is that for here or takeaway?
  • Slide 4That'll be six pounds, please.

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13. Board game

Student's turn (preview)

Student

Roll

Teacher

Preview — dice sync when the lesson is live

Roll the die, move along the café path, and complete the speaking task on each square. Take turns with a partner or teacher and practise polite ordering phrases as you play.

Teacher note: Roll the die, move along the café path, and complete the speaking task on each square. Take turns with a partner or teacher and practise polite ordering phrases as you play.

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14. Image

Useful café phrases to help you order politely and clearly. Practise asking for food, choosing for here or takeaway, and paying at the counter.

Teacher note: Useful café phrases to help you order politely and clearly. Practise asking for food, choosing for here or takeaway, and paying at the counter.

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