Simplified Chinese - Ordering Food

Lesson 101 of 156

Photo of a friendly street restaurant with a menu board in Simplified Chinese; a small group prepares to order food.

Goal: Polite, simple phrases for restaurant ordering

Free Simplified Chinese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! This short lesson helps you order food in a friendly, polite way. Practice listening, repeating, and speaking these useful restaurant lines — you'll be ordering like a local in no time.

Level A1: In this CEFR-aligned lesson you'll learn and practice key restaurant phrases for ordering, asking for recommendations, and making small requests. We'll focus on phrases like 我要___，谢谢 (wǒ yào ___, xièxie)、麻烦分开放，谢谢 (máfan fēn kāi fàng, xièxie) and 这是素的吗？ (zhè shì sù de ma?). Hear them, repeat them, and use them in a short dialogue about placing an order.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Learn to state your order politely using 我要___，谢谢 (wǒ yào ___, xièxie)。
  • Ask for time or recommendations: 还没想好，谢谢 (hái méi xiǎng hǎo, xièxie) and 有什么推荐的吗？ (yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?).
  • Request small changes: 麻烦分开放，谢谢 (máfan fēn kāi fàng, xièxie) and 加___，谢谢 (jiā ___, xièxie)。
  • Level A1: feel confident ordering, asking what a dish comes with, and checking vegetarian options (这是素的吗？ zhè shì sù de ma?).
A waiter leans toward a table as two friends point at the menu; Simplified Chinese ordering phrases appear over the scene.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

加___，谢谢。

jiā ___, xièxie。

With ___, please.

Meaning: With ___, please.

When to use: Ask the server to add an ingredient or sauce to your dish.

加辣椒，谢谢

jiā làjiāo, xièxie.

Add chili, please.
加点青葱，谢谢。

jiā diǎn qīngcōng, xièxie.

With some green onion, please.

麻烦分开放，谢谢。

máfan fēn kāi fàng, xièxie。

On the side, please.

Meaning: On the side, please.

When to use: Ask that sauces or side items be served separately from the main dish.

麻烦把酱料分开放，谢谢。

máfan bǎ jiàngliào fēn kāi fàng, xièxie.

Please put the sauce on the side, thanks.
这道菜的沙拉可以麻烦分开放吗？

zhè dào cài de shālā kěyǐ máfan fēn kāi fàng ma?

Can the salad be served separately?

我要___，谢谢。

wǒ yào ___, xièxie。

I'll have ___, please.

Meaning: I'll have ___, please.

When to use: State what you'd like to order in a straightforward, polite way.

Tip: Beginners sometimes say 我想要___ for everything — it's fine, but 我要 is simpler and natural for ordering.

我要一碗牛肉面，谢谢。

wǒ yào yì wǎn niúròu miàn, xièxie.

I'll have a bowl of beef noodles, please.
我要一杯冰茶，谢谢。

wǒ yào yī bēi bīngchá, xièxie.

I'll have an iced tea, please.

有什么推荐的吗？

yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?

Meaning: What do you recommend?

When to use: Ask the server or friends for a suggestion about what to order.

这个菜单上有什么推荐的吗？

zhège càidān shàng yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?

What's recommended on this menu?
我们第一次来，有什么推荐的吗？

wǒmen dì yī cì lái, yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?

It's our first time here — any recommendations?

我准备好点餐了。

wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo diǎn cān le。

I'm ready to order.

Meaning: I'm ready to order.

When to use: Tell the server you are ready to place your order (or say 我们准备好点餐了 for a group).

服务员，我们准备好点餐了。

fúwùyuán, wǒmen zhǔnbèi hǎo diǎn cān le.

Waiter, we're ready to order.
我准备好点餐了，可以点了吗？

wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo diǎn cān le, kěyǐ diǎn le ma?

I'm ready to order — can I order now?

还没想好，谢谢。

hái méi xiǎng hǎo, xièxie。

Not yet, thanks.

Meaning: Not yet, thanks.

When to use: Ask for a little more time before ordering.

还没想好，谢谢，你们先点吧。

hái méi xiǎng hǎo, xièxie, nǐmen xiān diǎn ba.

Not ready yet, thanks — you order first.
我还没想好，谢谢，请再给我一点时间。

wǒ hái méi xiǎng hǎo, xièxie, qǐng zài gěi wǒ yìdiǎn shíjiān.

I haven't decided yet, thanks — please give me a bit more time.

我也要一样的，谢谢。

wǒ yě yào yíyàng de, xièxie。

The same, please.

Meaning: The same, please.

When to use: Say this when you want exactly the same dish as someone else ordered.

他点了炸鸡，我也要一样的，谢谢。

tā diǎn le zhájī, wǒ yě yào yíyàng de, xièxie.

He ordered fried chicken; I'll have the same, thanks.
这道汤很好，我也要一样的，谢谢。

zhè dào tāng hěn hǎo, wǒ yě yào yíyàng de, xièxie.

That soup looks great — I'll have the same, thanks.

这个配什么

zhège pèi shénme?

What comes with it?

Meaning: What comes with it?

When to use: Ask what sides or items are included with a dish or set meal.

这个配什么？它有米饭吗？

zhège pèi shénme? tā yǒu mǐfàn ma?

What does this come with? Does it include rice?
请问这个配什么配菜？

qǐngwèn zhège pèi shénme pèicài?

Excuse me, what side dishes come with this?

这是素的吗

zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?

Meaning: Is this vegetarian?

When to use: Ask whether a dish contains meat (for stricter diets, also ask about eggs or dairy).

Tip: Sometimes learners ask 素食吗? — that's understandable, but 这是素的吗？ is a very common, natural question.

这是素的吗？我不能吃肉。

zhè shì sù de ma? wǒ bù néng chī ròu.

Is this vegetarian? I can't eat meat.
请问这道菜是素的吗，里面有蛋吗？

qǐngwèn zhè dào cài shì sù de ma, lǐmiàn yǒu dàn ma?

Is this dish vegetarian — does it have eggs?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends ready to order at a casual restaurant

Close-up of two people conversing at a restaurant table while a server listens; phrases from the lesson like 我要___，谢谢 are visible.

Who asks for a recommendation?

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我准备好点餐了。

wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo diǎn cān le.

I'm ready to order.

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

有什么推荐的吗？

yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我要牛肉面，谢谢。

wǒ yào niúròu miàn, xièxie.

I'll have the beef noodles, please.

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

这个配什么

zhège pèi shénme?

What does this come with?

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

麻烦分开放，谢谢。

máfan fēn kāi fàng, xièxie.

Please put it on the side, thanks.

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我也要一样的，谢谢。

wǒ yě yào yíyàng de, xièxie.

I'll have the same, thanks.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase asks the server for a recommendation?

You want the same dish as your friend. Which phrase do you use?

Which phrase asks for more time to decide?

How do you tell the server you are ready to order?

I'm ready to order.

服务员走过来问：“你们准备好点餐了吗？” — ___

I'll have the same, thanks.

朋友点了麻辣面，你跟服务员说：___

Is this vegetarian?

你看着菜单担心材料，问服务员：___

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

加___，谢谢。

jiā ___, xièxie.

With ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

麻烦分开放，谢谢。

máfan fēn kāi fàng, xièxie.

On the side, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

我要___，谢谢。

wǒ yào ___, xièxie.

I'll have ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

有什么推荐的吗？

yǒu shénme tuījiàn de ma?

What do you recommend?

Say this phrase out loud:

我准备好点餐了。

wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo diǎn cān le.

I'm ready to order.

Say this phrase out loud:

还没想好，谢谢。

hái méi xiǎng hǎo, xièxie.

Not yet, thanks.

Say this phrase out loud:

我也要一样的，谢谢。

wǒ yě yào yíyàng de, xièxie.

The same, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

这个配什么

zhège pèi shénme?

What comes with it?

Say this phrase out loud:

这是素的吗

zhè shì sù de ma?

Is this vegetarian?