HeyoRestaurant conversations
Ordering abroad: use a translator for more than the dish name
Identify the dish, separate portions from people, and confirm changes before placing a restaurant order.
Heyo · Published
Identify the actual menu item first
A restaurant's own dish name may not explain what the food is when translated word for word. Show the original menu text, item number or photograph. Then ask about the main ingredients and whether it is a soup, main dish or small side.
If a photograph contains several dishes, point to the specific one. Avoid saying only 'I want this' and immediately adding a long list of changes, leaving the server unsure which item you mean.
Separate portions from the number of people
'There are two of us and we want this' could mean one dish to share or one each. Say 'One portion of this dish for two people to share,' or 'Two portions, one for each person.'
Ask the server what a portion is like rather than expecting a translator to infer its size from the dish name. A menu photograph is not a guarantee of the exact serving you will receive.
Confirm changes one at a time
For example, say 'No onion in this portion,' then ask 'Could the sauce come separately?' Keep ingredients to remove separate from additions, and ask the server to confirm what has been noted.
Ask whether the kitchen can make the changes before confirming the order. After a brief 'Yes,' clarify: 'You have noted no onion and sauce on the side, correct?' If the change is not possible, choose again rather than treating an unconfirmed request as accepted.
Check the final list before ordering
Ask for a concrete confirmation: 'One main dish, two portions of rice and two glasses of water without ice, correct?' Separately clarify eating in, takeaway and any additions that may cost extra.
Keep the original menu text or order record. If an item arrives incorrectly, point to that item and explain the difference. Simply saying 'Not this' can force both people to reconstruct the entire order.