Back to industries

Restaurant

100 lessons

1greet and seat guestsFree2pull out chairs for guests to sit3introduce today's specials4pour water for guests while they wait5take guests' food orders6repeat order for guest confirmation7send orders to the kitchen8serve appetizers to guests9serve wine according to standards10wish guests a pleasant meal11ask to clear empty plates12refill guests' water glasses13ask if guests are satisfied with the dish14serve desserts last15provide hand wipes for guests16prepare a new table for the next guests17set up the banquet table according to the diagram18check cleanliness of glassware19serve ice cubes for guests' drinks20escort guests out and say goodbye21guest complains food is cold22replace dish for guest due to defect23guest drops cutlery on the floor24staff spills water on guest's shirt25apologize for long wait26this dish was made incorrectly27guest is allergic to peanuts28explain about item being out of stock29this table wants to move to another spot30guest complains food is too salty31handle intoxicated guest32guest doesn't have enough money to pay33report guest incident to manager34confused bills for two tables35guest left wallet on the chair36waitstaff has a bad attitude37the dish has a strange, unpleasant smell38guest wants to speak directly with the manager39compensate guest with a dessert40resolve table seating dispute41chef prepares ingredients in the morning42kitchen is out of fresh beef43prepare fruit juice for guests44prepare sauce for pan-fried dish45check freezer temperature46wash vegetables and fruits before cooking47head chef checks food quality48bar is out of ice cubes for mixing49garnish food plates attractively50reheat chicken soup for guests51kitchen is overwhelmed due to many guests52call staff to bring out food53check spice expiration dates54clean stovetop after cooking55store fresh seafood in tanks56preheat oven to high temperature57make iced milk coffee for table number58organize cutlery neatly in the kitchen59chef gets minor burn from oil60close kitchen after all guests leave61print temporary bill for table number62guest wants to pay by credit card63apply discount code to bill64give exact change to guest65issue VAT invoice for66guest wants to split the bill67check cash amount at cashier68scan MoMo code to pay69enter discount info into computer70guest signs the payment bill71report end-of-day revenue to boss72cashier system has an error73exchange for small change for guests74check for counterfeit money when receiving cash75guest refuses to pay for this dish76save cancelled invoices for today77hand over cash to next shift78close POS machine at end of shift79guest requests to recheck water bill80receive tip from guest81hold pre-shift meeting for task assignment82check staff uniforms83clean restaurant floor thoroughly84clean common restroom area85inventory tablecloth count86stock new ingredients received this morning87rearrange tables and chairs neatly88turn on air conditioning in main dining room89check restaurant lighting system90remind staff to be on time91schedule work for next week92collect trash after closing hours93spray air freshener in enclosed dining room94check for chipped tools/utensils95report broken tools during shift96prepare cold towels for new guests97assign staff to VIP area98check fire safety equipment99wipe dust off front glass door100end shift safely

Frequently asked questions

Restaurants welcoming many Chinese guests run more smoothly when staff know the essential Chinese phrases for the trade. You do not need fluency — just the key situations: greeting, recommending dishes, taking orders, payment and apologizing for mistakes.

Greeting is the first impression. Learn to welcome guests, invite them to sit, ask the number of people and present the menu. Chinese guests appreciate warmth, so a few well-timed phrases put them at ease from the start.

Recommending and taking orders. Prepare the names of your signature dishes, short introductions to ingredients and taste, plus questions about preferences such as spicy tolerance, less salt or no sugar. This group helps guests order what they want and reduces confusion.

Payment. Learn to state the total, ask whether payment is cash or card and return change. This closing step shapes the experience and must be clear and polite.

Apologizing for mistakes. Even with care, a wrong dish or long wait happens. Learn to apologize, offer a replacement or an appropriate discount to keep guests coming back.

For the method, practise role-play dialogues with colleagues and repeat along with audio daily. On Haohin, the specialized Chinese restaurant program includes vocabulary, situation-based serving dialogues and pronunciation-scored speaking practice for servers, managers and kitchen staff.

To take orders and serve Chinese guests well, prepare phrase groups that follow the flow of a meal below.

1. Invite guests to order. Learn questions like “what would you like to have?” or “would you like the menu?”. If the restaurant has signature dishes, suggest them with a short introduction.

2. Ask about taste and quantity. Before writing the order, clarify spiciness, less salt, no sugar or dietary restrictions. For portion-based dishes, confirm the number of people to avoid ordering too little or too much.

3. Confirm the order. After guests finish, repeat the list of dishes to be sure nothing is wrong, especially when busy or when names are easy to misread. This small step cuts mistakes significantly.

4. During the meal. Learn check-in questions such as whether the food is to their taste or if they need water or seasoning. Timely care creates a great experience and increases return visits.

5. Closing and payment. Ask whether to pack leftovers, state the total and thank guests as they leave.

One tip: practise complete ordering dialogues and repeat with audio for natural reactions when the restaurant is busy. On Haohin, the restaurant Chinese lessons simulate each serving step so you take orders accurately and care for Chinese guests more professionally.