How to order food at an American restaurant generally...?!

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When you go into the restaurant, you get seated by a host/hostess. They give you the menu and show you to the table. The server brings you a glass of water and asks if you want anything else to drink and gets it for you. They give you a few minutes to decide what you want to eat, then come back and take the order to the cook. When the food is prepared they bring it back out and ask if there's anything else you need. They usually check back to see how you're doing a little while later. When you're done they bring you the check and you either give them money or a debit/credit card. They tender the bill and bring you back the change/card with a receipt. Standard tip is about 20-25% of the total depending on how good your service was.

Menu items at American restaurants are usually salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, entrees (steak, chicken, pork or meatloaf with a side of vegetables or potatoes) and desserts (ice cream, cake, brownies, pie) and various soft drinks and sometimes alcohol.

Hello. Before I start, however, I would just like to tell you that your English is fine. Now, there are many different types of restaurants in America, ranging from fast food places like McDonald's, to five star fancy places, and many more in between. I will first start with fast food places. Common menu items there might be hamburgers, chicken, french fries, soda, and just about anything else like that. Unfortunately, these items are usually not good for you, which is why I almost never eat there, unlike many other people who always eat there and are - err - a little overweight. Now for fancy restaurants, you will probably start with an appetizer (a small mini meal to fill you while you wait for the main), then a salad, and then comes the Entree, which is your main meal, which, again, can vary dramatically between places. After that, you might have some sort of desert, such as a cheesecake, ice cream, cream brulee, a slice of cake, some sort of berry dessert, and more. There are many other kinds of restaurants also, like ones from other countries. Most restaurants start by giving you a menu, and letting you decide what you want. Then you usually order a drink first, followed by an appetizer, entree, desert, or whatever you order. You normally tip the waiter anywhere from 10% to 20%. So if your meal was $100, you would tip him ten to twenty dollars. This is not true for fast food restaurants, however, because you just walk up to the counter and order. I hope this has helped you, and if you need to know anything more, just ask away.

Restaurants I have gone to

waitress- "hey i'm ______ i'll be your server for tonight, may i start you off with something to drink?"

typical american- "yo wassup, yeah lemme get 2 wooders wit lemon for now might get my drank on a lil lata if ya know wut i'm sayin, tryna get my homegirl ova here a lil tipsy too ya diggg... oh and make sure you bring out some extra butta for this bread thanks."

keep that persona going and oh don't forget, never tip over 10%

ex-waitress.

There are a number of Western or American restaurants, like Coco's, in Japan, and they're pretty much the same as what you'll find in the US. You are met by the host(ess) and seated at your table with menus. A waiter(ress) will come and take your order. Generally you order drinks first, then order the rest of your meal when the drinks come. However you can just order everything at once. A check is delivered to your table at the end of the meal, and at most places you just put your money or credit card on the check so the waitress takes care of it then brings the check back to you for the tip.

There are some differences though:
* No set menus. You pick what to eat from the menu. Sometimes an entree may come with soup or salad, or a choice of side dishes (vegetable, potato...) Otherwise, everything is chosen separately. Americans like having more choices, so menus in American restaurants tend to be larger than even the same restaurant in Japan. (I often had Japanese friends complain "too many choices" when we would go to restaurants in the US.)

* Many restaurants have a daily special. This is written on a board in the front of the restaurant and usually is an entree. Often the soup also changes daily. The waitress will inform you of the day's specials.

* Buffets. These are increasingly popular in the US. You pay a flat rate, and can eat as much as you want. Drinks (soda, coffee) are sometimes included in the price. Unlike a regular restaurant, you go up to the buffet table to get your own food. Servers will remove dirty plates and refill your drinks.

* Tipping. You are expected to leave a tip for your waitress or server. For a regular restaurant the rate is normally 15-18% based on the check, pre-tax. For a buffet, most people just leave a dollar or two per person, since there isn't much for the servers to do other than bring you drinks.

If service was very good, you can leave a little more. If service was horrible you can leave a little less. Yes, I've left $0 for a tip because service was so bad that we almost left without paying at all because our food didn't arrive. Another time, I've left a huge tip because the service was very good.

Some restaurants will add tip automatically if you have a large group - usually 8 or more. This will be written in the menu if they do so.

You can either leave the tip on the table in cash, or if you pay by credit card, there will be a blank spot on the check for you to enter in the tip. The total will be charged to your card after you sign the check. You are also given a copy to keep for yourself if you wish.