Fast food vocabulary!
What’s your favourite type of fast food: a hamburger, a hotdog, a pizza, a taco… There are so many delicious items of fast food that it’s hard to choose. We all love, and we all know it isn’t always the healthy option, but who can resist a bit of fast food every now and then? Just to help you talk about, here’s some fast food vocabulary for you to learn. After, listen to the dialogue to improve your listening skills, and remember the words.
1 Vocabulary
Chips
Thin, rectangular pieces of fried potato that are often served with a burger (“French fries / fries” in US English).
A hamburger
Minced meat which has been formed into a round shape.
A cheeseburger
The same as a hamburger, but with cheese on top.
Crisps
Very thin slices of potato that have been fried until they are hard, dry and crunchy (“potato chips” in US English). 
A fizzy drink
A drink that contains small bubbles of carbonation (“a soft-drink” or “soda” in US English).
Chicken nuggets
Pieces of chicken that are fried in batter.
A BLT Sandwich
A sandwich with bacon, lettuce and tomato.
A wrap
A thin, flat piece of bread with filling in the middle.
Chilli
Small red or green pods that have a spicy taste and are used for cooking.
Ketchup
A thick red sauce made from tomatoes.
Mustard
A yellow or brown spicy paste.
Barbeque Sauce
A spicy paste used to flavour food, especially meat cooked on a barbecue.
A sundae
A tall glass of ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts on top.
An apple pie
A kind of pastry made with apples.
A brownie
A square or rectangular piece of chocolate cake.
A milkshake
A cold drink made by mixing milk with flavouring, ice cream or fruit and then whisking it.
A root beer float
A non-alcoholic drink made from herbs and plants that tastes similar to cola and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
A taco
A thin, flat, soft piece of bread (known as a tortilla) with meat (often chicken or beef), lettuce, tomato, chilli sauce, etc. inside it. This food typically comes from Mexico.
“To eat in”
What you say at a fast food restaurant when you want to eat the food in the restaurant.
“To take away / out”
What you say at a fast food restaurant when you want to take the food to another place.
A kebab
A thin, flat, soft piece of bread (known as pita bread) with meat (often lamb or chicken), lettuce, tomato, chilli sauce, etc. inside it. This food comes from Turkey and the Middle East.
A “doner kebab” is a Turkish dish in which lamb is cooked on a revolving vertical spit. This meat is then cut up and placed in the pita bread.
A tray
A flat piece of wood, plastic or metal which has raised edges and is used to carry things.
A booth
A small area separated from a larger area or room with soft seats and screens.
A playground
A public area in a fast food restaurant where children can play.
A pizza
A dish of Italian origin that consists of a flat round base with different toppings: tomato, onion, cheese, chicken, beef, peppers…
2 Listening activity
Listening 1
You’re going to listen to a conversation. Frank phones up to order some food. Listen once. Where is he calling from? See below for the answers.
Listening 2
Listen again. Then, answer these questions.
- How many ingredients does he want on the pizza?
- What does he want to drink?
- What does his girlfriend want to eat?
- What does he want for a dessert?
- What does he remind them not to forget?
- What item of the sales assistant’s clothing does he say he likes?
Listening 3
Now listen to the audio and read the script (see below) at the same time. This is great for your listening skills!
Audio script
Shop assistant: Hello, Speedy Slice. Quick pizza is our business. How may I help you?
Frank: Hi, I’d like a pizza, please.
S: OK. What can I get you?
F: Right. I’d like a medium-sized pizza with five ingredients.
S: What ingredients would you like?
F: I’ll have bacon, green peppers, onion, spicy sausage and extra cheese.
S: Would you like anything to drink with that?
F: Yes, I’ll have a coke, please. And my girlfriend wants a doner kebab.
S: OK, what’s the address?
F: Oh, I’d like the glass that you’re offering as a free gift with an order of chicken wings, too.
S: So, you want chicken wings as well?
F: Ohhhh, yeah. A large tub to take away. And a dessert, too. Say, don’t you guys have brownies that are buy one, get one free?
S: We do, but only on Fridays.
F: Well, great, today is Friday. I’m in luck.
S: Yes, I guess you are. What’s your address?
F: It’s 23 Central Street.
S: Erm… That’s this address.
F: I know.
S: But I need to know your address.
F: No, you need to know the address of the place where I want my pizza.
S: Well, yes. Of course. So, what’s the address of the place where you’d like your pizza delivered to?
F: I told you. 23 Central Street.
S: But that’s this address. Are you calling from the same city?
F: Same city and same restaurant. I’m calling from the table in the corner. I’m the guy on the cell phone. Can you see me? Hi!
S: Oh, yes. Hello. (He waves.)
F: You deliver, right?
S: Yes, but you’re in the restaurant. Why don’t you come to the counter?
F: Why bother when you can phone?
S: Well, yes, I guess so. See you in a minute. (Hangs up.)
(Phone rings again a few minutes later.)
S: Hello? Speedy Slice. Quick pizza is our business. How may I help you?
F: Hi, it’s me again. I was just calling to remind you not to forget the extra hot chilli sauce for the chicken wings.
S: OK, no problem. Oh, and by the way, I like your shoes.
F: Really? Thanks. I got a great deal on them.
S: Oh! Even better! Well, your food will be ready in a minute.
F: Great, bye!
Answers
Listening 1
Frank is calling from the same pizza restaurant that he’s ordering from.
Listening 2
- How many ingredients does he want on the pizza? Five
- What does he want to drink? A coke
- What does his girlfriend want to eat? A doner kebab
- What does he want for a dessert? Some brownies
- What does he remind them not to forget? The extra hot chilli sauce for the chicken wings
- What item of the sales assistant’s clothing does he say he likes? Her shoes
In Learn Hot English magazine there is so much really useful UK and US expressions that you just need to know, check it out
