Courses/CELPIP Vocabulary & Collocations Kit/Food & Dining - Tipping, Splitting Bills & Payment at Restaurants

#25. Food & Dining - Tipping, Splitting Bills & Payment at Restaurants

Words (Core Vocabulary)

  • bill / check (US term also understood) / receipt
  • separate checks / split the bill / split evenly / split by item
  • tip / gratuity / service charge / automatic gratuity (large groups)
  • POS terminal / payment machine / contactless / tap to pay
  • debit / credit / pre-authorization
  • round up / round down
  • refund / void / adjustment

Phrases (At the table, at the terminal)

Before paying

  • Could we get the bill, please? Separate checks if possible.
  • Can we split by item, or just split evenly?

At the terminal

  • We’ll pay by cardcan we tap?
  • Could you add a tip and then split the remainder?
  • Could you print itemized receipts, please?

Afterward

  • Could you correct this—we were charged twice for the appetizer.
  • Can I get a revised receipt with the tip included?

Contextual Examples (Natural, everyday)

  • Group: Could we split the bill evenly five ways? Separate receipts would help.
  • Terminal: I’ll tap to pay and add the tip on the machine.
  • Fix: It looks like a duplicate charge—could you void one, please?

Collocations & Phrases (bold the key words)

Splitting & records

  • ask for separate checks
  • split the bill evenly
  • split by item
  • print an itemized receipt

Tipping & totals

  • add a tip
  • select a percentage
  • round up
  • apply a service charge

Payment methods

  • tap to pay
  • insert a card
  • use debit/credit
  • issue a refund/void

Canadian Cultural Context (How to sound natural & polite)

  • Tipping is common at 15–20% for table service; more for exceptional service, less if counter-only.
  • Some venues add automatic gratuity for large groups—it’s usually marked on the bill.
  • Contactless (tap) is widely used; debit is popular for everyday payments.

Extra Mini-Patterns (plug-and-play)

  • Separate checks: Could we get separate checks and split the appetizer by item?”
  • Terminal talk: “I’ll tap to payplease print the itemized receipt.”
  • Dispute: Could you void the duplicate charge and reprint the receipt?”
Previous
Food & Dining - Coffee Culture & Café Orders
Next
Shopping & Money - Paying, Refunds & Exchanges