Tap AAC

Restaurant communication board: free printable

A restaurant communication board lets a person order and talk at a restaurant by pointing: I want, then pizza or fries, no ice, thank you. This free PDF has the ordering board, with polite words, 12 foods and 6 drinks, and a page of order cards to fill in and hand to the server.

Download the free PDF US Letter, 2 pages, 1,187 KB

Portrait (tall page, 2 pages): US Letter PDF (1,187 KB) · A4 PDF (1,188 KB)

Landscape (wide page, 2 pages): US Letter PDF (1,191 KB) · A4 PDF (1,191 KB)

Printable restaurant communication board titled Ordering food. I want at the top. Talk: hello, please, thank you, excuse me, menu, wait, more, bathroom, too loud, I like it, I don’t like it and box to go. Food: pizza, burger, fries, nuggets, chicken, taco, salad, soup, pasta, hot dog, ice cream and dessert. Drinks: water, milk, lemonade, juice, no ice and straw.
Page 1: the ordering board.

Edit this board in the free board maker: change the words and pictures, then print.

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Who it’s for

Children, teens and adults who use pictures or a speech device to talk, and who want to order for themselves. It suits family meals out, community outings and life skills classes, at a sit-down restaurant, a diner or a fast food counter.

How to use it

  1. Look at the menu before you go. Many restaurants put theirs online. Choose together, at home, with no one waiting.
  2. Practice ordering. Play restaurant at the kitchen table: one person is the server, the other points to order.
  3. Let the others order first. Hearing the family order shows how it goes, and gives the person time to get ready.
  4. Tell the server, in one sentence. “He’s going to order by pointing.” Then give the person time.
  5. Read back what was pointed to. “A burger and fries, and lemonade with no ice.” The person can point to yes on a yes and no card, or fix it.
Two order cards to cut out, each with lines for I would like, to drink, and allergies or no-thank-yous, and tick boxes for straw, napkin, fork, spoon, ketchup and box to go.
Page 2: two order cards to fill in and hand to the server.

Order cards

The order card is for a person who can write, or who fills it in with help before the server comes. Write the order on the lines, tick the extras (a straw, a box to go), and hand it over. The card starts with “Hello! I’m using this card to order”, so the server knows what it is. For a food allergy, an adult should always tell the staff directly too, not only on the card.

More than ordering

The Talk row is for the rest of the meal: excuse me to get attention, more and wait, bathroom, too loud, and I like it or I don’t like it about the food. Box to go is a polite way to end the meal early.

What it can look like

At the diner, Ben’s family orders first. Then the server turns to Ben. He points to I want and burger, then fries, then lemonade and no ice. His sister reads it back, and Ben nods. When the food comes, he points to thank you, and the server smiles: “You’re welcome!”

Words on the board

Talk

Food

Drinks

Printing tips

More free boards

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Need a different board? Make your own with the free AAC board maker.

These boards and guides are general information, not therapy or medical advice, and they don’t replace a speech therapist. A speech therapist who knows the person can help choose the right words, pictures and layout. The boards are free to print and share; please don’t sell them (terms of use). Questions about the boards? Email support@lmnoplabs.fun.