What are you having?

Question

When we are at the restaurant is more correct for the waitress to ask '' what are you having madam?'' or ''what will you have?''

possible duplicate of Use of "I am having" in SO sites – Sandeep D Feb 11 '14 at 18:28 — Sandeep D, Feb 11 '14 at 18:28

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 11 '14 at 17:58

2

They are both correct, but "What will you have, Madam?" is a touch more formal.

answered Feb 11 '14 at 17:58

Louel

2,657

are you sure "what are you having madam?" is correct to use here? Doesn't it sound as if madam was already eating when the question was asked? – Sandeep D Feb 11 '14 at 18:20
1

No, we also use the present continuous form to describe an activity that will surely happen (it's sure that she's going to eat something)...and I don't think "What are you having?" is ambiguous. I'd say it'll always be understood as "What will you be eating?". "What are you eating?", on the other hand, can have two meanings: it could mean "What are you eating NOW?" or "What will you be eating LATER." – Louel Feb 11 '14 at 18:26

Mari-Lou A · Answer 2 · 2014-02-11T19:06:06.310

1

If I were the server (or waitress) in a restaurant I would simply ask:

Are you ready to order, madam?

And sir if the customer were a man.

The versions offered by the OP are grammatically correct but I suspect in a more upscale restaurant they might be considered too "friendly" and inopportune.

edited Feb 11 '14 at 19:06

answered Feb 11 '14 at 18:59

Mari-Lou A

91,183

Completely agree. “What are you having?” is a very natural phrasing to use, though, if you are having dinner with someone and are asking them, i.e., between diners. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Feb 11 '14 at 19:21
and this answer receives an inexplicable downvote... – Mari-Lou A Dec 19 '14 at 06:28

What are you having?

2 Answers2