Okuzeka
Tourism & Hospitality vocabulary · Food & Beverage Service

Main course

Meaning in tourism & hospitality, with examples

/ˌmeɪn ˈkɔːs/nounCore term

In tourism & hospitality, main course means: The largest and most important dish of a meal, usually meat, fish or a vegetarian dish served with side dishes.

In Turkish: ana yemek

How it is used

Often shortened to main or mains on menus and in the kitchen: "two mains for table six". Waiters ask "What would you like for your main course?" The main course comes after the starter and before dessert. American English also says entrée.

Example sentences

  1. For the main course tonight, we have lamb shank or grilled salmon.

  2. Would you like a short break before I bring your main courses?

Common collocations

  • for the main course
  • order a main course
  • mains
  • vegetarian main course
  • serve the main course
  • starterA small dish served at the beginning of a meal, before the main course, such as soup, salad or a cold appetiser.
  • set menuA menu with a fixed choice of courses, such as a starter, main course and dessert, served at one total price.
  • à la carteDescribes food ordered as separate dishes from a menu, each with its own price, rather than as a set meal or a buffet.
  • waiterA person who takes orders and serves food and drinks to guests at their tables in a restaurant or bar.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Food & Beverage Service

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: