diff --git a/src/modules/restaurant/types/restaurant.ts b/src/modules/restaurant/types/restaurant.ts
index 87a61cf..d7044b8 100644
--- a/src/modules/restaurant/types/restaurant.ts
+++ b/src/modules/restaurant/types/restaurant.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,34 @@ export const KNOWN_ORDER_STATUSES = [
 export type KnownOrderStatus = (typeof KNOWN_ORDER_STATUSES)[number]
 export type OrderStatus = string
 
+/**
+ * Customer-facing labels for order statuses. The extension's raw
+ * status names are operational ('paid' / 'accepted' / 'ready') but
+ * customers prefer human-friendly framing ('Order received' /
+ * 'Cooking' / 'Ready for pickup').
+ *
+ * Future statuses from aiolabs/restaurant#4 (kitchen workflow) —
+ * 'preparing', 'plating', 'at_pass', 'in_service', etc — can land
+ * here as they arrive. Unknown values fall through to the raw
+ * status string titlecased.
+ */
+export const FRIENDLY_ORDER_STATUS: Record<string, string> = {
+  pending: 'Awaiting payment',
+  paid: 'Order received',
+  accepted: 'Cooking',
+  ready: 'Ready for pickup',
+  completed: 'Served',
+  canceled: 'Canceled',
+  refunded: 'Refunded',
+}
+
+export function friendlyOrderStatus(status: OrderStatus): string {
+  if (status in FRIENDLY_ORDER_STATUS) return FRIENDLY_ORDER_STATUS[status]
+  // Unknown status — titlecase the raw key as a graceful fallback.
+  if (!status) return ''
+  return status.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + status.slice(1).replace(/_/g, ' ')
+}
+
 export interface Order {
   id: string
   restaurant_id: string
diff --git a/src/modules/restaurant/views/CheckoutPage.vue b/src/modules/restaurant/views/CheckoutPage.vue
index d9f47e5..096ee85 100644
--- a/src/modules/restaurant/views/CheckoutPage.vue
+++ b/src/modules/restaurant/views/CheckoutPage.vue
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import { Separator } from '@/components/ui/separator'
 import OrderInvoiceCard from '../components/OrderInvoiceCard.vue'
 import { useCartStore } from '../stores/cart'
 import { useCheckout, type PlacedOrder } from '../composables/useCheckout'
+import { friendlyOrderStatus } from '../types/restaurant'
 import {
   injectService,
   tryInjectService,
@@ -383,7 +384,7 @@ function buildOrderInvoice(p: PlacedOrder) {
               :variant="isPaid(placed.order.id) ? 'default' : 'outline'"
               class="text-xs"
             >
-              {{ statusOf(placed.order.id) }}
+              {{ friendlyOrderStatus(statusOf(placed.order.id)) }}
             </Badge>
           </div>
           <OrderInvoiceCard
diff --git a/src/modules/restaurant/views/OrderStatusPage.vue b/src/modules/restaurant/views/OrderStatusPage.vue
index 766e9ae..530ae49 100644
--- a/src/modules/restaurant/views/OrderStatusPage.vue
+++ b/src/modules/restaurant/views/OrderStatusPage.vue
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import OrderInvoiceCard from '../components/OrderInvoiceCard.vue'
 import { useOrder } from '../composables/useOrder'
 import {
   KNOWN_ORDER_STATUSES,
+  friendlyOrderStatus,
   type OrderInvoice,
 } from '../types/restaurant'
 
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ const timeline = computed(() => {
           </p>
         </div>
         <Badge :variant="statusStyle" class="text-sm">
-          {{ order.status }}
+          {{ friendlyOrderStatus(order.status) }}
         </Badge>
       </header>
 
@@ -161,13 +162,25 @@ const timeline = computed(() => {
       />
 
       <Alert
-        v-else-if="['paid', 'accepted'].includes(order.status)"
+        v-else-if="order.status === 'paid'"
         class="mb-4 border-emerald-500/40"
       >
         <CheckCircle2 class="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />
-        <AlertTitle>Payment received</AlertTitle>
+        <AlertTitle>Order received</AlertTitle>
         <AlertDescription>
-          The kitchen is on it.
+          Payment confirmed — the kitchen will start preparing it
+          shortly.
+        </AlertDescription>
+      </Alert>
+
+      <Alert
+        v-else-if="order.status === 'accepted'"
+        class="mb-4 border-emerald-500/40"
+      >
+        <CheckCircle2 class="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />
+        <AlertTitle>Cooking</AlertTitle>
+        <AlertDescription>
+          Your food is being made.
         </AlertDescription>
       </Alert>
 
@@ -176,12 +189,21 @@ const timeline = computed(() => {
         class="mb-4 border-amber-500/40"
       >
         <Clock class="h-4 w-4 text-amber-500" />
-        <AlertTitle>Ready</AlertTitle>
+        <AlertTitle>Ready for pickup</AlertTitle>
         <AlertDescription>
           Pick up at the counter.
         </AlertDescription>
       </Alert>
 
+      <Alert
+        v-else-if="order.status === 'completed'"
+        class="mb-4 border-emerald-500/40"
+      >
+        <CheckCircle2 class="h-4 w-4 text-emerald-500" />
+        <AlertTitle>Served</AlertTitle>
+        <AlertDescription>Enjoy! Thanks for ordering.</AlertDescription>
+      </Alert>
+
       <Card class="mb-4">
         <CardHeader>
           <CardTitle class="text-base">Items</CardTitle>