- 1994restaurants3.mp3
- 1994restaurants4.mp3
- 1994restaurants1.mp3
- 1994restaurants2.mp3
- 1994restaurants5.mp3
Read this opening conversation:
Cashier: Hi, can I help you?
Customer: Yes, can I have a cheeseburger, french fries and a coke?
Cashier: What size coke do you want?
Customer: Uh, I'll take a regular coke, please.
Did you notice that in a fast food restaurant, everybody uses casual language. For example:
"Hi" instead of "Hello"
"Can I help you?" instead of "May I help you?"
There are different sizes of cokes, for example:
"small" "regular" and "large"
When you order something at a restaurant, you can say:
"I'll have a vanilla milk shake"
After the customer orders, the person behind the counter might ask the customer if they want to order some other food or drink. They might say:
"Anything else?"
or
"Will that be all?"
Michiko: So Michael, if the customer doesn't want to order more, should they say: "No, that's all" or "Yes, that's all"?
Michael: Well, it depends on the question. If they say: "Anything else?" you can say: "No, that's all." If they say: "Will that be all?" you can say: "Yes, that's all"
Read these examples:
Cashier: Anything else?
Customer: No, that's all.
Cashier: Will that be all?
Customer:Yes, that's all.
Cashier: Is that everything?
Customer:Yes, that's it.
Remember that when you go into a fast food restaurant, it's important to be fast, especially when you order because other people are waiting. When the cashier asks you a question, you should tell them what you want quickly. If you want to think about it for a minute, you can say:
"Just a moment, I need a little more time"
or
"I'm not ready yet"
The next thing you will hear is the price or how much it will cost.
Read this next conversation:
Cashier: Hi, can I help you?
Customer: Yes, can I have a cheeseburger , and an order of french fries.
Cashier: Anything else?
Customer: Yes, what size coke do you have?
Cashier: We have small, regular and large.
Customer: I'll have a regular, please.
Cashier: Will that be all?
Customer: Yes, that's all.
Another question that they might ask you at the fast food restaurant is:
"Is this for here or to go"
They want to know if you are going to eat it in the restaurant or take it out. Read this conversation:
Waitress: Hello, how are you this evening?
Customer: I'm fine thank you.
Waitress: Good. My name is Lori and I'll be your
waitress this evening. Here's your menu. I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order.
When you dine at a nice restaurant, you will usually receive a formal greeting. They might say:
"How are you?"
or
"How are you doing this evening?"
You can just respond normally by saying:
"I'm fine thank you", or "I'm doing great."
Next, the waiter or waitress will probably ask about drinks. Ordering drinks before a meal is common. The waiter or waitress might ask you if you want a cocktail or alcohol before the meal. If you don't want any cocktails, just ask the waiter or waitress for a menu. Read these next conversations:
Waitress: Would you like anything to drink?
Customer: Yes, I'd like a glass of ice tea, please.
Waitress: Would you like water?
Customer: Yes, please.
If you only want water, you can say:
"Just water please"
Next your waiter or waitress will probably ask you about appetizers. "Appetizers" are small portions of tasty food given before a meal that will increase your appetite. Some examples of appetizers are shrimp, oysters, escargot, stuffed mushrooms and prawn.
After you have eaten all the delicious appetizers, It's time to order your entree. Entree means "the main dish" in French.
Read this next conversation:
Waitress: Are you ready to order now?
Customer: Yes, I'd like the steak and lobster combination.
Waitress: How would you like your steak cooked?
Customer: Medium rare, please.
Read these example sentences:
"How would you like your steak cooked?"
There are 5 different degrees of cooking meat. They are:
"rare" "medium rare" "medium" "medium well" "well-done"
After they ask you about the meat, they will ask you more questions.
Read this conversation:
Waitress: Would you like soup or salad?
Customer: What kind of soup do you have?
Waitress: We have French Onion and Clam Chowder.
Customer: I'll have the Clam Chowder.
Now, read this short conversation:
Waitress: Would you like dessert?
Customer: Yes, I'd like apple pie and ice cream.
If you are full, just reply:
"No, thank you."
For example:
Waitress: Would you like dessert.
Customer: No, thank you.
During a meal at a formal restaurant, people may politely ask the waiter or waitress to bring them something. For example:
Waitress: May I get you something else?
Customer: May I have some more coffee please?
When going to a formal restaurant, you want to look your best, have good manners, and speak politely. When you ask for something politely, start with the words:
"May I have…….?"
or
"Could I have……?"
So when customers would like to have more coffee, they can say:
"May I have some more coffee, please?"
or
"Could I have some more coffee, please?"
Read these example conversations:
Waitress: May I get you something else?
Customer: May I have some more coffee, please?
Waitress: May I get you anything else?
Customer: Could I have some more coffee, please?
Also the waiter may ask if the customers are enjoying the meal. They will ask:
"Is everything OK?"
or
"Is everything all right?"
Remember, when you are asking for something politely, use the phrases:
"May I have…..?"
or
"Could I have ……?"
Read these example sentences:
"Would you bring some more butter, please?"
"Would you bring some more pepper please?"
Sometimes, you may need to complain about something. Have you ever had a hair in your food or in your soup? You should tell the waiter or waitress immediately! For example:
Customer: Excuse me, there's a hair in my soup. Could I have another bowl, please?
Waitress: Of course. I'm so sorry.
Sometimes, there may be something wrong with your food. Perhaps it isn't cooked the way you ordered it. This happened to Michael's steak. He ordered his steak medium but when he got his steak, it was rare. For example:
Customer: Excuse me, I wanted my steak medium, but this is rare.
Waitress: I'm sorry, I'll take it back.
When you ask for something, don't forget to say "please." It's makes your sentence more polite. Sometimes, you might want an extra plate or spoon. For example:
"May I have an extra plate, please?"
"Could I have an extra plate please?"
Finally the waitress will ask you, "Are you finished?" or "May I take your plate?" If you are done eating you can say, "yes." If you are still eating, you can say, "No, not yet." or "I'm still working on it." "I'm still working on it" means you are not finished yet. Read these example conversations:
Waitress: Are you finished?
Customer: Yes, I am / No, not yet.
Waitress: May I take your plate?
Customer: Yes, you may. Thank you. / I'm still working on it.
Finally, you will get the bill! Read these example sentences:
"May we have the bill, please?"
"Can I have the bill, please"
