Lesson Plan: At a Restaurant

Eating out is fun and exciting. It allows one to experience new taste sensations. It allows one to
see unique dining settings and ambiances. It allows one to save time and effort since someone
else does the cooking and cleaning up. There are any number of expression you are likely to
encounter at a restaurant. Below are just a few of them.

English Expressions

Expression Response

By a waiter
May I take your order? Could I have a few minutes, please?
Are you ready to order sir? Yes, I'll have the salmon.
How would you like ( ... your steak)? Medium rare, please.
You have a choice of ( ...baked or mashed I'll have the mashed.
potatoes).
Would you care ( ...for something to drink)? Yes, I’ll have an iced tea.
May I get you anything else? No, I'm fine thanks.
By a customer
Could I get another ( ... roll, please)? Certainly, I will bring it right away.
Could I see the (... menu)? One moment, please.
This steak is (... still bloody. Could you have the Right away, ma'am.
chef cook it a little more)?
This isn't what I ordered, (... I wanted a BLT I'm so sorry sir. It's my first day and I’m still a
and you gave me meat loaf)? little confused. confused.confused.
Can I get the check, please? Right away, sir.

Once you have eaten, or maybe before you order you may describe the food just eaten to your
dining companion. You may also want to know how something may taste before ordering it. There
are a number of words that can be used to describe food. Look at these examples.

Words used to describe food

Bland Rich Spicy Salty

Sweet Sour Bitter Hot

Ways to prepare food

Pickled Baked Boiled

Broiled Fried Sautéed

Words to describe the taste of food

Delicious Awful Good Tasty

Yummy Yucky Disgusting

English Dialogue

Students should work together in pairs and read the following dialogue, one student reading one
part, the other student reading the other. Note the expressions used in the dialogue and the
progression of the conversation. The dialogue can be used as a model to have similar
conversations.
Waiter: Welcome to Kasey’s Kitchen. Do you have a reservation?
Customer: Yes, the name is Johnson, Paul.
Waiter: Ah, yes, here you are. That was a party for one, correct?
Customer: Yes.
Waiter: Right this way. Here’s the menu. I’ll return in a moment to take your order.
Waiter: Are you ready to order, sir?
Customer: Yes, I’ll have the T-bone steak.
Waiter: How would you like that cooked?
Customer: Well done, please.
Waiter: You have a choice of potatoes- French fried, mashed, or baked.
Customer: I’ll have the baked potato.
Waiter: Would you like that with butter or sour cream or both?
Customer: I’m on a diet, so only butter.
Waiter: The vegetables today are corn on the cob, peas and carrots, or broccoli.
Customer: I’ll take the corn on the cob.
Waiter: And what would you like for dessert?
Customer: What do you have?
Waiter: We have apple, cherry, and lemon meringue pie, chocolate and vanilla cake, peach
cobbler, and
chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream.
Customer: I’ll take the cherry pie, a la mode, please.
Waiter: Would you care for something to drink?
Customer: I’ll take a large ice tea with my meal and a cup of black coffee with dessert.
Waiter: Very good sir. Enjoy you meal.
Customer: Thanks.

After reading, close your book and tell your partner a summary of the dialogue. Then switch and
have your partner tell his or her summary. Start like this: This dialogue is about a man in a
restaurant ordering ...This may seem silly, since you both already know what the dialogue is about,
but the purpose is to practice using your English, not to give information or test your reading skills.

Conversation Activities

1. Pair work- discussion

When did you go to a restaurant last? Tell your partner about it using some of the ideas for
discussion
below. Your partner should ask questions to get more information.
 when did you go
 where did you go
 what did you eat
 who did you go with
 how was the food

2. Pair work- Role Play

The situation: At a restaurant
Working with a partner, role play the situation, using the information below
Use the menu below to order a meal.
The roles: a waiter, a customer