At a Restaurant

(Junior High to High School Students)

The purpose of this lesson is to engage the students in learning

conversational English phrases when dining at a restaurant. Depending on how

well the students learn the new phrases, this lesson may take up to a couple of

days.

1. 2 min: “Everyday Common Greetings” exercise

2. 20 min: Introduce useful phrases when inside a restaurant

a. Waiter/Waitress

i. Entering the restaurant

Welcome to (name of restaurant).

How many people (when seating customers)?

Do you have a reservation?

Your seat will be ready in (number) minutes.

Follow me, please (when directing customers to their

seats).

ii. Taking orders

Our special today is… (meal that the chef makes on

certain occasions. The meal is not listed on the menu)

What would you like to drink?

Are you ready to order?

I’ll be back (when collecting the customers’ food/drink

and coming back to their seat with it)

Enjoy (expression to encourage the customers to be

pleased with their meal)

iii. Collecting money/tips

Would you like to look at our dessert menu?

Here is your receipt.

Have a wonderful day.

b. Customer(s)

i. Entering the restaurant

There are (number of people) of us (Only use when

there are more than one person in a group)

Yes, I/we have a reservation.

No, I/we don’t have a reservation.

ii. Making orders

I would like (name of meal and/or drink), please.

Do you have any specials?

I would like the special, please.

I/we would like a few more minutes (when asking the

waiter/waitress to give you more time to decide on what

to order)

iii. Paying for the service

Yes, I/we want to look at the dessert menu.

No, thanks (polite way to turn down a request).

Thank you (when showing appreciation for the service)

3. 20 min: Activities/Homework

a. Role Play: in groups of 3, each student would be assigned either as a

waiter/waitress or a customer and act out a skit.

Chrystal Chase

Skit: Ordering at a Restaurant

(Reference: Applebee’s)

Waiter/Waitress: Welcome to Applebee’s. How many people?

Customer A: There are two of us.

Waiter/Waitress: Do you have a reservation?

Customer B: No, we don’t have a reservation.

Waiter/Waitress: Your seat will be ready in five minutes.

(Five minutes later)

Waiter/Waitress: Follow me, please.

(Customers are seated)

Waiter/Waitress: What would you like to drink?

(options: Pepsi, Lemonade, Sierra Mist, Water)

Customer A: I would like (name of drink), please.

Customer B: I would like (name of drink), please. Do you have any specials?

Waiter/Waitress: Yes, our special today is the Cowboy Burger.

Customer B: We would like a few more minutes.

Waiter/Waitress: I’ll be back

(waiter/waitress leaves and then returns with the drinks)

Waiter/Waitress: Are you ready to order?

(options: Oriental Chicken Salad, Crispy Orange Chicken Skillet, Bourbon Street

Steak, Cowboy Burger/Special)

Customer A: I would like (name of food), please.

Customer B: I would like the special, please.

Waiter/Waitress: I’ll be back

(waiter/waitress leaves and then returns with the food)

Waiter/Waitress: Enjoy

(waiter/waitress leaves allowing the customers to eat their meal)

Waiter/Waitress: Would you like to look at our dessert menu?

Customer A/B: No, thanks.

Waiter/Waitress: Here is your receipt.

(waiter/waitress pulls out receipt while the customers pay for their meals)

Waiter/Waitress: Have a wonderful day.

Customer A/B: Thank you.

(customers leave the restaurant)

Chrystal Chase