Shadowing Practice: Learn English at the Restaurant π Easy Conversation for Beginners | Mr. English Channel Podcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hey Emily!
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It is so good to be here today, especially because I am absolutely starving.
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Oh, are you?
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Well, that is actually perfect for our topic today.
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Really?
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What are we talking about?
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Today, we are learning how to order food and talk at a restaurant.
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Oh, I love that topic.
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Eating out is one of my favorite things to do.
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Me too, Paul.
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But you know, it can be a little scary for English learners.
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Yeah, totally.
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Walking into a new place and looking at a big menu is hard.
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Exactly.
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There are so many words, and the servers sometimes talk really fast.
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Oh yeah, they do.
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They come to the table and say things like, are you ready to order?
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Right, and if you are not ready, you might freeze up.
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Honestly, I still do that sometimes, when I cannot decide what I want to eat.
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See?
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Even native speakers get nervous.
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So today, we will make it super simple.
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Perfect.
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Let's start from the very beginning.
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like when you first walk into the restaurant?
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Good idea.
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Usually a person greets you at the door.
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Right.
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The host or hostess.
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What do they usually ask first?
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They almost always ask, how many in your party, or table for how many.
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Party.
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That always sounds funny to new learners, like a birthday party.
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I know, right?
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But in a restaurant, party just means your group of people.
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Exactly.
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So, if it is just me and you, I would say, table for two, please.
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Yes, that is the perfect phrase.
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It is short, polite, and very clear.
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What if the restaurant is really busy and we need to wait?
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Oh, that happens a lot on Friday nights.
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They might say, it will be a 20-minute wait.
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I hate waiting when I'm hungry.
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But you can just give them your name.
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Right.
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They will say, can I get a name for the list?
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And then you just say your name and you can sit down and wait.
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Exactly.
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Now, let's imagine they take us to our table.
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Ah, finally.
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We sit down and the chairs are comfortable.
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What happens next?
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Well, the server comes over.
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Usually they start with a friendly greeting.
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Yeah, they say something like, Hi, I'm Paul and I'll be your server tonight.
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Then they immediately ask about drinks.
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Can I get you started with something to drink?
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That is a very common phrase, get you started.
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It just means, do you want this first?
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Yes, it is very casual.
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So, Paul, what do you usually order to drink?
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Just water for me, but I always ask for a little bit of lemon.
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Nice.
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In English, you can say, I'll just have a water with lemon, please.
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What about you, Emily?
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Do you like soda or juice?
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I usually like iced tea.
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But I always have to specify if I want it sweet or unsweetened.
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Oh, that is a huge thing in America.
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In the South, sweet tea is everywhere.
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It really is.
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So if you just want normal tea, you should say unsweetened iced tea.
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That is a great tip.
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So the server takes the drink order and then leaves.
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Yes, and they give us some time to look at the food menu.
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OK, so we open the menu.
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What are the different sections we see?
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The first section is usually the appetizers.
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Those are the small plates you eat before the main food.
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Oh, like French fries or onion rings or chicken wings.
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Yes, Paul loves his fried food.
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You can also call them starters.
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Starters is a very friendly word.
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Do people share them?
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Oh, absolutely.
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It is very common to buy one appetizer for the whole table.
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Yeah, you can tell the server we are going to share the nachos.
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That is perfect.
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Then the server knows to bring extra small plates.
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Hey, Emily, before we talk about the main food, I think we should talk to our listeners.
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Oh, you are so right.
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Time flies when we are talking about food.
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It really does.
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If you are enjoying this episode, please click that like button right now.
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Yes, and please subscribe to the channel so you never miss a lesson with us.
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Sharing this video with a friend who is learning English helps a lot too.
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And we have a question for you today.
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What is your favorite restaurant food?
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Oh, I want to see the answers.
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Let us know in the comments below.
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Awesome.
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Now, let's get back to our restaurant story.
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The drinks are on the table.
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Excellent.
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Now the server comes back and asks the big question.
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Right.
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They will say, are we ready to order or do we need a few more minutes?
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What should a student say if they still cannot decide?
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Don't panic.
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Just say, can we have a few more minutes, please? please?
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That is so easy.
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The server will smile and say, Sure, take your time.
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Exactly.
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But let's say we are ready to order our main dishes.
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OK, how do I say what I want politely?
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Do I just say the name of the food?
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No, just saying burger can sound a little rude.
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It is better to use a full phrase.
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Right.
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You can say, I would like the burger, please.
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Or, an even shorter way is, I'll have the burger.
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I'll have is super common, right?
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It uses the contraction for I will.
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Yes, we use I'll have all the time.
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I'll have the chicken salad.
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Another great one is, can I get the pasta?
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It is very natural.
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Yes, can I get is perfect.
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It is polite but very relaxed.
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But wait, when you order a burger or a steak, the server will ask more questions.
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Oh, definitely.
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If you order a steak, they will ask, how would you like that cooked?
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That can be tricky.
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What are the options for that?
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Well, you can say rare if you like it very red or medium for the middle.
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And if you want no pink at all, you say, well done.
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I always get medium.
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Me too.
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Medium is a safe choice.
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What about sides?
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Oh, right.
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The server might say, does that come with a side?
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A side is just the smaller food that goes next to your main dish.
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Like salad, steamed vegetables, or my favorite, French fries.
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Always fries with you, Paul.
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They might say, you can choose a side of fries or a side salad.
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I will take the fries every single time.
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No question about it.
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We know, Paul.
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Now, what if a learner wants to change something in the dish?
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Like, what if they don't want onions on their burger?
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You can just say, can I get the burger without onions, please?
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Or you can say, no onions, please.
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That works perfectly, too.
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Yes, servers are very used to people changing things.
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It is not a problem.
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You know, practicing these phrases before you go to a restaurant is a great idea.
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It really is.
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And you know who can help you practice anytime?
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Mr. English AI.
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Oh, yes.
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Our smart assistant is amazing for this.
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You can chat with Mr. English AI anytime to practice ordering food.
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It helps you try different situations so you can feel confident in a real restaurant.
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The link is right in the video description, so check it out after the episode.
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Definitely.
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It is like having a teacher in your pocket.
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Exactly.
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Now, let's imagine the food arrives at our table.
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Oh, it smells amazing.
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The server puts the plates down.
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And they usually ask, is there anything else I can get for you right now?
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What if we need something extra, like a fork or some ketchup?
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You can just say, Could I get some ketchup, please?
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Or, Excuse me, I need a fork.
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Just make sure to say, Excuse me, to get their attention.
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Yes, being polite is very important.
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Always say please and thank you.
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What if there is a mistake, like what if they bring me a salad instead of my fries?
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Oh no, the nightmare!
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No fries for Paul!
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If that happens, don't worry, you can just say it nicely.
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How do I say it without sounding angry?
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You can say, excuse me, I think I ordered the fries, not the salad.
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Ah, I think I ordered.
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That is a very soft and polite way to correct them.
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Exactly.
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The server will usually say, Oh, I am so sorry.
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I will fix that right away.
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That is a relief.
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No need to feel bad about asking for the right food.
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Not at all.
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Now let's fast forward.
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We finished our delicious meal.
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Wow, I am so full.
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That was a lot of food.
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It was.
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Now the server will come to clean the table.
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They usually ask if we want any dessert, right?
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Yes.
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They say, did we save room for dessert?
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Or would you like to see the dessert menu?
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Even if I am full, sometimes I say yes to chocolate cake.
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I know your weakness now, Paul.
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Fried food and chocolate cake.
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Hey, it is a great combination.
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But if we are done, we need to pay.
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Right.
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To ask for the money paper, you ask for the bill or the check.
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Are both words okay to use in America?
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Yes.
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Bill and check mean the exact same thing in a restaurant.
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So I can just say, can we get the check, please?
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Yes, or, check please, while giving a small nod.
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It is very common.
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What if friends want to pay separately, like you pay for yours and I pay for mine?
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That is a very important point.
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You should tell the server before they print the check.
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Oh, really?
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What do we say to them?
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You can say, can we split the check please?
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Or separate checks please?
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Separate checks.
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That is a great phrase to remember.
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Yes.
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If you don't say it, they will just bring one big bill for the whole table.
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And what about tipping?
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That is something that confuses a lot of international travelers.
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Yes.
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Tipping is a big part of restaurant culture in the United States.
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How much do people usually leave for a tip?
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The standard tip is usually 15 to 20 percent of the total bill.
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Right.
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You leave it for the server because they took care of you during the meal.
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Exactly.
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You can write the tip on the receipt if you pay with a credit card.
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Or you can just leave cash on the table before you walk away.
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Yes.
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Either way is totally fine.
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Then you are free to leave.
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Wow.
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We went from walking in the door to walking out full and happy.
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We did.
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It is really not that scary when you know the basic steps.
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Definitely.
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Let's do a super quick review of the most important phrases.
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Okay.
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To ask for a table, use table for two, please.
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To order your food, use I'll have or can I get.
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To ask for the bill, use can we get the check, please?
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And if you want to pay separately, use separate checks, please.
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Perfect.
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If our listeners practice just those four phrases, They will be totally fine.
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Absolutely.
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They are the golden phrases for eating out.
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Well, I think that brings us to the end of our lesson today.
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Yes, it does.
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Don't forget to like this video and subscribe to Mr. English Channel.
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And leave your comment about your favorite restaurant food below.
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Thank you so much for listening to us today, everyone.
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Yes, thank you.
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And we will see you in the next episode.
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Goodbye.
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Bye-bye, guys you
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will learn essential phrases and vocabulary for ordering food and engaging in conversation at a restaurant. Navigating a menu and interacting with servers can be challenging for English learners, but by focusing on specific language used in these situations, you can build confidence. By practicing the phrases from this video, you will enhance your ability to communicate effectively at dining establishments.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Table for two, please: A polite way to request a table for you and a companion.
- How many in your party? A common question from the host asking how many people are with you.
- I would like to order: A useful phrase to signal that you are ready to place your order.
- Can I get a name for the list? A question often asked by the host when you need to wait for a table.
- It will be a 20-minute wait: A typical response regarding how long you may need to wait for a table.
- Are you ready to order? A question from the server to see if you are prepared to make your choices.
- Iβm absolutely starving: An informal way to express that you are very hungry.
- What do you recommend? A great question to ask the server for suggestions on what to order.
Practice Tips
To improve your English pronunciation and fluency when practicing restaurant conversations, consider using a technique called shadowing. This involves listening to the phrases from the video and repeating them immediately after the speaker. Pay close attention to their tone of voice and rhythm. The pacing in the podcast is moderate, making it an excellent resource for shadow speak practice. Aim for clarity and confidence as you repeat each phrase.
For effective IELTS speaking practice, you can also record yourself speaking the phrases and compare your pronunciation with the original audio. This will help you become familiar with the natural flow of English conversation. Additionally, to learn English with YouTube effectively, watch the video multiple times, focusing on different sections each time. Begin with the vocabulary, move on to how to order, and finish by practicing full conversations with a partner or even in front of a mirror.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud β like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1β2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency β making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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