BUSINESS LUNCH

Learn the rhyme:

At the restaurant
At the restaurant where you meet Eggs and bacon or a soup.
You can have a rest and eat, There’s a lot of other food:
Have a menu, call a waitress Chicken legs and barbeque,
Who is pretty like an actress. Swedish salmon right for you,
You can order wine or punch Fish and chips, a turkey pie –
Or a coffee for your lunch You will eat until you die.
With a tasty chocolate cake, When you see your restaurant bill
Eat a salad and a steak You’ll feel absolutely ill.

Welcoming a visitor

Exercise 1. Complete the conversation using the phrases below. Learn the dialogue.
Dialogue I
- Mr. Hathaway?
- Yes, that’s right. You must be Mr. Striebel.
- Yes. Pleased _______________________.
- And you.
- Is this ____________________ to Athens?
- Yes, I’ve always wanted to come but I never had the chance.
- Good, I can show you around. Did you _______________________ ?
- Yes, it was fine, thanks. No delays or problems.
- Good. Let me take your case. The car’s just outside. Did you _______________________ ?
- No, I wasn’t hungry.
- Well, what would you like to do? Shall we go to _________________________ ?
- The hotel, I think. I’d like a shower. We can eat later, if that’s OK.
- That’s fine by me. What ________________________ ? We’ve got a good choice of
restaurants here – French, Italian, and Greek, of course.
- I’d like to _____________________ .
- Good, that’s settled. I’ll drop you off now and come and pick you up again at about eight.
try some Greek food, the restaurant or the hotel first, have a good flight, to meet you, eat
anything on the plane, sort of food do you like, your first visit.

Arriving

Useful phrases:
We’d like a table for four, please.
We have a table for three reserved in the name of …
Where can I leave my coat?
Do you have an area reserved for non-smokers?
I’d like a table near the window.
We’d like something to drink while we look at the menu.
What aperitifs have you got?
Do you have a vegetarian menu?

Dialogue II
- I would like some exotic food. I am sick and tired of hot dogs and fried eggs with bacon.
- Then let’s go to the Chinese restaurant. They serve national dishes, for example, pork
with pineapples or fried bananas.
- It is what I need now. Is it far from the office?
 - No, it will take 5 minutes to get there by car. (Ширяева, с. 52, 5)

Dialogue III
- We ordered a table for today.
- For what name?
- For Robert Ash.
- Your table is ready. Come in, please.
- Oh, we would like to sit further from the band. Is it possible?
- Yes, that table by the window is vacant. Is it ok?
- Yes, it is. (Ширяева, с. 54, 1)

Exercise 2. Put these different foods into the right list.

Peas, lamb, salmon, duck, raspberries, chicken, cauliflower, beef, cherries, sole, pork,
strawberries.
meat fish poultry vegetables fruit

Think of more words to add to each list. What is your favourite meal?

Ordering

Useful phrases:
We’re not ready to order yet, thank you.
Please can we order now?
I’d like …
I’d like … with … and … to follow.
Are your vegetables fresh or frozen?
What is in the season at the moment?
What is the chef’s speciality?
Does this dish contain pork (cheese, shell fish …)?
May I see the wine list, please?
Do you have non-alcoholic drinks?

Dialogue IV
Kevin and Paolo are ordering wine in a restaurant. Read the conversation below and guess the
missing words. Use one word per space.
Kevin (K), Paolo (P), waiter (W)
W: The wine list, sir.
K: Thank you. Let’s see. What ________ of wine do you like, Paolo?
P: I _______ white.
K: ________ or dry?
P: Dry.
K: Then let’s have the Chablis. It’s usually good.
P: How ________ do you come here?
K: About once a month. (to the waiter) Excuse me.
W: Yes, sir?
K: We’ll _______ the Chablis, please. Number 63.
P: And I’d _______ a bottle of mineral water too, please.
(tapescript 17c, Business Objectives)

Dialogue V
Monica (M), George (G), Helen (H), Jim (J), Waiter (W)
W: Good evening.
G, J, H, M: Good evening.
G: My name is Fisher …
W: Yes, you called this morning, a table for four. Over here, sir.
G: Thank you.
(Pause)
W: Would you like anything to drink?
M: I’d like a sherry please, but a dry one.
H: Me too.
J: Yes, a sherry would be nice.
G: OK, four dry sherries. And is there anything you would recommend?
W: Yes, the salmon is excellent and the grilled Dover sole with rice and beans is delicious, too.
H: Hm, Dover sole, I might eat that.
M: I’d like to read the menu first. I don’t like fish very much.
W: Well, take your time; I’ll take your orders as soon as you are ready then.
G: Yes, why don’t we do that?
(Pause)
G: Well, Helen, what would you like?
H: I think I’ll have the Dover sole.
G: Would you like a soup first?
H: Well, I don’t know yet …
M: I think I’ll have a tomato soup and kidney pie.
G: And you, Jim?
J: I could eat the steak with chips and tomatoes or maybe the salmon. How about yourself?
G: I’ll have the salmon, I think, and a tomato soup as a starter.
J: Yes, I’ll go along with that then.
(Pause)
W: Can I take your orders?
G: Yes. We’d like four tomato soups, one Dover sole, one kidney pie and two salmon.
W: Thank you, sir, anything for dessert? We’ve got apple pie with custard, fruit, cheese …
G: We’ll decide on that later.
W: All right. Thank you.
(Dialogue 3, Unit 10, p.82, tape “English in Dialogues”)

Exercise 3. Complete the phrases 1-8 with the verbs in the box and match them with a-h to
make questions.
accept wear have take see happened watch know

1. Can I ……. a) to David? Is he OK?

2. Do you ………. All b) the basketball game yesterday?
3. Do you ……… if there is c) the dessert menu?
4. Do you ………. d) credit cards?
5. Would anyone like to ………. e) sugar in your coffee?
6. Did you ……….. f) to the reception?
7. What clothes should I ……….. g) a cash machine nearby?
8. What has ………… h) the chicken and vegetable soup, please?
 During the Meal

Useful phrases:
I ordered steak but you’ve given me veal.
Could we have some more bread, please?
I’d like some iced water.
Is this cheese local?
What are the desserts on the trolley?
Do you have decaffeinated coffee?
Could you bring a box of cigars, please?

Exercise 4. Look at the lists and underline the word that is different from the others. Then
explain why.
The other three are
Example. prawn lobster crab veal types of shellfish
1. roast fry steak grill ___________________
2. peach potato melon raspberry ___________________
3. mashed frozen french-fried baked ___________________
4. pea salmon sole plaice ___________________
5. lamb pork bacon ham ___________________
6. cream margarine butter milk ___________________
7. cauliflower sprouts carrots bread ___________________
8. medium rare well-done cooked ___________________

Dialogue VI
Monica (M), George (G), Helen (H), Jim (J), Waiter (W)
G: Excuse me, we’d like to order the dessert now.
W: Yes, of course. What would you like?
H: I’ll have apple pie with custard.
M: I’ll take the vanilla ice with strawberries.
J: Me, too.
G: Make that three, please.
W: So that’s one apple pie with custard, and three vanilla ice creams with strawberries.
(Pause)
G: Could I have the bill, please?
W: Yes, here you are, was everything all right?
M: Yes, excellent.
J: Very good, indeed.
H: Delicious, yes. Thank you.
G: Thanks. Here you are.
W: Thank you very much, sir.
(Dialogue 4, Unit 10, p.87, tape “English in Dialogues”)

Recommending

Exercise 5. In your own language, write down the names of five dishes which are popular in
your country. Then describe these dishes for an English person you are taking to lunch.
Example Escargots à l’ail are snails cooked in butter and garlic.
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
 4. _____________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________
Exercise 6. Practice recommending food by matching the items with the reasons.
Example. I can recommend the blue cheese. It’s a local speciality.
fresh raspberries but be careful, it’s very hot
house wine it’s chef’s speciality
turkey with chocolate it goes very well with fish
white sauce it’s produced in the local vineyards
vegetable curry it’s just like mother used to make
steak pie they are in the season at the moment

Offering

Useful phrases:
More cheese?
You must try my wife’s special recipe!
Can I pass you anything?
Exercise 7. Work with a partner. Take it in turn to offer food and drink.
Model: Would you like an apple? (a + single countable noun)
Would you like some wine? (some + uncountable noun)
Would you like some grapes? (some + plural countable noun)
- Yes, please. – No, thanks.
- Thanks. – It looks lovely, but …
- I’d love some (one).
Cheese, biscuit, cake, mineral water, bread, rice, cucumber, pear, tomato, juice, butter, lettuce.

Accepting

Useful phrases:
Just a little more, please!
Yes, please.
Just a taste. (food)
Just a drop. (drink)
Refusing

Useful phrases:
I’d love some, but I’m on a diet.
I’d love some, but I couldn’t manage any more.
I’m afraid it’s against my religion.

Dialogue VII
- What do we have for breakfast?
- Some porridge and cheese.
- Oh, I don’t want any porridge. I can’t stand it.
- But it is very tasty and healthy.
- I would prefer something more appetizing.
- Then take some corn-flakes and milk.
- That’s just what I want.
(Ширяева, с. 58, 2)
 Complimenting
Useful phrases:
This is delicious!
The sauce is excellent!
My compliments to the chef!
Dialogue VIII
- I would like my steak medium rare.
- Sorry, it is well done. You should taste it.
Well, how do you like it?
- My praises to the chef.
- Thank you.

Paying the Bill

Useful phrases:
Can we have the bill, please?
Sorry, I don’t understand the bill.
Is service included?
Excuse me, but could you tell me what this is for?
We ordered one salad but you’ve charged us for two.
Do you take credit cards? / Can I pay by card?
Dialogue IX
Read the dialogue. Write in the missing words from the list below it.

You: Let me ________ for this.

Colleague: No, I’ll pay for it.
You: No, no I ___________ .
Colleague: Well, thanks very much.
You: Waiter! Could I have the ________ please?
Waiter: Certainly, sir, here you are.
You: Thank you. Is __________ included?
Waiter: Yes, sir, there is a 10% __________ __________ on the bill.
You: I see.
Waiter: How would you like to pay, sir: in __________, by __________ or with a
________________ ?
You: Do you take __________________ ?
Waiter: Certainly, sir. That will do nicely!
You: I wonder if I should leave a ________ ?
Colleague: Maybe just a small one.
Cash, cheque, American Express, service charge, insist, tip, bill, credit card, pay, service.
(English on Business, p. 152, Exercise 11, Unit 8)

Dialogue X

A: That was very good. Can we have the bill, please?

W: Here you are, sir.
A: Excuse me, but could you tell me what this is for?
W: It’s for the bread.
A: Oh, yes, I see. Do you take credit cards?
W: I’m sorry, we don’t. If you need cash, there’s a cash machine just across the road.