0.6 Taking customers' orders

Section 1: language focus

1. Structures

Articles: A/AN and THE

Look at these sentences.

• Every summer we stay in a hotel in Rome. The hotel is in the city centre.
• Could I have the menu, please?
• Could I have a beer, please?
• Could I speak to the manager, please?

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks with blanks with A/AN or THE.

1. On Saturdays we eat in _____ restaurant in Oxford. _____ restaurant is near _____ River Thames.
2. Do you have _____ reservation, madam?
3. Can I have _____ reservation, madam?
4. Would you like to see _____ wine list, sir?
5. Would you like _____ aperitif?
6. _____ beer here is very good.
7. Could I have _____ bill?

A or SOME

Look at these sentences.

• I’d like a (glass of) beer/a glass of wine/a table near the window/a (cup of) coffee
• I’d like some bread/some wine/some water/some milk

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks with A or SOME.

1. I’d like ______ whisky, please.
2. There’s ______ bread on the table.
3. Could I have _____ glass of wine?
4. Mr. Jones has left ____ money in his room.
5. Could I have ______ rice?

Taking orders

Recommending

Recommending and comparing

Customer

Waiter/waitress

Practice

1. Complete the following conversations.

Conversation 1

Waiter (W):_________________.

Guest (G): I’d like to have dinner in your restaurant at 7:00 tonight.

W: ________?

G: A table for two?

W: __________?

G: David Smith.

W: Mr. Smith, __________?

G: No, thanks.

Conversation 2

W: _________

G: This is Henry Green speaking. I’d like to have a table for four tonight.

W: __________?

G: At about eight.

W: ___________

G: Yes, you are right. By the way, could you give us a table in the corner? We’d like to have a quiet table.

W: ______________?

G: Thank you. Good-bye.

2. List the order in which restaurant staff do these things. For example: 1 = (e)

1. ask if guests would like to see the wine list
2. bring the wine list
3. serve the bread or rolls
4. take the guests to their table
5. receive guests when they arrive
6. take guests’ coats to the cloakroom
7. take down the orders from the first and second courses
8. ask if guests would like an aperitif (a drink before meal)
9. offer water
10. take down the wine order
11. bring the menu