Transcription
Hey everybody, welcome to this B1 English listening practice video. You can use this video to practice your listening and comprehension as I speak. You ready?
So today, I'm gonna talk about restaurants. This is a topic that I could talk about all day because I love eating out. So let's talk specifically about American restaurants. We could probably classify American restaurants into several different categories. There are fast-food restaurants, like your typical burger joints like McDonald's, Burger King, Jack-in-the-Box, etc. These would obviously be considered the lowest-class restaurants.
Then there are normal, average restaurants that are chains or franchises. These places usually have locations all over the country, as well as multiple locations in the same city. Then you've got your normal, average restaurants that are individually or family-owned. In the US, we sometimes call family-owned businesses "ma and pa" businesses. So some of the restaurants in this category could be called "mom and pop" restaurants.
Then you've got your high-end restaurants, which would be considered fine dining. These can be really fancy and expensive, and if they're really highly acclaimed, they might even have a Michelin star, too. Needless to say, most people can't afford to eat at these restaurants too often.
One of the types of restaurants that's distinctly American is called a diner. Diners are restaurants that sell typical American food, like American breakfast food, burgers, sandwiches, steak, etc. A lot of diners sell breakfast all day, so you can order eggs, sausage, and pancakes at 9:00 p.m. if you want. I've always loved diners because they have a really American feel to them. Whenever I go on a road trip, I always look forward to stopping in the middle of nowhere at one of these classic American diners. You can always find diners off the highway in the middle of nowhere.
All right, now let's talk about tipping in the US. This is something that all foreigners need to know because it's a custom that's different in the U.S. than it is in other countries. When you eat at a sit-down restaurant in the US, you're expected to give a tip for the service you receive. There are no exceptions here. Even though it's not mandated by law, it's an unspoken rule that all Americans abide by. You have to tip your waiter whether you feel like it or not.
So now you might be wondering how much you have to tip. Well, until recently, 15% has been the standard tip at most restaurants, but in the last few years, they've been trying to raise this. Nowadays, many restaurants expect 18% or more, which I think is ludicrous. I always give 15%, no matter what, and this is still acceptable, but there's definitely a visible effort on the part of restaurants to raise this percentage. So be aware of this if you're traveling to the US anytime soon.
Lastly, let's talk about the common expressions we use in the restaurant environment. When you first enter the restaurant and talk to the host, you normally say how many people there are in your party. So you can say, "Can we have a table for two, please?" And to order food, you can say a few different things. You could say, "I'll have the cheeseburger," "I'll take the cheeseburger," or "Can I have the cheeseburger?" You can use any of these phrases and just substitute the word "cheeseburger" for whatever dish you're ordering. If you want to ask the waiter for something else after you've already ordered, you can just use the phrase "Could I have?" So, for example, you could say, "Could I have another glass of water, please?"
And one more note: In the U.S., you don't ask for the check when you're done eating; the waiter brings it to you without you asking. I know this might seem weird, but it's the custom.
Okay, that's all for today. Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite type of restaurant is. I'll see you next time. [Music] [Applause] [Music]