3. Grabbing a bite to eat

Focus on

 

 

Let's talk about your habits when eating out:

  • Do you prefer eating out or at home? Why?
  • Do you have a favourite restaurant? Why? What is its house speciality?
  • Which of these factors is the most important to you when choosing a restaurant: price, taste, atmosphere or service?
  • What would life be without restaurants?
  • Have you ever had any problem when ordering food at a restaurant e.g. your meat was overdone but you had ordered it rare, your meal was cold, your side dish was not the correct one, etc.? What happened?
  • Do you normally split the bill with whoever you are eating out with or do you sometimes treat* (= pay for the other person)?
  • What do foreigners normally like eating in Spain? Is there anything they dislike?
Mc. Guire's Irish Pub
Imagen de sylvar en Flickr.
Licencia CC

* Note: in English, we use invite to ask someone to come to a party/come out to a restaurant but it doesn't imply that you are going to pay for that person.

Do it yourself

In the table below you will find informal words and expressions used when talking about food and eating out. Match person A's statement with person B's response. Write the letter in the space provided.

Person A's Statement Letter Person B's Statement
1. Where do you want to go for lunch? a. I’m not surprised. You totally pigged out. I think your eyes were bigger than your stomach, although your stomach looks pretty big right now.
2. I’m totally starving. b. I think I’m going to give the house speciality a try.
3. Do you want to go for drinks after work? It’s on me. c. I don’t think so. If I have an appetizer, I probably won't be able to finish my main course.
4. I have never been so full in my life. d. No. I don't like leftovers.
5. What are you going to have for your entree? e. Sounds like a good idea, but you are always treating me. This time I'm going to treat you and cover your half.
6. Are you going to get anything to start? f. I’m not so sure about him. You know last night we went out for dinner for our one-month anniversary. He told me to order whatever my heart desired, but when the bill came he wanted to go halfers.
7. Do you think we should get a doggie bag? g. Yes, I'll have a large orange juice.
8. Would you like something to wash down your meal with? h. How about we grab a bite to eat at that new cafe around the corner. I hear their sandwiches are out of this world.
9. How are things going with your new boyfriend? i. Me too. I’m famished. I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse.

SOURCE: http://www.idiomeanings.com/idioms/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Chapter-5-Dinner-Is-Served.pdf

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Do it yourself

Find words in the statements above for the following definitions:

1. To go out to eat: To

2. To pay for a meal, a movie ... for someone else: To someone

3. To split the cost of a meal: To go

4. Anything you want: whatever your

5. To eat too much: To

6. What you eat before the main course:

7. Main course:

8. To drink something to help you swallow food: To

9. To be really amazing: To be

10. When you are starving, you could eat a

Adapted from: http://speak-english-to-world.weebly.com/uploads/4/6/5/4/46548079/chapter-5-dinner-is-served.pdf

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Pub in Britain
Imagen de UGArdener en Flickr.
Licencia CC



When you hear or read the word pub, what springs to mind?
Which are the main differences between Spanish pubs and pubs in the UK?
How much do you know about pubs in the UK?






The video below will help you understand the main differences between pubs in Spain and in the UK.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/night-out/british-pub

After watching it, take a piece of paper and answer the following questions:

1. Where does the name ‘pub’ come from?
2. How many pubs are there in the UK?
3. How are pubs different from cafés?
4. Why did people drink beer instead of water?
5. What do people do in pubs?
6. Are there different types of pubs?
7. What is binge drinking?

 Adapted from: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/night-out/british-pub

 
HOW TO GIVE ADVICE
  • You should...,
  • I don't think you should...
  • Why don't you...?
  • What about + -ing ....? 
  • How about + -ing...?
  • If I were you, I would....
HOW TO RECOMMEND

I suggest/recommend you try the new restaurant on the corner

I recommend you not have the steak tartar

I suggest going to the cinema afterwards.

 I recommend learning to cook sushi.

  • I suggest / recommend that + subject + infinitive (without TO)
  • I suggest / recommend + -ing (Note: here you don't say who you are talking to but we understand from context)
  • We don't say: I recommend you to....with this meaning.
 

It's speaking time!

Work in pairs and perform the following roles. Before starting the dialogue have a look at the expressions below which will be useful to advise and recommend your partner what to do.

Steak Tartar photo
Imagen de soloakewlstick
en Flickr. Licencia CC

STUDENT A

Last night after work you went with your colleagues to grab a bite to eat. It was your friend Paul's birthday and you wanted to treat him. You decided to go to a restaurant where the house speciality is steak tartar. You think it is out of this world. Tell Student B about the dinner, the dishes you ordered, what you drank, what you had for dessert. Recommend him this place.
YOU BEGIN THE DIALOGUE.

STUDENT B

You have recently become a vegetarian. Think of reasons why eating meat is not healthy for the body. Student A is really keen on eating meat, in fact, last night he/she went to a restaurant to eat steak tartar and you can't understand how people can eat raw meat. Advise him/her to change his/her diet. Ask Student A about his/her eating habits and lifestyle.

Bowl with salad
Imagen de Anushruti RK
en Flickr. Licencia CC