Restaurants & Eating Out

UNIT⑩

This unit will show you how to:• talk about your eating preferences,• compare foods from various cultures, • talk about recent and changing trends, and • relate your personal experiences.

You will also learn new words related to the topic. Use your dictionary to find the meanings of the words in your native language to understand them better.

At the end of the topic, try the practice questions on the pages with the green tab.

Discussion Questions:

1. When was the last time you ate out? What did you have and how much did

it cost?

2. Do most people around you eat out or cook their meals at home? Which do

you prefer?

☞Go to http://www.supermarketnews.com/consumer-trends/millennials-

spending-more-money-eating-out-less-time-preparing-food-home or type

"Millennials spending more money eating out,

less time preparing food at home" in any search

engine and read the article on Supermarket

News.

☑ millennials - people born between the 1980s to 1990s.

PRACTICE

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• According to the article, more young people are spending more money

eating out than on groceries from supermarkets. Why do you think this is so?

☞ Read paragraph 5.

• Another trend reported in the article is that compared to the Gen X

generation, who are people born from 1960s to 1970s, millennials bought

more foods such as "deli food, carry-out, delivery or fast food". Why do you

think this is so?

• Think of a few examples of types of food you often eat from the above

category ("deli food, carry-out, delivery or fast food"). Write them below.

☑ groceries - foodstuffs and household things you can find at a supermarket

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Three examples of types of food in the "convenient food" category:

• _______________________________________

• _______________________________________

• _______________________________________

ⓈⓅ Speaking Practice

⍰ How often do you eat out?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

⍰ Where do you usually go when you eat out? Is there a restaurant that

you regularly patronize?

Example: I don't stick to a regular restaurant, but I usually frequent the

eateries in my neighborhood.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

☑ patronize - regularly visit

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⍰ Who do you usually eat with when you eat out?

Example: I hate eating alone, so I usually eat with my colleagues or family. I

meet up with my college friends for a meal once a month.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

⍰ Do you prefer eating alone, with another person, or in a group?

Example: Food is a big part of our culture, so it's very fun to share good food

with many people. However, sometimes, when I don't have time, I simply

grab a quick bite alone at a cafe or fast food restaurant.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

☑ grab a bite - to eat something , usually a snack or something eaten quickly

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⍰ Is there a type of food that you would like to see in a restaurant that

your neighborhood doesn't have?

Example: I have always wanted to try Mexican food but there aren't any

Mexican restaurants in my area. I really hope to see one in my neighborhood.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

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⍰ What factors determine a good restaurant – food, price, service, or its

ambience? Which of the above factors is the most important to you?

You can say: "Personally, I think ... is the most important factor."

"To me, the ... is the deciding factor in choosing where to eat."

Example: The quality of the food and its price are very important factors to

me. When I usually eat out in a group of friends, we want somewhere with

good food and affordable prices. The ambience isn't that important to me.

☑ ambience - the mood and atmosphere of a place

☑ affordable - considerably cheap and within one's budget

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________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________ .

Talking about and Making Assumptions about Trends - look at the

following and practice how to talk about and make assumptions about trends.

⍰How have your eating habits changed over the years?

Example: When I was young, I enjoyed eating fast food and snacks like ice-

cream and snacks. However, I've become more health-conscious as I grew

older. Nowadays, I've been eating less fatty meat, fast food and processed

food.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________.

☑ health-conscious - being interested in and aware of one's health

☑ processed food - foods like biscuits, most snacks and ham, that has been

modified to make it easier for storage

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⍰ In what ways have people's eating habits changed over the years?

You can say: "In the past, ... but in our modern society, ..."

"Over the years, people have become more and more ..."

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

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⍰ Do you enjoy fast food? What do you usually order at a fast food

restaurant?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

⍰ Why do you think fast food restaurants are so popular?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________.

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⍰Are you usually able to finish everything when you eat out? Are

portions of the food served at restaurants too big for our health?

You can say: "Most of the time... but sometimes, ..."

Example: I usually find the food portion at fast food restaurants too big for

me. I tend to leave some behind when I eat out. But at home, I can take

control my portions easier.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________ .

⍰ Do you worry about or even count calories and fat content in the food

when you eat out?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________ .

☑ tend to - likely to do something

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☞ Go to http://koreabizwire.com/food-truck-legend-roy-choi-introduces-

healthier-fast-food/48765 and read about Roy Choi, a chef who became

famous because of his food truck that sells

healthy fast food.

⍰ Have you seen or eaten from any food trucks? How was the eating

experience different from dining at a regular restaurant?

Example: I personally have not seen any food trucks in my town. I think it's

because most people still prefer to sit down at restaurants and enjoy a

traditional dining experience.

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________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

The concept of running a food truck is becoming more prevalent, especially

in the U.S. Roy Choi's food truck aims to provide healthy food to people in

the low-income group.

⍰ Why do you think food trucks are becoming more popular?

Example: I think it's due to the fact that food trucks can open anywhere and

anytime. They can serve customers from a wide range of locations and

income groups.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ .

☑ prevalent - common and easily seen

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Ask a family member or friend this question - "What have you learnt

about a new culture through its food?" Write their opinion down below.

Use the examples to help you.

You can say: "Through its food, I've learnt about ..."

Examples:

• When I was in L.A, I realized that there were many fast food and take out

restaurants. This was probably because the people are too busy to cook at

home. Fast food has become very cheap and accessible to everyone.

• I have noticed that a lot of steaming, a healthy method of food preparation,

is involved in cooking Asian food. It isn't quite the same for Western food.

The way food is prepared can affect the people's health.

•Generally, I have found that the food of a country greatly signifies its

culture. For example, people who live in a busy, cosmopolitan city may have

less time to prepare wholesome meals at home. Hence, they may eat out

more often.

• I have realized quite a few times that in Western countries, alcohol is

served during dinner. However, in my culture, we have alcohol after the main

meal. Certain side dishes also accompany the drinking of alcohol.

Answer:

PRACTICE

123

Ask a family member or friend this question - "Do you notice any

differences in the way food is served at the table when you travel?" Write

their opinion down below. Use the examples to help you.

You can say: "In Western restaurants, ..."

"On the other hand, in Asian restaurants, ..."

Examples:

•Asian food, which includes a lot of rice and noodles, is generally eaten with

chopsticks and spoons. On the other hand, people use forks and knives

when eating Western food such as steak.

• I have realized that unlike Western food, Japanese and Korean food is

served with many side dishes.

• European food comes in various courses, such as the entrée, main course

and dessert, but all the dishes in an Asian meal are usually served at once.

Answer:

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PRACTICE

Notes

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Notes

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