Ordering Food, Tipping, and Returning Items in Stores.

In this lesson you join friends for dinner and then stop by a store, so you can handle two classic U.S. situations: eating out and returning items. You practice reading menus, asking questions, customizing orders, and responding to the rapid questions servers often ask. You learn natural ways to talk about allergies and preferences, and how tipping usually works, including what to say if you are not sure what is expected. In the second part, you visit a shop to return or exchange a product, using language that is firm but polite when something is wrong with your purchase or the bill. Along the way you compare more British-style phrases with common American choices, so you sound friendly, confident, and not overly formal. By the end, you can enjoy meals out and fix small problems in stores without stress.

1. Arriving at a U.S. restaurant with friends.

Imagine it is Friday night in a typical American city. You meet two friends after work and decide to go to a casual restaurant for dinner. As you walk in, the host smiles and says, Hi, how are you? How many? Your friends answer, Table for three, please. This kind of quick, friendly greeting is very common in the U.S., and it can feel less formal than what you might expect. After you sit down, the server comes over with menus and water. They might say something like, Hey folks, my name is Jamie, I will be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with something to drink? Notice the rhythm: warm greeting, their name, and a simple question. In this first part of the lesson, we will focus on understanding and using this natural opening language. You will listen to a short scene, notice useful phrases for asking for a table and ordering drinks, and then describe what you heard in your own words. This will help you feel relaxed and ready when you walk into a real restaurant in the U.S.

Scene: Walking into an American restaurant.

You and two friends arrive at a casual sit-down restaurant in a U.S. city. The place is busy, but not full. You step inside and immediately someone at the host stand looks up and smiles.

Here is a typical sequence you might hear:

> Host: Hi, how are you?

> You: Good, thanks.

> Friend: Could we get a table for three?

> Host: Sure, it will be just a few minutes. You can wait over there.

After a short wait, you sit down. A server appears with a big smile and free water.

> Server: Hey guys, how is it going? My name is Jamie, I will be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with something to drink?

> You: Could I get a lemonade, please?

> Friend 1: I will have an iced tea.

> Friend 2: Just water for me, thanks.

Notice how friendly and informal the language is. The server uses hey guys, says their name, and uses the phrase I will be taking care of you tonight. This does not mean they are your servant; it is just a warm formula that many American servers use.

Also notice how you order drinks:

• Could I get a lemonade, please?
• I will have an iced tea.
• Just water for me, thanks.

These are short, polite, and very common in the U.S. You do not need long, formal sentences like I would like to request a glass of lemonade. A short request with please is perfect.

In the audio for the activity, you will hear a similar scene: a host, a group of friends, and a server taking drink orders. Listen for:

• How people greet each other.
• How they ask for a table.
• How they order drinks.

Then you will write a short description in your own words so you can start building your personal phrase bank for restaurant openings.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to the short restaurant scene. You will hear a host and a server speaking with a group of three friends who have just arrived. After you listen, write a short paragraph (4–6 sentences) in your own words.

In your paragraph, explain:

• Where the people are and what is happening.
• What the host says and how the friends ask for a table.
• What the server says and what the friends order to drink.
• One phrase from the audio that you think is especially useful for you.

You do not need to write a perfect transcript. Focus on the main ideas and the key phrases. Try to use at least one or two expressions from the examples on the screen, like table for three or Can I get. Write in complete sentences so I can check both your understanding and your language.

2. Customizing your order and mentioning allergies.

Now that you are comfortable entering the restaurant and ordering drinks, let us move to the next step in your dinner: choosing food and customizing your order. In many U.S. restaurants, especially casual ones, people often change small things in the dish. They say no onions, dressing on the side, or can I substitute a salad instead of fries. This is usually normal and acceptable in the American context, as long as you stay polite and realistic. In this block, you will look at a simple menu and practice saying exactly what you want. We will also add language for dietary needs and allergies, which are taken seriously in U.S. restaurants. You will see how to say things like I am vegetarian or I have a nut allergy in a way that is clear and direct but still friendly. Then, you will practice writing a short order based on a menu, with at least two customizations, so that you feel ready to order without stress in real life.

Choosing what to eat and making small changes.

The server has brought your menus and your drinks. Now it is time to order food. Here is a small, simplified version of a typical American casual menu.

Sample menu.

American customers often customize orders. Some natural, friendly ways to do this are:

• I will have the classic burger with no onions.
• Can I get the chicken salad, but with the dressing on the side?
• Could I substitute a side salad instead of fries?
• Can I add avocado to the veggie bowl?

Notice the patterns:

• Start with I will have or Can I get or I will do plus the dish.
• Then add your customization: with no onions, with extra cheese, on the side, instead of, add avocado.

Talking about preferences and allergies.

In the U.S., staff usually appreciate clear, short information about what you cannot eat. For example:

• I am vegetarian, so no meat, please.
• I do not eat pork.
• I am allergic to nuts.
• I am lactose intolerant, so no regular cheese, please.

You do not need to give a long explanation. Just say the key information and then link it to your order:

• I am allergic to nuts, does the veggie bowl have any nuts in it?
• I am vegetarian, could I get the margherita pizza with no pepperoni?

In the activity, you will see the menu again in the resource. You will choose one or two dishes and write your order as if you are speaking to the server. Try to include:

• At least two customizations (for example, remove something and add something).
• One short sentence about a preference or restriction.

Practice & Feedback

Look at the sample menu in the resource again and imagine you are ready to order food in this restaurant. You are talking to the server.

Write 3–5 sentences. In your answer:

• Choose at least one main dish from the menu.
• Order it using a natural starter like I will have or Can I get.
• Add at least two clear customizations, such as removing one ingredient and changing a side.
• Mention one preference or restriction (for example, vegetarian, no pork, allergic to nuts, or another real detail about you).

Write it as if you are really speaking to the server, not as a list. Use polite words like please and thank you, but keep the tone relaxed and natural, not super formal. This is your chance to design your perfect American restaurant order in English.

Menu for your order.

Remember useful patterns:

• I will have the classic burger with no onions.
• Can I get the chicken salad with the dressing on the side?
• Could I substitute a salad instead of fries?
• I am allergic to nuts, does this have any nuts?

3. Dealing with fast server questions and small extras.

You have chosen your food and explained your preferences. The next challenge in many American restaurants is the rapid series of follow up questions from the server. These questions often come very quickly, and the vocabulary may be new: How do you want that cooked, do you want fries or a salad with that, would you like to start with an appetizer, or can I get you anything else. If you are not ready, it can feel stressful. In this block, we will slow down those typical questions, so you can recognize the patterns and respond calmly. We will also add language for common extras at the end of the meal, like asking for a to go box, getting the check, or asking for separate checks. Then you will do a short chat style simulation. You will write a little conversation between you and a server, similar to a text chat, where the server asks you two or three quick questions and you answer clearly. This will prepare you to handle that pressure in real life with confidence.

Typical fast questions from servers.

In many U.S. restaurants, servers are trained to ask a series of questions quickly, to be efficient. Here is a realistic example at the table.

> Server: What can I get for you?

> You: I will do the classic burger, please.

> Server: Great. How do you want that cooked?

> You: Medium, please.

> Server: Do you want fries or a salad with that?

> You: A salad, please.

> Server: Awesome. And anything else for you right now?

These questions can feel like a machine gun. Let us notice the common ones:

• Cooking level: How do you want that cooked? (common answers: rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, well done).
• Side options: Do you want fries or a salad with that? or What kind of side would you like?
• Extras: Do you want to add cheese or avocado?
• More drinks: Can I get you a refill? or Do you want another drink?

Later in the meal, you may hear:

• Can I get you anything else?
• Do you want a box for that? (for leftovers to take home)
• Are you ready for the check?
• Do you want separate checks or all together?

You can answer with short, clear phrases:

• Medium, please.
• Fries, please. or A salad, please.
• No, I am good, thanks. (for refusing more food or drinks)
• Yes, can I get a box, please?
• Could we get the check, please?
• Could you split the check? or All together is fine.

In the next activity, you will create a short chat style conversation with a server. Think of it like a messaging app: the server asks you two or three quick questions about your order and the end of the meal, and you answer clearly, using these patterns.

Practice & Feedback

Create a short chat style conversation between you and a server at a casual American restaurant.

Imagine the situation:

• You have just told the server which main dish you want.
• The server now asks 2–3 quick questions about how you want it and any sides or extras.
• At the end of the meal, the server checks if you want anything else and if you are ready for the check.

Write at least 6 lines total. Use this format:

• Server: for the server's lines.
• You: for your lines.

Include:

• At least one question about cooking level or sides.
• At least one answer saying you do not want more food or drinks.
• A polite request for the check.

Keep your language short and natural, using patterns from the screen like Medium, please, No, I am good, thanks, and Could we get the check, please?.

Example pattern you can copy and adapt:

Server: What can I get for you?

You: I will do the classic burger, please.

Server: Great. How do you want that cooked?

You: Medium, please.

Server: Do you want fries or a salad with that?

You: A salad, please.

Server: Can I get you anything else right now?

You: No, I am good, thanks.

Later:

Server: Do you want a box for that?

You: Yes, please, that would be great.

Server: Are you ready for the check?

You: Yes, could we get the check, please?

4. Checking the bill and deciding how to tip.

Your meal is almost over. The last important restaurant step in the U.S. is dealing with the check and the tip. For many people who did not grow up in the United States, tipping norms feel confusing or stressful. You might not be sure how much to leave or what to say if there is a mistake on the bill. In this block, we will look at a simple sample check and connect it to typical American language. You will see key phrases like could we get the check, could you split the check, and I think there is a mistake on the bill. Then we will talk briefly about common tip percentages, such as fifteen, eighteen, or twenty percent, and how tax appears separately. In the activity, you will read the sample bill, decide what you would tip and why, and write what you would say to a friend or to the server. This will help you feel more confident the next time that little black folder or tip screen appears in front of you.

The check and tipping in a U.S. restaurant.

After the plates are cleared, the server often asks:

• Are you ready for the check?
• Do you want separate checks or all together?
• I can bring the check whenever you are ready.

You can respond with:

• Yes, could we get the check, please?
• Could you split the check, please?
• All together is fine, thanks.

In many American restaurants, the bill (the check) includes:

• The price of each item.
• Sales tax.
• Sometimes extra items, for example, drinks or side dishes.
• Usually no service charge, so you are expected to leave a separate tip.

A typical tip for table service is around 15 to 20 percent of the pre tax amount. Many people leave 18 or 20 percent if the service was good. You can also tip more or less depending on your experience, but leaving no tip at all for normal service is usually seen as rude.

Sample check.

Here is a simple example for three friends:

• Classic Burger: $14.00
• Veggie Bowl: $13.00
• Chicken Salad: $12.00
• Iced Tea: $3.00
• Lemonade: $3.00
• Tax: $3.00

Subtotal (before tax): $45.00

Total (with tax): $48.00

A common tip on a $45.00 subtotal would be:

• 15 percent: about $6.75
• 18 percent: about $8.10
• 20 percent: about $9.00

Useful phrases:

• Is service included, or should I leave a tip?
• Let us do 20 percent, the service was great.
• I think there is a mistake on the bill, we only had two drinks.
• Could you check this item, please?

In the activity, you will look again at this sample check and then explain what tip you would leave and what you would say if you noticed any problem.

Practice & Feedback

Read the sample check in the resource carefully and imagine you are sitting at the table with your friends.

Write 2 short parts:

1. To a friend: In 2–3 sentences, say how much you think you should tip and why. For example, you can mention the service, what percentage you choose, and the approximate dollar amount. Use natural language like Let us do around 18 percent or I think 20 percent is fair.
2. To the server: In 2–3 sentences, write what you would say if you noticed that something on the bill was wrong. You can invent a small mistake, such as an extra drink. Use phrases like I think there is a mistake on the bill or Could you check this, please?.

So your full answer should be around 4–6 sentences total. Focus on sounding calm, polite, and clear, not angry or mathematical.

Sample check.

• Classic Burger: $14.00
• Veggie Bowl: $13.00
• Chicken Salad: $12.00
• Iced Tea: $3.00
• Lemonade: $3.00
• Tax: $3.00

Subtotal (before tax): $45.00

Total (with tax): $48.00

Remember useful phrases:

• Could we get the check, please?
• Is service included, or should I leave a tip?
• Let us do twenty percent, the service was great.
• I think there is a mistake on the bill, could you check this item, please?

5. Returning an item politely in a U.S. store.

Your dinner went well and you handled the check and the tip. On your way home, you and your friends walk past a store where you bought a phone charger yesterday. Unfortunately, the charger does not work properly. You decide to go in and return it. This is a second classic U.S. situation: returning or exchanging items in a store. Many American stores have clear return policies, but you still need the right language to explain the problem and ask for a refund or an exchange in a way that is firm but polite. In this block, you will listen to a short conversation between a customer and a store clerk. Pay attention to key phrases such as I would like to return this, it did not work the way I expected, and I am hoping for a refund or an exchange. After listening, you will summarize what happened and collect two or three phrases you want to use in your own life.

Scene: Returning a phone charger after dinner.

You walk into an electronics store with a small shopping bag in your hand. You go to the customer service counter.

> Clerk: Hi there, how can I help you today?

> You: Hi, I would like to return this phone charger.

> Clerk: Okay, no problem. Do you have the receipt?

> You: Yes, here it is. I bought it yesterday, but it does not seem to work.

When you return items in the U.S., three pieces of information are especially important:

1. What you want to do: return, exchange, or get store credit.
2. What is wrong: wrong size, damaged, did not work, not as expected.
3. Proof of purchase: the receipt, order number, or the card you used.

Useful phrases:

• I would like to return this, I have the receipt.
• It did not work the way I expected.
• It stopped working after two days.
• I am hoping for a refund or an exchange.
• Is that within your return policy?
• Could you explain the options?

In many American stores, staff are trained to stay friendly and solution focused. Even if you are unhappy, it usually works better to keep your tone calm and polite while clearly stating the problem.

In the audio, you will hear a complete interaction: the customer explains the issue, the clerk checks the receipt, and they agree on a solution. Try to catch:

• What exactly is wrong with the product.
• How the customer asks for a solution.
• What the clerk offers in the end.

Practice & Feedback

Listen to the return conversation carefully. Then write one short paragraph of 5–7 sentences.

In your paragraph, do three things:

1. Briefly describe the situation: what item is being returned, when it was bought, and what the problem is.
2. Explain what solution the clerk offers and what they finally decide to do.
3. Write down 2 or 3 exact phrases from the conversation that you think would be useful for you in a real store.

You do not need to copy every detail, just show that you understood the main story and the key language. Try to use your own words when you summarize, and then quote the useful phrases exactly (or as close as you can remember).

6. Putting it all together in one smooth evening.

You have now walked through a full, very American evening: meeting friends at a restaurant, ordering food and drinks with customizations, answering fast questions from the server, handling the check and the tip, and finally returning a faulty product at a store. In this last block, you will put everything together in your own words. Instead of focusing on one tiny moment, you will write a short script that covers the key steps. This is like a rehearsal for real life. You will imagine that the evening really happened to you, and you will write what you and the other people said, using the chunks you liked from the lesson. You do not need to be perfect or very creative. The goal is to show that you can manage the whole flow politely and confidently: ask for a table, customize your order, respond to quick questions, mention the tip, and then explain a problem in a store and ask for a refund or an exchange. I will give you a model to look at, then you will write your own version and I will respond with specific feedback.

Your mini story: dinner and a return.

You are going to write a short script or story that connects the restaurant and the store situations. This helps you see that the same skills and patterns appear again and again: friendly openings, clear requests, calm explanations of problems.

Here is a compact model. Notice the structure and the useful chunks.

Example mini story.

> You: Hi, could we get a table for three?

> Host: Sure, it will be just a few minutes.

> Server: Hey, how is it going? Can I get you started with something to drink?

> You: I will have an iced tea, please.

> Friend: Just water for me, thanks.

Later:

> You: Can I get the veggie bowl with no cheese, and can I add avocado? I am lactose intolerant.

> Server: No problem. Anything else for you?

> You: No, I am good, thanks.

At the end:

> You: Could we get the check, please?

> Server: Sure thing.

> Friend: The service was great, let us leave around twenty percent.

> You: Sounds good.

On the way home, you stop in a store:

> Clerk: Hi there, how can I help you?

> You: Hi, I would like to return this charger. I bought it yesterday, but it did not work the way I expected.

> Clerk: I am sorry about that. Do you have the receipt?

> You: Yes, here it is. I am hoping for an exchange.

> Clerk: No problem, that is within our return policy. Let me show you some options.

This example is just one version. Your story can be simpler or more detailed, but it should follow the same basic path and use natural American phrases.

Checklist for your own script.

Try to include these points:

• A greeting and request for a table.
• A drink order with natural phrasing.
• A food order with at least one customization or allergy detail.
• One fast server question and your short answer.
• A request for the check and one sentence about tipping.
• A brief store return: what the item is, what the problem is, and whether you want a refund or an exchange.

You can write it as dialogue with lines starting with You, Host, Server, Friend, and Clerk, or as a short narrative paragraph that includes the main sentences you would say. Choose the style that feels more comfortable for you.

Practice & Feedback

Now it is your turn to create your full mini story for this evening.

Write either:

• A dialogue script with lines starting with You, Host, Server, Friend, and Clerk, or
• A narrative paragraph where you describe what you said and what the others said, using quotation marks or backticks for key sentences.

Your text should be around 12–18 lines or sentences in total. Make sure you:

• Show the restaurant part from arrival to paying the check.
• Include at least one customized food order and one fast server question with your answer.
• Mention the tip and how you decide it.
• Show the store return with a clear explanation of the problem and what solution you want.

Use as many useful chunks from the lesson as you can, such as Could we get a table for, Can I get, I am good, thanks, Could we get the check, please, I would like to return this, and I am hoping for a refund or an exchange.

Mini checklist of high value chunks you might reuse:

• Could we get a table for three?
• Can I get a lemonade, please?
• I will have the burger with no onions.
• Can I get the dressing on the side?
• How do you want that cooked?
• No, I am good, thanks.
• Could we get the check, please?
• Let us leave around twenty percent.
• I would like to return this, I have the receipt.
• It did not work the way I expected.
• I am hoping for a refund or an exchange.