Interviews

Intermediate

When you choose a restaurant, what factors are most important to you: food quality, price, service, or location? Why?

1. Good service is more important than good food.
2. Expensive restaurants usually have better quality meals.
3. Location is the most important factor when choosing a restaurant.
4. Free items (like bread or refills) improve the dining experience.
5. It’s worth paying more for high-quality ingredients.
6. Trying new cuisines is better than eating your favorite foods repeatedly.
7. Online reviews are more reliable than personal recommendations.
8. Portion size is just as important as taste.
9. Water is the best drink choice at a restaurant.
10. Local restaurants are better than large chain restaurants.

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• recommend (verb): to suggest something as a good option
  – I recommend that restaurant because the food is always fresh.
• complimentary (adjective): given for free
  – The restaurant offers complimentary bread before the meal.
• ribeye (noun): a cut of beef steak known for its flavor
  – He ordered a ribeye cooked medium rare.
• bone-in (adjective): meat that is cooked with the bone still attached
  – Many people believe bone-in steak has more flavor.
• side dish (noun): a small portion of food served with the main course
  – She chose a baked sweet potato as her side dish.
• sit-down restaurant (noun): a restaurant where customers are served by waiters at a table
  – We went to a sit-down restaurant to celebrate the birthday.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: All right, Emily, let us talk about something I really enjoy that is eating. And let’s talk about restaurant recommendations in your local area. What restaurant would you recommend and why? And be thinking of these ideas: food choices, price, service, and location. What would it be?

Emily: I really enjoy steak or . . . and sushi. So there’s a couple of different recommendations in my budget range. I think Longhorn Steakhouse is my favorite steak place. And then there’s a sushi place down by where I live called Itto Sushi, and that one is also my favorite in that genre.

Randall: So, let’s talk about the steakhouse you mentioned. What are some of the food choices and price, service, and so forth?

Emily: So, it’s your typical sit-down restaurant. Um, there’s a waiter, and they give you complimentary bread, which is really tasty. And then they have steaks and burgers and things like that. I always go for a ribeye, ideally bone-in ribeye. I think that the bone adds a lot of flavor.

Randall: Okay. And what are some sides that you usually get with that ribeye steak?

Emily: I really enjoy, uh, a baked sweet potato and a side salad.

Randall: Okay. And something to drink?

Emily: Just water.

Randall: All right. Well, thank you for that recommendation.

Intermediate Level:

1. Describe your favorite restaurant. Consider food choices, price, service, and location.
2. Do you prefer chain restaurants like LongHorn Steakhouse or local restaurants? Why?
3. Have you ever tried sushi at a local restaurant such as Itto Sushi? What was your experience?

Advanced Level:

1. Evaluate the role of atmosphere and customer service in shaping a restaurant’s reputation.
2. Discuss how cultural preferences influence restaurant choices.
3. If you were opening your own restaurant, what type of food would you serve and why?