Brent English Online

Everyday English for

Restaurant Workers

© 2019 N. T. Language Academy

UNIT
Taking Reservations by Telephone

1
Part A
V
Read and practice.
O

C
make a reservation
A

B details
U
booking
L

A booked out / fully booked

R
Special request
Y

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 Part B

Read and
Read and practice.
practice.

Waiter : Good afternoon, Dear John’s Island Restaurant.

John speaking. May I help you?

Guest : I’d like to make a dinner reservation, please.

D
Waiter : Certainly, madam. For what date, please?
I
A Guest : The fourteenth of February.

L Waiter : And for what time, madam?

O
Guest : 8:30.
G
Waiter : May I have your name, please?
U
E Guest : Yes. It’s Osborne. Ms. Osborne. That’s O-S-B-O-
R-N-E.

Waiter : For how many, Ms. Osborne?

Guest : For four. I’d like a table in non-smoking, by the

window.

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 Part B

Waiter : Just a minute, Ms. Osborne. I’ll see if we have a

table.

I’m very sorry, Ms. Osborne, but there are no

D
tables left in non-smoking. We have a window
I
table in smoking. Would you care for that?
A
Guest : Yes, all right.
L
O Waiter : So that’s a window table for four, at eight-

G thirty, on the fourteenth of February. Could I

have a contact number, please?
U
E Guest : Yes. It’s 7745632.

Waiter : Thank you for calling. We’ll see you on the

fourteenth. Goodbye, Ms. Osborne.

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 Part C

Read and practice.

How may I help you?

How can I help you, sir / madam?

D
I For what time, madam?
What time is the reservation for?
A
L
O May I have your name, please?
Could I have your name, please?
G
U
E I’ll see if we have a table.
I’ll check if we have a table.

We’ll see you on the fourteenth.

We look forward to seeing you on the fourteenth.

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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Important Notes

Addressing Guests
Whenever possible use:
sir / madam
or
mr / mrs / ms / title + name
when you speak to guests.

Speaking about time

At eight o’clock – at eight

At a quarter past eight – at eight fifteen

At eight thirty – at half past eight

At a quarter to eight – at seven forty five

Speaking about dates

Written: 1 Jan or 1/1 or1.1.2008

Spoken: January first or The first of January

Written: 31 Dec or 31/12 or 12.31.2008

Spoken: December thirty-first or The thirty-first of

December

Written: 14 Feb or 14/2 or 2.14.2008

Spoken: February fourteenth or The fourteenth of

February

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 Part D

A. Match the words in column A with their meaning

in column B.

P
R A B

A
C
1. Request a. Small item of information
T
2. Fully booked b. Book a room
I 3. Details c. Restaurant is full and can’t
C 4. Reserve take any more reservations
E 5. booking d. The caller asks for a window
table
e. A reservation

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 B. Change the expressions in bold letters using the
expression you have learned.

Waiter : Good afternoon, Dear John’s Island Restaurant.

John speaking. May I help you?
P
Guest : I’d like to make a dinner reservation, please.
R
Waiter : Certainly, madam. For what date, please?
A
Guest : The fourteenth of February.
C

T Waiter : And for what time, madam?

I Guest : 8:30.
C
Waiter : May I have your name, please?
E
Guest : Yes. It’s Osborne. Ms. Osborne. That’s O-S-B-
O-R-N-E.

Waiter : For how many, Ms. Osborne?

Guest : For four. I’d like a table in non-smoking, by the

window.

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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 Waiter : Just a minute, Ms. Osborne. I’ll see if we have
a table.

I’m very sorry, Ms. Osborne, but there are no

P
tables left in non-smoking. We have a window
R
table in smoking. Would you care for that?
A
Guest : Yes, all right.
C

T Waiter : So that’s a window table for four, at eight-

I thirty, on the fourteenth of February. Could I

have a contact number, please?
C

E Guest : Yes. It’s 7745632.

Waiter : Thank you for calling. We’ll see you on the

fourteenth. Goodbye, Ms. Osborne.

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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P C. Role Play.
R
A Pretend that you receive a
C phone call from a guest and he’s

T making a reservation. You will be

the restaurant staff and your
I
teacher will be the customer.
C
E

© 2019 N.T. Language Academy

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