Adult ESL Lessons: Ordering From a Menu (Intermediate)

This is Lesson 31, “Ordering from the Menu,” from our collection of intermediate-level adult ESL lessons. The lesson features sample breakfast and lunch menus, followed by comprehension questions, discussion questions, and a review exercise. This content-packed lesson is written with relatively simple English to help students transition to a more advanced level of English understanding and fluency. This lesson is available for free download, and you can download many other adult ESL lessons like this one in our book ESL Pathways: Bridges.

ADULT ESL LESSONS: Ordering from the Menu (Text-Only Version)

• What do you usually have for breakfast?
• Where do you usually have breakfast?
• What do you usually have for lunch?
• Where do you usually have lunch?
• Look at these menus for breakfast and lunch.

     Read the items and prices.  Which choices look good to you?

Breakfast Menu           Main Course:                                      Side Dishes:   2 Eggs with ham, bacon, or sausage…….  3.50            Ham, bacon or sausage ………… 1.25          3 Eggs with ham, bacon, or sausage…….  4. 50           1 Egg ……………………………… 1.00                                                                                        Toast ………………………………  1.00 Plain omelet with toast……………………… 2.75           Pancake …………………………..  1.50 Cheese omelet with toast…………………   3.25            Fruit ………………………………  seasonal Ham omelet with toast……………………… 3.50 Ham and cheese omelet with toast…………4.00                                 Beverages:   2 Pancakes with maple syrup………………3.00            Orange juice or tomato juice………. 1.00   3 Pancakes with maple syrup………………4. 25           Coffee or tea  ……………………….. 0.75                                                                                         Milk / regular or chocolate …………. 1.00 Cereal with fruit and toast …………………  2.75

Lunch Menu      Main Course:                                             Side Dishes:   Tuna sandwich with soup ………..  4.00                           Bowl of soup  …………………….. 1.75   Steak sandwich with soup ………   5.50                           Salad  ……………………………… 1.75 Meatball sandwich with soup ……  4. 75                          French fries  …………………….… 1.50                                                                                           Onion rings …………………………1.50    Fried chicken with salad …………. 6.00                           Garlic bread ……………………….. 1.00 Pizza with salad  ………………….. 5.50                           Garlic bread with cheese ………… 2.00                                           Hamburger with French fries …….  4.00                                                Beverages: Hot dog with French fries …………  3.75                         Soda   …………………………………1.00                                                                                           Mineral water  ………………………..1.00 Spaghetti with garlic bread ………. 5.00                           Juice …………………………………  1.75 Lasagna with garlic bread ..………  6.00                          Ice tea / ice coffee …………………. 1.50

Comprehension Questions:

1. How many breakfast main courses are there?
2. How many breakfast side dishes are there?
3. How many breakfast beverages are there?
4. Which main course is the most expensive?
5. Which main course is the cheapest?
6. Which side dish is the most expensive?
7. Which side dish is the cheapest?
8. Which beverage is the most expensive?
9. Which beverage is the cheapest?

10. How many lunch main courses are there?
11. How many lunch side dishes are there?
12. How many lunch beverages are there?
13. Which main course is the most expensive?
14. Which main course is the cheapest?
15. Which side dish is the most expensive?
16. Which side dish is the cheapest?
17. Which beverage is the most expensive?
18. Which beverage is the cheapest?

Discussion Questions:

1. Which breakfast main course would you like?
2. Which breakfast side dish would you like?
3. Which breakfast beverage would you like?
4. Repeat your breakfast order:

• I would like __________ with _________ on the side and  __________ to drink for breakfast.

5. What is the total cost of your breakfast order?

     Add 8 percent tax and 15 percent tip.

6. Which lunch main course would you like?
7. Which lunch side dish would you like?
8. Which lunch beverage would you like?
9. Repeat your lunch order:

• I would like ___________ with __________ on the side and __________ to drink for lunch.

10. What is the total cost of your lunch order?

      Add 8 percent tax and 15 percent tip.

11. Would you like to go to this restaurant for breakfast?  Why?
12. Would you like to go to this restaurant for lunch?  Why?
13. What would you rather have for lunch that is not on this menu?
14. Do you prefer to have breakfast at home or out?  Why?
15. Do you prefer to have lunch at home or out?  Why?
16. Do you ever make breakfast at home?  What do you make?
17. Do you ever make lunch?  What do you make?