Asking for Utensils/Bags
The customer realizes they might need plastic utensils or a carry bag for the takeout boxes and asks the server for them.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
plastic bag
A lightweight bag made of plastic material, often used to carry items like food containers when leaving a restaurant.
utensils
Tools or instruments used for eating or serving food, such as forks, spoons, or knives; in this context, it refers to disposable plastic ones for takeout.
forks
Eating utensils with a handle and prongs at the end, used to pick up solid food; commonly requested for takeout meals.
spoons
Utensils with a bowl-shaped end for scooping liquids or soft foods; useful for soups or desserts in leftovers.
leftovers
Food that remains uneaten after a meal, which people often take home from restaurants to eat later.
grab
An informal verb meaning to quickly get or fetch something; here, used by the server to mean 'I'll go get them right away.'
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Excuse me, could we also get a plastic bag for these boxes? It would make it easier to carry.
This polite request uses 'could we...get' for asking permission, and 'also' to add to a previous request; 'It would make it easier' explains the benefit. Useful for politely asking for extra items in a restaurant to make carrying food home convenient.
Certainly! No problem at all.
A friendly way to agree and reassure; 'certainly' means 'of course,' and 'no problem at all' emphasizes it's easy to help. Great for service workers to respond positively to customer requests.
Do you need any plastic utensils as well, like forks or spoons?
This is a helpful question using 'do you need...as well' to offer more options, with 'like' giving examples. It's useful for servers to anticipate customer needs in takeout situations.
Oh, that's a good point! Yes, a couple of forks would be great.
Expresses agreement with 'that's a good point,' and uses 'a couple of' for 'two,' with 'would be great' for polite appreciation. Helpful for customers to acknowledge suggestions and make specific requests.
Okay, one moment. I'll grab those for you.
A casual way to say 'wait a second' with 'one moment,' and 'I'll grab those' means 'I'll fetch them quickly.' Use this when briefly leaving to get items, showing efficiency.
Is there anything else I can get for you today?
A standard closing question in service using 'is there anything else' to check for more needs, with 'I can get for you' offering help. Essential for servers to ensure customer satisfaction before ending the interaction.
No, that should be everything. Thank you so much!
Politely declines more help with 'that should be everything,' and shows strong gratitude with 'thank you so much.' Use this to wrap up a conversation in a restaurant when you're all set.