Lesson Topics: dining out, customer service, restaurants, cuisines
Skill Focus: Speaking, Vocabulary, Reading
Approximate Class Time: 1.75 hours
Lesson Plan Download: restaurant-portlandia-upper-intermediate-012026.docx
Lesson Overview:
- After warm-up questions, students watch a humorous 3:56-minute scene from the show Portlandia in which two diners struggle to order food at a 'quirky' restaurant.
- This is followed by comprehension questions and a list of 10 vocabulary items that students should match to their corresponding definitions.
- Next, students use some of the new vocabulary to complete discussion questions.
- In the first roleplay activity, a hungry customer tries to order from a new and nervous server. The scenario is similar to the video in that the server is asked to go overboard with her questions, likely irritating the customer.
- Next, as more of a debate than a roleplay, one student is required to defend the national cuisine of their home country against their partner, who would rather eat something else.
- After famous quotations, students review vocabulary, collocations, and then ask each other some final discussion questions.
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) Lesson on Restaurants & Dining
Warm-up Questions
- Where are your favorite places to dine out?
- In general, are you a fan of your country’s cuisine (local dishes)? Why or why not?
- What sometimes annoys you when you go to restaurants? Have you had any customer service problems recently when dining out?
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This lesson plan was created by Matthew Barton of EnglishCurrent.com (copyright). Site members may photocopy and edit the file for their classes. Permission is not given to rebrand the lesson, redistribute it on another platform, or sell it as part of commercial course curriculum. ChatGPT was used to generate answer keys and some famous quotations. For questions, contact the author.
Comprehension questions:
- …
- According to the server, what makes the restaurant unique?
The restaurant is described as “quirky” and different, with many unusual options, combinations, and special terms instead of a simple menu.
- Define the fictional terms:
- Double-down your meal: order twice the amount of food for twice the price
- Lobsterate your meal: add a whole lobster on top of the dish
- Breakfastize your meal: turn the meal into a breakfast-style dish (rolled into an omelette)
- Super spike your meal: pour alcohol (Jack Daniels) over the food
- What does “drop some LBS” mean?
It means to lose weight.
- Why couldn’t the couple share one double-downed meal?
Because the restaurant rules say there is no sharing with a double-down order, and the staff monitor customers with cameras.
- What does “an extra kick right now” mean, and how does she get it?
It means she wants more energy or stimulation, and she gets it by adding alcohol to her food.
- Why does the male diner get frustrated? Give at least three reasons.
He just wants a simple cheeseburger and fries.
The server keeps adding options and confusing terms.
The restaurant doesn’t have normal items like burgers, fries, or iced tea.
The ordering process takes too long, and they are very hungry.
- Personal response (exaggeration question): …
Vocabulary answer key: a-ridiculous, b-walk you through, c-crispy, d-kick, e-totes my bad, f-cuisines, g-starving, h-quirky, i-specials, j-culinary
Collocations: 1-e, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c, 5-b