ESL Podcast 259 - Making a Restaurant Reservation

reservation - a request that a table, seat, or room be available for one's use at a future time

Have you made hotel reservations yet for your trip to San Diego?

How many will be in the party? - How many people will be in your group? How many people will be eating with you at the restaurant?

• Good evening, sir. How many will be in the party? Just the two of you?
• No, we're waiting for a friend, so there will be three of us total.

to reach (someone) - to contact someone; to communicate with someone

From Monday to Friday you can reach me at work, but on the weekends you can call me on my cell phone.

to repeat back (something) to (someone) - to say what someone else just told one, to make sure that one heard it correctly

Let me repeat back your telephone number to make sure I wrote it down correctly. Is it 202-555-4015?

the Friday after next - not this Friday, but the one after it; not the Friday in the immediate future, but the one that is after it

This Friday, the 23rd , we're going to the mountains, and the Friday after next, the 30th , we're going to the beach.

table by the window - a table at a restaurant that is next to a window and has a view

The waiter said that if we wanted a table by the window we would have to wait at least 40 minutes.

non-smoking section - a part of a place, such as a restaurant or airplane where smoking is not allowed

The non-smoking section is full right now. Would you like to sit in the smoking section?

to be away from (something) - to not be near something; to be far away from something; to not be close to something

Duncan wants to live in an apartment that is away from the train tracks because it's too noisy at night.

to guarantee - to promise that something will happen; to promise to do something

This company guarantees that you'll like its product or it will give your money back.

to note (something) - to write something down quickly so that one does not forget it later

You want to meet next Thursday instead of Wednesday? That's fine. I've made a note on my calendar.

preference - something that one likes more than something else; what one would like to have or do

Lewis wants to go to Missouri for vacation, but his wife has a strong preference for Texas.

parking situation - the availability of parking; whether it is easy or difficult to park somewhere

The parking situation around the university is horrible. It's almost impossible to find a place to park, so we take the bus instead.

valet parking - a service offered by restaurants, hotels, and other businesses where visitors can take their car to the front of a building and an employee called a valet parks the car and then brings it back when they are ready to leave

The new restaurant charges $18 for valet parking. I'd rather save the money and park the car myself!

special need - something that a person needs that isn't usual, often because of a physical or mental issue or problem

People who don't see well have special needs for larger computer screens.

high chair - a tall chair that is used for babies and young children, so that they can sit next to adults who are sitting at a table

Parents usually know to carefully watch a child sitting in a high chair to make sure that the child doesn't fall out.

booster seat - a plastic seat that is put on top of a chair so that young children can sit at a table and be taller than they normally would be

If a restaurant doesn't have booster seats, you can ask them to give you thick phone books for your child to sit on.

lively - full of energy; interesting; enthusiastic; busy

The Punkays like to have dinner parties with lively discussions about politics.

You're telling me! - a phrase used to show that one completely agrees with what another person has said because one has experienced it

Quincy was telling me how difficult it is to raise two kids. I said, "You're telling me!" because I have four kids!