ESL Podcast 373 - Ordering Food Delivery

delivery order - when a restaurant takes a food order by phone and then, often by car, brings the food to a person's home or office

I was hungry but didn't want to leave my house, so I called the pizza restaurant and asked for a delivery order.

to place - to give instructions regarding a service; to tell a person at a restaurant or business what it is you want

Julio called the flower shop to place an order of flowers for his girlfriend's birthday.

major cross streets - the point at which two large streets meet or intersect forming a cross, or t-shape

The traffic on both Jones Ave. and Main Street is always very busy, but the major cross street where they intersect is the worst!

delivery area - the area or distance to which a restaurant will bring a delivery order of food

Our house is fifteen miles from the restaurant so it's outside of their delivery area.

an order of - an informal unit of measure for food; usually one plate or dish of food

Jenny wanted an order of French fries to eat with her hamburger.

sides - food items that are eaten in small amounts together with a main dish; small amounts of food that is usually placed next to the main dish on a plate

Uwe's grandmother cooked chicken with a side of mashed potatoes for dinner.

a choice of - given a decision between two or more things; to have more than one option

The store sold shirts in a choice of colors, including red, green, and blue.

minimum - the smallest or lowest possible amount of something

She doesn't have a job now, so she spends a minimum amount of money on things like clothes and CDs.

in that case - a phrase used to indicate a change of plans; because one thing changed, a person will now do something else

Dan said the movie theater may not be open today. In that case, I will just watch TV.

sampler plate - a food dish that contains small amounts or samples of many different foods; a large plate with different types of food for the customer to try

Toshi couldn't decide on just one type of vegetable, so he ordered a sampler plate that included them all.

to be short - to not have enough of something, often money; to have less than is required

My father gave me some money to buy the bike, but I am still 10 dollars short.

ma'am - short for madame; a polite term of respect used for women

"Would you like something to drink, ma'am?" the boy asked his mother's friend.

policy - a strict rule; the way that an action is done; the way a situation is handled

It was the restaurant's policy not to serve alcohol after eleven o'clock.

how long will that take? - an informal way to ask someone how much time until an action is completed

How long will it take Sara to go to the store and buy the computer?