餐馆是反映一个国家文化的重要窗口。在西餐中，菜肴通常可以分成几大类，如主菜前的开胃食品(starters)、主菜(main dishes)、甜点(desserts)及饮料(beverages)。菜单上的价格一般包括了税款。一些餐馆的菜单或广告上印有licensed 或fully licensed 的字样，这表明这些餐馆有特许卖酒的执照。一些繁忙而有名气的餐馆特别强调预先订座，集体订餐更需如此。用餐后给服务生的小费一般为顾客就餐费用的15% 左右。一些比较讲究的餐馆内设有钢琴，有的还有乐队，甚至还为用餐者提供跳舞的场地。

基本句式 BASIC SENTENCES@￥@#@￥￥@

Waitress: Good evening. Do you have a reservation? 晚上好，您订座位了吗?

Jim: No, we don't. 没有。

Waitress: How many people are you together? 你们一共多少人?

Jim: Just two people. 就两位。

Waitress: Would you like to sit in a smoking section, a non-smoking section or whatever comes open first? 你们要吸烟区还是非吸烟区，或是有空位就行?

Jim: We prefer non-smoking section. 我们要非吸烟区。

Waitress: I am awfully sorry but there are no vacanciesleft now. Would you like to wait for a moment? 十分抱歉，现在非吸烟区还暂时没有座位。您能稍等一会儿吗?

Jim: How long a wait do you think there’ll be? 我们要等多长时间?

Waitress: I think about ten minutes. 我想大约十分钟。

Jim: Ok, we'll wait a while. 好吧，那我们就等一会儿。(十分钟之后)

Waitress: I am sorry for making you wait so long. Now there is a tableavailable in non-smoking section. Please follow me. 非常抱歉让你们等了这么久。现在在非吸烟区有空位了。请跟我来。

Jim: Thank you. 谢谢。

Waitress: This is the menu. Are you ready to order now? 这是菜单。您现在可以点菜了吗?

Jim: Well, I think I'd like to have a tomato sausagesoup first. And the same for him, please. 我想先点一个番茄香肠汤。他也要同样的。

Waitress: Yes, and what would you like to drink? 好。那么喝些什么呢?

Jim: One goblet of red wine and one bottle of beer please. 请拿一瓶红葡萄酒和一瓶啤酒。

Waitress: Would you like a dessert? 要不要甜点?

Jim: What special kind of desserts do you have? 你们有什么特色甜品?

Waitress: Lemonpie, hot cake in syrup, chocolate sundae andcustardpudding. 柠檬派，糖油煎饼，巧克力圣代和奶油布丁。

Jim: Well, I think we will order after we finish the main course. 等我们吃过主菜再点吧。

Waitress: All right. I'll bring your soup right away. 好的，汤马上就来。

注释：

在国外，餐厅一般都分为"smoking section"和"non-smoking section”，即“吸烟区”和“无烟区”。这样，在顾客选择用餐区域的时候，如果是吸烟人士会选择“吸烟区”，不吸烟或害怕二手烟的人就会选择“无烟区”。现在好多国内的餐厅也是如此。