旅游英语：Eating In American (1)

中国菜着重色、香、味，西餐讲究实惠。初到美国餐馆用餐，应该注意如下事项：1、选择合适的餐馆（如：家庭式餐馆、特色餐馆以及自助式餐馆等）；2、餐馆营业时间（上午11：30开门营业，直到夜晚）；3、一般都应事先预订餐位：4、到达餐馆后，不能径直地到餐桌旁入桌，除非餐厅有“随意就坐”的告示；5、付款时，别忘了留给服务员一定比例的小费（一般为实际总额的10%～15%）。

EatingoutisoneofthejoyofbeingintheUSA.Thefoodisusuallygoodandoftenexcellent;thepricesarereasonable;andtheserviceismostlyfine.

ChoosingaRestaurant选择餐馆
Somerestaurantsareopenforbreakfast;othersareopentwenty-fourhoursaday.Anumberofrestaurantscallthemselves"familyrestaurants".Manyoftheseservenoalcoholandhavefairlyrestrictedmenuswhichincludesteaks,hamburgers,omelettes(炒蛋)andsandwiches,andallareatveryreasonableprices.Theymayalsoservesmallerandcheaperchildren'sportios(份餐).NotethatmanyAmericanrestaurantsare"speciatly"restaurants.Theymayserveonly,ormainly,steaks,seafood,etc.

WhentoEat供餐时间
Manyrestaurants,especiallythemoreexpensiveones,openatabout11：30a.m.(midday,ratherthan1p.m.,isthemostnormaltimeforlunchintheUSA),andsomeremainopenuntiltheevening,soitispossibletoorderamealthroughouttheafternoon.

Inmanyareasitisusualforpeopletoleaveworkandgooutforaneveningmealat5p.m.or6p.m.,thanwaitinguntillater.

ReservingaTable预订餐位
EatingoutisratherpopularintheUSA.Anditisoftennecessarytomakeareservation.Youwillsometimesseeshortqueuesofpeoplewaitingfortablesatrestaurants-it'smorepleasanttowaitinthebar,ofcourse,ifthereisone-buttherequeuesmorequickly.

ArrivingatRestaurant到达餐馆
Whenyouarriveatmostrestaurant,youshouldnotjustgoinandsitdown-unlessyouseeasignsaying"Pleaseseatyourself".Usuallyyouwillhavetowaitfora"hostess"or"captain"(领班)toescort(陪同)youtoatable.Oftentherewillbeasignthatreads"Pleasewaittobeseated".

Donotexpecttoshareatablewithotherparties,eveniftherestaurantiscrowed.Itjustisn'tdone.

Manyrestauranthaveano-smokingsection,insomeplacebylows.

OneexcellentAmericancustomisthatafteryouhavesatdownyourwaiterorwaitresswilloftenbringyouaglassorwater(withicenaturally)andwillkeeponrefillingitthroughoutthemeal.(MostAmericanareincapableofeatingamealwithoutdrinkingsomethingatthesametime.)

Whenyourwaiterorwaitresstakesyourorder,itisnotverynormalforonepersontoorderforthewholetable.Eachpersonordersseparately,exceptinthemostexpensiverestaurants.

Summoningawaiter召唤侍者
Youmayfindyourwaiterunusuallyfriendly.Hemayaskyouhowyouare(You'resupposedjusttosay"Fine"),inquirewhetheryouhaveagooddayand,lateronsaythathehopesyouwillenjoyyourmeal.

TosummonawaiterinaAmericanrestaurantyoumaycall"Bill",or"Mary",or"Claude",orwhatever.Waitersandwaitressesoftenactuallyintroducethemselveswhentheyfirstcometoyourtableorwearnametags,youarepermittedtousetheirfirstnames.

PayingtheBill付款
Thebill(oftencalledthe"check")comesusuallywithtaxaddedbutnoservicechare-thoughsomerestaurantdonowaddaservicecharge.Theetiquette(规矩)bookssaythatyoushouldleaveatenpercenttip(小费)forlunch,fifteenpercentfordinner.Thetipshouldbecalculatedonthebasisofthetotalbeforetheadditionoftax.

Atmanyrestaurantyoucanaskthewaitertobringthebillandthanpayatacashdeskonthewayout