Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a gimmick
    • ex. The shop gives free balloons and stickers as gimmicks to attract more customers.
  2. a diner
    • ex. The waiter smiled at the diners as he brought the food.
  3. a decoration
    • ex. The teacher put decorations, like posters and lights, on the wall for the school festival.
  4. differentiate
    • ex. The chef tries to differentiate his food by using special ingredients that are hard to find.
  5. stand out
    • ex. Gina’s red dress stands out in the crowd of people wearing black.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

Font size

Many restaurants now use fancy styles and gimmicks to attract customers online. Marketing company Cropink says 74% of diners choose where to eat based on what they see on social media. Also, 68% will check a restaurant’s social media profile before booking a table. And many restaurant owners know that people like to take photos and videos to share with friends.

Restaurant owner Jordane Andrieu says he often creates new ideas to get people’s attention and match their short attention spans. “I saw how the power of pictures and videos were taking more and more space in the life of everyone,” Andrieu said. He believes the best way to promote his restaurants is to make them “Instagrammable.” This can include special decorations or new and interesting dishes that make guests want to take pictures.

Experts say the restaurant industry faces problems like rising prices, inflation, and taxes. Even so, some restaurants are still doing well. To differentiate themselves, they offer unique experiences that attract customers who are looking for something special. This can help restaurants stand out and grow in a competitive market.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Instagrammable Restaurants

  • Some people pick restaurants only because they look “Instagrammable.” Do you like restaurants that are designed to look good in photos? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Many restaurants use gimmicks to attract customers. What are the good and bad things about restaurants using gimmicks (ex. good: fun, bad: removes focus from food)? Discuss.
  • Imagine you own a restaurant in your city. How would you differentiate your restaurant from others? Discuss.

Power of Pictures

  • Many restaurant owners believe in the power of pictures. In what ways do you think pictures can be powerful? Discuss.
  • People like to take photos and videos to share with friends. What do you think about this habit (ex. it’s convenient, I worry about it)? Discuss.
  • If pictures and videos keep taking “more and more space” in life, what do you think will happen? Discuss.