Can you suggest some interesting restaurant scenarios for first year Spanish students?
I am running into a writer's block as I write up prompts for my students upcoming unit on common restaurant conversation. These are first year students so their vocabulary is limited but I want to challenge them with a variety of scenarios. Here are two I like:
- You and your friend want to have a big lunch, but you have very restricted diets. One of you can’t eat peanuts and the other can’t eat bread or pasta. Ask your waiter for suggestions. Order two drinks, an appetizer, and two meals. The waiter should ask how you like your meal. Describe how the food is and ask for the check. The waiter will ask if you want any dessert. Ask your friend if they want dessert. The two of you decide to share a single dessert. Order your dessert with an extra spoon/fork.
- You and a brother/sister have met for dinner after spending the past year apart at college. Greet each other appropriately. Talk about what you might like to order. Complain that the waiter has not come to take your order yet. The waiter should eventually arrive and apologize for the delay. The waiter will tell you the special of the day. You will both order your meals and drinks. The waiter will apologize again and explain that one of the items you ordered is not available today. Change your order.
2 Answers
Excellent ideas! As a career Spanish teacher, I understand that sometimes coming up with interesting scenarios for the first year students can be challenging.
One of my colleagues always had "and then something unexpected occurs" in his outline. The students loved it, and frequently it would allow them to do slapstick comedy that required either no words or limited words.
Another idea would be to have some sort of street scene, unless you definitely want an indoor restaurant scenario.
Usually with the first year, the vocab options are limited, so the "fun part" frequently comes from extra little things, be they "something unexpected", ridiculous props, street scenes, or even over dramatization. If the students are instructed to be overly dramatic, that can be quite entertaining. It all depends on how serious you want this to be!
Buena suerte!
Put them in an Italian restaurant and have them ask the waiter why he speaks Spanish instead of Italian. 
