James Beard was right when he said “food is our common ground, a universal experience.” Whether we’re eating it, discussing it, or fantasizing about it, food brings us together.
Help your students share their best foodie experiences and improve their English fluency with these ESL conversation questions about food and eating out.
ESL conversation questions about food and eating out
- How many times do you eat out each week?
- What motivates you to eat out? (Enjoy restaurants, don’t have enough time, hate doing dishes, not a good chef, etc.)
- What’s your favorite restaurant in town?
- What’s your favourite cuisine?
- What’s your favourite quick, cheap meal?
- What’s your favourite expensive restaurant?
- Is there a particular cuisine that you think is overrated?
- What’s your favourite dish to eat?
- What foods do you refuse to eat?
- What are your thoughts about fast food restaurants?
- Do you tip when you eat out?
- If you don’t like a meal, do you complain to the waiter or not? Why?
- If you find a hair in some food, do you tell the waiter or not say anything? Why?
- Do you prefer fine dining or casual dining?
- What’s the fanciest restaurant you’ve ever been to?
- Is there a restaurant that you’re dying to eat at?
- Is there a meal that you’re dreaming about trying one day?
- Do you prefer to eat out or dine at home on your birthday?
- Do you enjoy spicy food?
- Do you like elaborate dishes or simple flavours?
- Do you prefer indoor dining or dining outside (e.g. on a patio)?
- List 20 unhealthy foods.
- List 20 healthy foods.
- What is your go-to breakfast?
- What is your ideal meal to eat at lunch?
- What is your favourite meal to eat for dinner?
- Did your family always eat dinner together or not?
- Do you eat dinner in front of the TV or at the dining table?
- Is there any food that you can’t eat?
- What do you think of airplane food?
- Do you prefer the main course or dessert?
- What is your favourite sweet dish to eat?
- What is your favourite type of cake to eat?
- When you treat yourself with food, what do you eat?
- Do you do a lot of meal prep? Or do you prefer to cook every day?
- Name 3 foods that you would like to try one day.
- Name 3 foods that you think are gross.
What ESL Discussion Topics and ESL conversation questions should we write about next? Let us know in the comments!
