Describe A Bad Service You Received In A Restaurant Shop: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

When and where it happened?
What happened there?
How was it solved?
How did you feel about it?

44 unique answers with expert feedback

What specific aspects of the service did you find most disappointing?

The most disappointing aspects were the lack of a cozy atmosphere and the unwelcoming attitude of the staff. It felt like they were indifferent to the customers, which really affected our experience.

How did the manager handle your complaint?

The manager was quite understanding and listened to our concerns attentively. He apologized for the inconvenience and offered us a complimentary dessert, which helped to improve our overall experience.

Would you consider returning to that restaurant after the manager's response?

While I appreciate the manager's response, I think I would be hesitant to return. The initial experience left a bad impression, and I might prefer to try other places that have better reviews and a more welcoming atmosphere.

Band 6-7

00:00

I along with my friends gathered for a lunch in this place called as Saubarnika where I have ordered chicken tikka masala and my friend ordered roti to carry this along. What surprised me was the time that it took to serve us for the for the dish that we have ordered and it was already late in time we our friends got puzzled what is taking so much of time and we did not hesitate to reach out to the server and ask him why the food is late. He said that food is taking some time to finish as the the food that we have ordered is of a slightly more preparing in time and when it reached surprisingly and even more surprisingly what happened is we saw some fly stuck to the dish and we are so much starving already and we were so furious at this point in time we had to shout at the waiter and the waiter immediately apologized to us and he said like he will take some other dish that he can offer free and also you know it was very kind of this particular waiter who he has offered us one of the free dish for us to as a compensation for this incident and later we also understood the situation because you know it was at the peak of the time and you know the mistakes tend to happen and it is of a human nature so we forget that incident and we friends discuss about our own lives and we came back this was pretty pathetic incident as we were starving and it was a memorable too

Follow up questions

How do you usually handle bad service in restaurants?

I try to remain calm and polite when addressing the issue. I believe it's important to communicate my concerns to the staff so they can improve. If the service is really bad, I might consider speaking to a manager, but I always aim to resolve things amicably.

Have you ever had a positive experience after a bad service?

Yes, there have been times when a restaurant has turned a bad experience around. For instance, after a long wait, the manager offered us complimentary desserts, which made us feel valued. It showed that they cared about customer satisfaction, and we left with a better impression.

What do you think restaurants can do to improve their service?

I think restaurants should focus on staff training and ensure they have enough staff during peak hours. Clear communication with customers about wait times can also help manage expectations. Additionally, maintaining cleanliness in food presentation is crucial to avoid issues like the one I experienced.

Band 6-7

00:00

So, it happened at a restaurant called Bloke House. So it was back in Feb, 2025, where I visited this restaurant with my girlfriend as a treat for a special incident that we had. So we both wanted to try the Italian food. So we went there, we ordered beef steak and a pizza, which was one of our favorites. So we ordered the food and when we got it, it wasn't really that incredible of the taste and the portion that we got, I mean the quantity was really, really poor. So, the ambience was great and the people who came there was also amazing. They were very nice and apart from all of this, the waitress who came to our table was really, really pushy. She wanted us to order more of the items and then it was really uncomfortable for us. So what we did was, we were kind of in a rush, we had to leave, but the waitress kept insisting for us to have a coffee or more items because usually the people who come over there were kind of really wealthy and she expected us to do the same. She wasn't even considering from where we were coming from or to cut us some slack. Maybe she was just doing her job, but then it really made us uncomfortable.

Follow up questions

How do you think the restaurant could improve its service?

I believe the restaurant could improve its service by training staff to be more attentive to customers' needs and comfort levels. Instead of being pushy, they should focus on providing a pleasant dining experience, allowing guests to enjoy their meals without feeling rushed or pressured to order more.

Have you ever complained about bad service in a restaurant?

Yes, I have complained about bad service before. In another instance, I politely informed the manager about the issues we faced, such as long wait times and inattentive staff. I think it's important to give feedback so that they can improve their service for future customers.

What do you think is the most important aspect of restaurant service?

I think the most important aspect of restaurant service is the balance between attentiveness and respect for customers' space. Staff should be friendly and helpful without being intrusive. Good service enhances the dining experience and makes customers feel valued and comfortable.

Practice other cue cards

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country .

View answers

Band 6-7

00:00

So, a bad service, usually restaurants nowadays are pretty much up to the standards, let it be in quality or hygiene or maintenance, but one of the experience I had in a restaurant was getting the wrong order. Basically, this happened when I was in the first year of my undergraduation. A couple of our friends decided to just go and have lunch in a restaurant and we ordered Paneer Tikka and normally on our side of the state, we do not consume non-veg on Saturdays. There is a belief that... Nowadays, I think most of the restaurants... Nowadays, restaurants are mostly up to their standards, let it be in quality, maintenance or hygiene. I would say it is mostly because of the growing awareness of people they have on their food. One such experience or one bad experience I had in a restaurant would be getting the wrong order. So, it was a normal day, just like any other day, a couple of our friends decided to have lunch in a restaurant. After going there casually, we ordered Paneer Tikka, but instead we received Chicken Tikka. One of my friends dove right into the order without noticing if it was Paneer or Chicken, but I could find the difference in the texture of the piece, so I called the waiter right upon and showed her that we ordered Paneer Tikka, instead we received Chicken Tikka. Basically, in our side of the state, we do not consume chicken or non-veg on Saturdays, so it was a Saturday that day and receiving Chicken Tikka was just like it was going to go to waste. So, I called the waiter and I told her to change the order, luckily she replaced our dish with the initial order, however, it was a close call to almost having non-veg or to almost being getting consumed, to almost having consumed non-veg on the day and it was also a proper response from the hotel's end to replace us with the order we initially placed.

Follow up questions

How did the restaurant handle the situation after the wrong order?

The restaurant responded well by replacing our wrong order with the correct Paneer Tikka. The waiter was polite and understanding, which helped ease the situation. It was a relief that they took immediate action to correct their mistake.

Have you ever experienced similar issues in other restaurants?

Yes, I've had a few instances where my order was incorrect or took too long to arrive. However, most restaurants have been quick to resolve these issues. It's interesting to see how customer service varies from place to place.

What do you think restaurants can do to improve their service?

I believe restaurants can improve their service by ensuring better communication between the kitchen and waitstaff. Implementing a double-check system for orders and training staff to be attentive can significantly enhance the dining experience.

Band 6-7

00:00

I've always been a foodie person. I like exploring a variety of food, variety of cuisines around. On the New Year's Eve I went to this fantastic, good reviewed restaurant which is on the highway on the countryside and we ordered some. I was accompanied with my family and we ordered a biryani and it was a Mughal cuisine so we ordered biryanis and some starters. Turned out to be not cooked properly which was a disaster and when I asked the waiter to change it, they denied to change it and the food was quite pricey so however we still tried to eat it but it was non-edible and I did not like the service at all. After requesting multiple times they changed our food and then the waiter apologised for his deeds but the experience was ruined and our mood was ruined. We waited plenty of time for the dishes to be cooked properly and brought it again. Furthermore, the dessert was also a disaster but they still changed it and they gave us a discount of 40% which was appreciated by me but I insisted all the staff to improve their food.

Follow up questions

What do you think is the most important aspect of restaurant service?

I believe the most important aspect of restaurant service is attentiveness. Staff should be aware of customers' needs and respond promptly. Good communication and a willingness to resolve issues can greatly enhance the dining experience.

How do you usually handle bad service in restaurants?

When I encounter bad service, I try to remain calm and polite. I usually express my concerns to the staff and give them a chance to rectify the situation. If the issue persists, I may speak to a manager or consider leaving feedback online.

Have you ever had a positive experience that made up for bad service?

Yes, I once had a similar experience where the food was initially bad, but the manager personally apologized and offered us complimentary dishes. Their effort to make things right turned a negative experience into a positive one, and I appreciated their customer service.

Show all 44 answers

Cue 1:When and where it happened?

Begin by mentioning the name of the restaurant and the city where it is located.
Specify the date or occasion when you visited the restaurant.

Example

Last month, I visited a popular restaurant called 'Spice Junction' in Delhi with my friends to celebrate my birthday.

Cue 2:What happened there?

Describe the specific incident that made the service bad.
Include details about the staff's behavior and the impact it had on your experience.

Example

As soon as we arrived, we were ignored by the staff for nearly 20 minutes. When we finally got a table, the waiter was rude and took our order incorrectly, bringing us the wrong dishes.

Cue 3:How was it solved?

Explain how you addressed the issue with the staff or management.
Mention any actions taken by the restaurant to rectify the situation.

Example

I politely spoke to the manager about our experience. He was very apologetic and offered us complimentary drinks and ensured that our correct orders were prioritized.

Cue 4:How did you feel about it?

Share your feelings during the incident and after it was resolved.
Reflect on how this experience affected your view of the restaurant.

Example

Initially, I felt frustrated and disappointed, especially since it was my birthday celebration. However, after the manager's response and the complimentary drinks, I felt a bit better, but I still left the restaurant with mixed feelings.

Conclusion

Example

Overall, the experience taught me the importance of good service in a restaurant. While the manager's efforts to resolve the issue were appreciated, it made me reconsider whether I would return to 'Spice Junction' in the future.

Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

Tips to answer this Cue Card

1: Vague Descriptions

Using vague language can make your response unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the service you received.

Tip

Be specific about the incident. Describe the location, the service received, and the exact issues you faced to create a clearer picture.

2: Neglecting Emotions

Failing to express your feelings can make your story less engaging. It's important to convey how the bad service affected you emotionally.

Tip

Share your feelings during the experience. Use phrases like 'I felt frustrated' or 'I was disappointed' to connect with the listener.

Ignoring Resolution

Not mentioning how the issue was resolved can leave your story incomplete. It's essential to explain if and how the problem was addressed.

Tip

Include details about how the restaurant handled the situation. Did they apologize, offer a refund, or improve the service? This adds depth to your response.

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Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

Answer

I like to taste different types of cuisine. Here I would like to talk about my favorite dish at my traditional festival of Onam which is Sadya. Sadya is popular in my city. We are experimenting these cuisines on Onam festival day. Onam is a famous festival in my city. All family members get together in my home and we make a delicious Sadya. There are many ingredients includes that Sadya. Moreover, we make a big feast that day as well as we create a lot of memories together and we wear that day the traditional dress called Sari and men wear the Dhotis. That festival is really important to us because the whole day we are conducting different kinds of games at our homes and all the family members came together. It's a memorable day in my life. This is the festival. We are making the Sambar and Aviyal. These all the kinds of foods are making with the vegetables.

Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood

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Anonymous student Band 8

Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

Answer

The toy which I liked in my childhood was a panda doll, which makes me pleasant and makes me more blush. The pandas are the most beautiful creatures of the world, which looks gigantic and has pooshy cheeks and they are like stars in the clouds and they dream in me. Furthermore, these have been given by my father. My father is a very very beautiful artistic person, who makes me think of that. Every day you will face every difficulties and make you suffer and move forward. Pandas are always seen in Japanese countries. It is my lifelong dream to visit a Japanese country and click a photo with the original pandas, which makes sounds better.

Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 6.5

Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

Answer

As India is a very large country full of diversity, so there are many places which have their own language and speak their native language. The place which I visited and I didn't know about their language was Leladakh, which is about 300 km away from my hometown and it is a very good place as it consists of different kind of trees, animals and have many scenic views and I visited over there last year in summers as it was the best time to visit because it has many, it was cold over there and we had summers in our area so it was the best time to visit over there and I went over there with my whole family.

Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7

Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

Answer

When I was a kid, I had a little pencil box which had these four buttons which gave the pencil box an operative use. When you press the button, the box would open up. When you press the second button, a little part of it would slide out. Basically it was just a little electronical and a fun thing to have and I owned it when I was in 6th. One day after break, I was standing and talking there with one of my friends and another friend of mine was running through the hallway and accidentally she pushed my shoulder and my pencil box hit the ground and it broke into multiple pieces to the point that it was not functional anymore.

Describe a book you recently read

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Anonymous student Band 7.5

CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

Answer

It Ends With Us is a book I read recently. It's by the author Colleen Hoare. It's mainly a story about two teenagers, Atlas and Lily, and how they just handle their life going through high school, adolescence, and just domestic violence at home. Both of them come from very, very different families. However, they have one common determining factor between them, which is domestic violence. The abuse that they've seen their moms go through is just insane, and they connect through that on a different level. They're actually in the same high school, but they never speak to each other until Atlas actually crashes into an empty house next to Lily's villa. When Atlas is homeless and he doesn't have anywhere to go, he just comes and breaks into the house next to Lily's, and Lily helps him with all the daily necessities like clothes and food, medicines and stuff. Furthermore, their friendship blossoms into love, but it doesn't really fructify as Atlas has to leave. This book really gave me a lot of knowledge about domestic abuse and how to deal with it.