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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?
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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6

    Recently, I haven't faced any bad services in a restaurant, but I would say the last time that I had experienced such service would be during my college days, cause we were broke then, so we used to go to these tiny places and explore new cuisines, so over there we had gone to one of small places in Mumbai, where the food was stale, also we found chicken feather in the food, so it was very disgusting, we complained to the restaurant owners, so they did give us our money back, but we weren't happy because we did eat some of the food, so we were sad that maybe our stomach would get upset or something, but that's the worst experience that I'd ever had.

    Band 6

    It happened in New York in a motel nearby. There was a dead mosquito inside my water and we called the waiter and told the situation and we told the waiter that there was a dead mosquito in my water. I felt really disgusted and I didn't want to eat the food there and I never went to that motel ever again. The food there, most of them was dry. It wasn't cooked well. It was really disgusting to eat and we complained a lot to the waiter. The waiter apologized but it was still disgusting to eat. The only thing that was good there was their ice cream which was not bad as we expected. It was a really bad experience. This never happened to me while I'm going with my family. So I never ever went to that shop again.

    Band 5-6

    Um... What's a weekend? Right off. What's a weekend? No mood to cook food. Um... Powerful vocabulary. Okay. Last weekend, our society got power off. And my mother don't want to cook anything. So, we all decided to order special meal. Let's go. What's a weekend? Let's get out of here. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. It was a last weekend when our society's power supply got cut off and my mother didn't have any intention to cook food. So at the end we all have decided to just order food from a good restaurant. So one of my cousin brothers suggested us to order food from a BBQ Nation. BBQ Nation is one of the most known food outlets in India which is operating since last few decades. We all agreed on his decision and made a order from him. Around 45 minutes later we receive our order and we just dig into the food as we are quite hungry. But our all happiness shattered into disperse in sadness when we found that all the breads we received are burnt. The dal and curries are watery and has a foul smell. It's quite even hard to take one bite. Then we called the customer care but they didn't respond to our call. So at last we decided to reach to the restaurant to complain about their food. But when we reached there they simply refused to refund our money back as they claim it isn't in their policies.

    Band 5-6

    Recently, I visited a restaurant in my hometown, Shangnansheri, the restaurant name is Khandadi and the restaurant is very pretty and there is a good positive ambience and positively I like that vibe, but the bad thing is that we actually waited a lot of time for getting an order, so I think it's not a good thing, a lot of time we wait there, then the waiter come and took the order, so after that also we wait a lot of time to get the food and I think it's not pretty well, but

    Band 5-6

    Well, last year, on 7th January, on my birthday, I and my whole family decided to visit a restaurant for a party. So, we decided to visit 7-Eleven restaurant. And, we many often go there, but in that time, when we go there, then we go and sit on a table. Then, nobody responds, even come and ask, what would you like to eat? So, after several minutes, around 5-10 minutes, we waiting, and then suddenly, one man come and ask about our food and cold drinks, many things. Then, we book our order. And, I think, this day, we have to wait at least for 20-25 minutes. So, that's a lot. And, after waiting a huge time, when food is come and we open and take a bite, then we realize the oil quantity and the salt and the other things are not in a good amount. So, food quality is so bad. And, I would like to explain that I am going gym for my fitness and I care myself. So, I would not like to eat a lot of oil and many things. So, it's hard to eat. Then, we didn't finish it. And, after completing our dinner, we ask for bill. And, when we see the bill, bill is so wet.

    Band 5-6

    Bad service I had that was happened happened two months before we went for a restaurant they give some we ordered a french fries they give it to raw fries then we lost then I I I I tried to ask the manager what is this this is in raw fries we want the real one then he will sell out and give back to

    Band 5-6

    Food is an indispensable part of every human's life. I have had countless meals from various restaurants in my day-to-day life, but here, however, here I would like to talk about the bad service I received from a restaurant. It was happened approximately two years back, when I as part of my job, I had a training in Mumbai, and I had to stay there more than three days. So I continuously depend on hotel food, restaurants, hotels and restaurants for my food. One day I visited one hotel, it was a Punjabi dhaba, and the very beautiful hotel, it is decorated with different food items pictures, and the wall is decorated with hangings, everything. And I finally, I get into the hotel, but I saw a huge crowd inside the hotel, so I stood for a long time to get got a seat. Finally I got seat, I gave order, unfortunately, I ordered a simple fried rice and chicken Manchurian, the waiter came and he was very arrogant, he said that it is, he is very impulsive and he shouted me.

    Band 5-6

    So, I went to a restaurant yesterday and that is on the corner of the street and there I ordered something to eat and I ordered very specifically called pav bhaji but they served me, first of all they served me wrong item and the waiter was not polite there and he was just started to fighting with me and then they are denying to say sorry to me and they denied to refund me as well. That was a very bad service I have ever received in any restaurant in the white plains. It was a horrified experience. It was a terrified experience.

    Band 5-6

    so me and my friends as we always hang out it was during the weekend days as we were we got holidays that day we went out to a restaurant where they sell chickens a lot of chickens so that day we went there we were waiting for the reception I mean not the reception the waiter to give us the menu and that moment we waited for around like 30-40 minutes there was no there was no people there was no customer but we are the only customer me and my friends we are total of five so we were waiting we were waiting and then they didn't come out they didn't come out so we were like so furious irritated at that moment that the waiter is not there and at that moment we were all hungry because we already went around roaming and then yeah that moment we were so furious so that day at that time we one of my friend took the initiative to go and talk to the receptionist so the receptionist was also busy with her phones I get a phones yeah so that day that moment that my friend of mine asked the receptionist where the waiter is because we didn't get the menu and then she was like no the waiter is not there and then we were so surprised that she was not there because obviously the restaurant menu should be given to us to others so we were so furious and then it took so long and now we felt so bad we felt so mad so we teach the receptionist saying that he should you know serve like this why

    Band 5

    Yes, I had a bad service at a restaurant, the name is Ruchi restaurant which is located in South India. That is one of the famous restaurant. On that day I went for restaurant with my family members. So I had a bad experience, that is I ordered some food, the waiter said it took time, so the place took time for some time, so please you have to wait for that, the waiter said. But I ordered the food, we need the urgent food right now. So we can't do anything, but I do cry over spilled milk, ignored oil to go there. But the restaurant owner kind of waiter said the response is not good for us, so I would like to become an anger on him and I scold number of lot of words which is the badly. So I am feeling regret now to why should I behave like that on that day, why should I had been that day, that type of, that kind of situation, how I am handled, so I am feeling the very regrets to why I do this. I also understood that the job pressure is always like, I feel that would be like a piece of cake or.
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