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Restaurants
Restaurants in the United States range from inexpensive "fast-food"
to very expensive restaurants. Some restaurants feature specialties
of the region, others specialize in "ethnic" foods
from various regions of the world. While some of these ethnic
restaurants are very authentic, others have adapted their
food to suit American tastes.
It is safe to eat in restaurants in the United States since
they are regularly inspected for cleanliness and for compliance
with health codes. It is also safe to drink water from a tap
in the United States. Bottled water is usually available in
American restaurants for an extra charge. To find out about
restaurants in your community, consult the yellow pages in
the local phone book or follow the recommendations of acquaintances
and friends.
If you plan to eat at a formal restaurant, you should call
a day or two in advance to make a reservation. Not all restaurants
require reservations, but it is a good idea to check just
in case they are necessary. This is especially true on weekends
and holidays.
In general, the wording of an invitation to dine with someone
in a restaurant will give a clue as to who will pay the bill.
If someone says, "Would you please have dinner with me?"
or "I would like to invite you to dinner," it usually
means that you are to be a guest and that person will pay
the bill. If someone says, "Would you like to have dinner
together?" or "Do you want to grab a bite to eat?"
it probably means that each will pay for what he or she eats
and drinks and will contribute towards the tip for the waiter
or waitress. If you are not sure how the bill will be paid,
assume that you will pay your share.
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