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Secret Menus
Secret Menus

Learn English Meaning of 'Secret Menu'

Date: May 10 2017

Themes: Food, Pop Culture

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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When you get fast food, do you always order the same thing, or do you like a little variety? Recently, many customers started wanting more variety than usual. They wanted things that were not on the menu. Because of this, at many fast food restaurants, you can now order something from the secret menu. Try a Big McChicken at McDonald’s by replacing the bun of your McChicken sandwich with more chicken patties. Or go to Starbucks and add a banana to your Vanilla Cream Frappucino to make a Banana Cream Pie Frappucino. There are many possibilities when you order off the secret menu!

Some people love the idea of a secret menu, but other people think that these restaurants are going overboard. They think that some of the secret menu items might be very unhealthy or might not even taste good! The food on the regular menu is already delicious, they say. Why make any changes to it?

Andy just ordered something off the secret menu at Chipotle. Listen as he tells Dominique about his experience.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Andy_H

Andy_H

Dominique

Dominique

Andy_H:  Oh, man, Dominique. I just did the coolest thing!

Dominique:  What?

Andy_H:  I just ordered something from Chipotle on the secret menu!

Dominique:  Really.

Andy_H:  Yeah! Isn’t that awesome?

Dominique:  Kind of. I mean, why not have it on the menu for everyone to order?

Andy_H:  Well, because, duh, it’s a secret. That’s why I’m talking so low.

Dominique:  But couldn’t they make more money if it was on the regular menu for everybody to order it, if it was so awesome? I mean, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Andy_H:  That’s a great point.

Dominique:  Clearly, those items wouldn’t be selling well, that’s why it’s a secret.

Andy_H:  Well, what do you think of secret menus? Have you ever gone to one?

Dominique:  Yeah, I have, and it was… blah.

Andy_H:  Blah?

Dominique:  Nothing to write home about, I mean… it wasn’t mouthwatering or anything.

Andy_H:  Maybe your taste buds are broken because I hear word on the street is you can get a Captain Crunch Mocha Frappucino from Starbucks… who are the geniuses making this stuff up? I mean, can we modify everything, please?

Dominique:  Why would somebody go out of their way to order something like that? And then I have to go and ask around, like, “Hey do you know what’s on the secret menu? Do you have the secret menu?” What’s the point?

Andy_H:  I think the point is so they can combine some amazing menu items into one. It’s kind of like combining genius and innovation and creating things like… Captain Crunch Frappucino.

Dominique:  Well, I think it’s going overboard, so…

Andy_H:  Well, I think you’re wrong.

Dominique:  Hm. No.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Andy just ordered something off of the secret menu at Chipotle. He is very excited about it, but Dominique isn’t so sure. She has tried secret menus before, and she thinks they are nothing to write home about. In fact, she doesn’t think restaurants should offer a secret menu because not many people will order off of it. The food on the regular menu is already good enough.

Andy does not agree. He thinks that secret menus show genius and innovation. In his opinion, it takes a lot of creativity to come up with something like a Captain Crunch Mocha Frappucino. He hopes that people keep coming up with secret menu items. In fact, he hopes that restaurants start to modify everything!

Have you ever tried a secret menu item? What is your favorite drink to get from Starbucks?

 

Comments

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bambeereview

United States

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09:19 PM May 23 2020 |

JaneFoster

United States

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12:14 PM Apr 29 2018 |

Ministrelia

Russian Federation

I have never heard about a secret menu! As for Starbucks, it is my favourite cafe and my favourite drink is cappucinno or latte. 

07:47 PM May 10 2017 |

1 person likes this

hermitlady

China

I would think I was a man who isn’t interested in food and drink so much.  Usually, I have the simple food, light food with little oil and little salt, mostly vegetables. 

02:30 AM May 10 2017 |

1 person likes this

hermitlady

China

No . I heard this “secret menu” for the first time.



  I don’t like any drink. I prefer to choice a cup of hot milk if it must make a choice. 

02:27 AM May 10 2017 |

1 person likes this

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