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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: paying the bill at a restaurant

    Kofi Pays the Bill at the Restaurant

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kofi is sitting at a busy bus stop. He has just finished lunch at a small restaurant near the bus stop. He is happy because the food was very good. He had a bowl of soup and a plate of rice. He also had a glass of juice. Now he is waiting for his bus. He looks at his watch. The bus is not here yet. He has a few minutes. He decides to check his bag for his wallet. He opens his bag and looks inside. He finds his wallet quickly. He opens the wallet and looks at the money inside. He has some cash and one card. He feels ready to pay the bill. He stands up and walks back to the restaurant. Kofi goes inside the restaurant. He walks to the counter. A server is standing there.

    "Excuse me," Kofi says. "I would like to pay my bill, please." The server smiles. "Of course," she says. "Your total is fourteen dollars." Kofi looks in his wallet. He only has ten dollars in cash. He feels a little worried. "Can I pay by card?" he asks. "Yes, you can," the server says. She gives him a small card reader. Kofi puts his card in the reader. He waits for a moment. The machine makes a short sound. "Your payment is done," the server says. Kofi smiles. "Thank you very much," he says. "The food was really great today." The server smiles again. "Thank you! Please come back soon," she says. Kofi walks back to the bus stop.

    He feels good. He paid the bill and the server was very kind. He sits down on the bench again. He checks his phone. The bus is coming in three minutes. He puts his wallet back in his bag. He zips his bag closed. He looks down the street. He can see the bus in the distance. He stands up and gets ready. He thinks about the soup. It was warm and delicious. He thinks he will come back to the restaurant next week. The bus arrives. Kofi gets on. He finds a seat near the window. He is happy. It was a good lunch.

    Key vocabulary

    bill (noun)a piece of paper showing how much money you must pay for food or a service“The server brought the bill to the table after lunch.”
    wallet (noun)a small flat case for carrying money and cards“Kofi opened his wallet and took out some cash.”
    cash (noun)paper money and coins“She did not have enough cash, so she paid by card.”
    total (noun)the full amount of money to be paid“The total for the meal was fourteen dollars.”
    server (noun)a person who brings food and drinks to customers in a restaurant“The server asked if they were ready to order.”
    card reader (noun)a machine that reads a bank card to take payment“She held her card over the card reader to pay.”
    payment (noun)the act of giving money for something“The machine confirmed that the payment was complete.”
    distance (noun)a space or gap between two places or things“He could see the bus coming from a distance.”

    Useful phrases

    • pay the bill — to give money for food or a service you have received“Kofi went back inside the restaurant to pay the bill.”
    • Excuse me — a polite phrase used to get someone's attention“"Excuse me," Kofi said to the server at the counter.”
    • pay by card — to use a bank card instead of cash to pay for something“He asked if he could pay by card because he had no cash.”
    • come back soon — a friendly way to invite someone to return“"Thank you! Please come back soon," the server said.”
    • check your bag — to look inside your bag to find something“She stopped to check her bag for her wallet before ordering.”
    • in the distance — far away but able to be seen“Kofi could see the bus in the distance and stood up.”
    • a few minutes — a short amount of time, usually two to five minutes“He had a few minutes before the bus arrived.”
    • get ready — to prepare yourself for something that is about to happen“Kofi stood up and got ready as the bus came closer.”

    Word search

    Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKL
    1VFCTBILLJSSE
    2YTWXNLRSDSWZ
    3HEUTAEHSACAO
    4XACTMBMTWOLS
    5CRONCSUYXKLM
    6ATEUAYSNAOEW
    7BQOVNTLKVPTW
    8KNSTRQSPJEBO
    9SRQBVEEIULJA
    10OPJIZYSRDXRQ
    11IRCARDREADER
    12ORSFBIUQDJMP

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where is Kofi sitting at the start of the story?

      • A) At a park bench
      • B) Inside the restaurant
      • C) At a busy bus stop
      • D) On the bus
    2. What did Kofi eat for lunch?

      • A) A sandwich and a salad
      • B) A pizza and a soda
      • C) A burger and fries
      • D) A bowl of soup and a plate of rice
    3. Why does Kofi feel worried when he hears the total?

      • A) He lost his wallet
      • B) He only has ten dollars in cash
      • C) He left his card at home
      • D) He forgot to bring his bag
    4. How much does Kofi's meal cost?

      • A) Ten dollars
      • B) Fourteen dollars
      • C) Sixteen dollars
      • D) Twelve dollars
    5. What does the server give Kofi to pay?

      • A) A pen and a form
      • B) A paper bill
      • C) A small card reader
      • D) A receipt
    6. The word "total" in the story means ___.

      • A) the name of the restaurant
      • B) the food Kofi ordered
      • C) the full amount of money to be paid
      • D) the number of people at the table
    7. How long does Kofi have to wait for the bus at the end of the story?

      • A) Ten minutes
      • B) Five minutes
      • C) One minute
      • D) Three minutes
    8. Kofi plans to return to the restaurant next week. True or False?

      • A) False
      • B) True
      • C) Not stated
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. What does Kofi do after paying the bill?

      • A) He asks for a receipt
      • B) He walks back to the bus stop
      • C) He orders more food
      • D) He calls a friend
    10. The word "server" in the story means ___.

      • A) a person who drives the bus
      • B) a person who sells tickets
      • C) a person who brings food to customers in a restaurant
      • D) a person who repairs machines

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    1. C 2. D 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. C 7. D 8. B 9. B 10. C

    Word search answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.

    bill: E1 → · card reader: C11 → · cash: J3 ← · distance: I10 ↖ · payment: J7 ↖ · server: G10 ↖ · total: B6 ↗ · wallet: K2 ↓

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: paying the bill at a restaurant

    Kofi Settles the Bill at the Busy Bus Stop Restaurant

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kofi had spent his lunch break at a small restaurant right next to a busy bus stop, and he was genuinely pleased with his meal. He had ordered a rich bowl of soup followed by a generous plate of rice, washing it all down with a cold glass of juice. As he stepped outside and settled onto the bench at the bus stop, he glanced at his phone and realized his bus was not due for another few minutes. It occurred to him that he had walked out without paying, so he quickly checked his wallet, found his card, and headed straight back inside with a calm but purposeful stride. At the counter, a server greeted him with a patient smile. "Excuse me," Kofi said, "I believe I forgot to settle my bill." The server nodded without any sign of frustration and pulled up the order on her screen.

    "No problem at all," she said. "Your total comes to fourteen dollars." Kofi checked his wallet and found he only had ten dollars in cash, so he asked politely whether he could pay by card instead. The server slid a card reader across the counter, and Kofi tapped his card against it. Within seconds, the machine confirmed the payment, and the server handed him a receipt. "Thank you so much," Kofi said, genuinely relieved. "The soup was absolutely delicious." "I'm glad you enjoyed it," she replied warmly.

    "We hope to see you again soon." Kofi walked back out to the bus stop feeling considerably lighter, both relieved that he had settled the bill and grateful for the server's understanding attitude. He tucked the receipt into his wallet and zipped his bag shut before glancing down the street. In the distance, he could already make out the shape of his bus approaching. As he stood up and prepared to board, he found himself thinking about the soup and quietly decided he would make a point of returning to the restaurant the following week. The bus pulled up, Kofi stepped on, and he took a seat by the window, satisfied that a small moment of forgetfulness had been handled so smoothly.

    Key vocabulary

    settle (verb)to pay money that is owed, especially a bill or debt“He returned to the counter to settle his bill before catching the bus.”
    purposeful (adjective)showing a clear intention and determination to achieve something“She walked back into the restaurant with a purposeful stride.”
    frustration (noun)a feeling of being upset or annoyed because something is not going as expected“The server showed no sign of frustration when Kofi returned to pay.”
    receipt (noun)a printed or written document showing that payment has been made“The server handed him a receipt after the payment was confirmed.”
    relieved (adjective)feeling happy and less worried because a problem has been resolved“Kofi felt genuinely relieved after paying the bill successfully.”
    forgetfulness (noun)the tendency or habit of forgetting things“A moment of forgetfulness caused him to leave without paying.”
    approach (verb)to come closer to something or someone“She could see the bus approaching from the end of the street.”
    confirm (verb)to show or state that something is definitely true or complete“The card reader confirmed the payment within seconds.”

    Useful phrases

    • settle the bill — to pay the full amount owed, especially in a restaurant“Kofi went back inside to settle the bill he had forgotten to pay.”
    • no problem at all — a polite phrase used to show that something is not causing any difficulty“"No problem at all," the server said when Kofi returned to pay.”
    • pull up — to open or display information on a screen“The server pulled up his order on the screen to calculate the total.”
    • make a point of — to deliberately decide to do something“He made a point of returning to the restaurant the following week.”
    • make out — to see or identify something that is not very clear“In the distance, he could just make out the shape of the approaching bus.”
    • in the distance — far away but still visible“Kofi spotted the bus in the distance as he stood up to leave.”
    • considerably lighter — feeling much more relaxed or relieved after a worry has been removed“He walked out feeling considerably lighter after sorting out the bill.”
    • handle smoothly — to deal with a situation in a calm and effective way without difficulty“A small moment of forgetfulness had been handled so smoothly.”

    Word search

    Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1FZOELTTESZDBCES
    2PVYKSZFYGTAONFH
    3MXNVMNEYPZNLMGF
    4XALNJJTIGFFXSOJ
    5FFGUZXESIFTZRDZ
    6QRJXFCDRTVYGVBN
    7EUGHEEMEPAEOANX
    8ISTRNSSKVTFPRAH
    9BTGPFPKOFEPQAMY
    10XRDLKOIUPRIOXQR
    11GAXDTDLDORILQBC
    12KTTPENAALSUPEKD
    13KIDGEPCVKPDPFRW
    14COFSAHLSZNZPWPX
    15UNSCZLLXJSHBOBF

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why does Kofi go back inside the restaurant?

      • A) He wants to order more food
      • B) He left his wallet at the table
      • C) He wanted to speak to the manager
      • D) He realized he had not paid his bill
    2. The word "settle" in the story most closely means ___.

      • A) to sit down and relax
      • B) to pay an amount that is owed
      • C) to argue about a price
      • D) to decide what to order
    3. How does the server react when Kofi returns to pay?

      • A) She is annoyed and calls the manager
      • B) She refuses to accept his card
      • C) She is patient and shows no frustration
      • D) She asks Kofi to wait outside
    4. What does Kofi do with the receipt after paying?

      • A) He throws it away
      • B) He gives it back to the server
      • C) He puts it in his jacket pocket
      • D) He tucks it into his wallet
    5. The word "relieved" in the story means ___.

      • A) feeling tired after a long meal
      • B) feeling uncertain about what to do next
      • C) feeling happy because a worry has gone away
      • D) feeling hungry and wanting more food
    6. How much does Kofi's meal cost?

      • A) Fourteen dollars
      • B) Sixteen dollars
      • C) Twelve dollars
      • D) Ten dollars
    7. Kofi had enough cash to cover the full bill. True or False?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    8. What is Kofi thinking about as he boards the bus?

      • A) His afternoon schedule
      • B) The soup and returning to the restaurant
      • C) Whether he left something at the table
      • D) Calling a friend to meet for dinner
    9. What does the phrase "make a point of" mean in this story?

      • A) To write something down as a reminder
      • B) To argue strongly for something
      • C) To deliberately decide to do something
      • D) To point at something in the distance
    10. The server hoped to see Kofi again. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    1. D 2. B 3. C 4. D 5. C 6. A 7. B 8. B 9. C 10. D

    Word search answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.

    approach: M7 ↙ · confirm: M1 ↙ · forgetfulness: O3 ↙ · frustration: B5 ↓ · purposeful: L13 ↖ · receipt: D8 ↗ · relieved: N13 ↖ · settle: I1 ←

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/kofi-pays-the-bill-at-the-restaurant-2026-10-20