Speak English Around Town » LESSON 7 - Picking up the Tab at a Restaurant
Tanya: Let me pick up the tab.
John: No, it's my treat. The guy is supposed to pay on a date!
Tanya: Says who? I don't want you to pay for me every time we go out! Let's go Dutch this time.
John: No, I'll get it. I insist.
Tanya: Okay, but next time it's on me.
John: Let's see ... The total without tax is $74.75.
Tanya: Do you think we should leave 15 percent* or more?
John: The service was so-so. Our waiter was no great shakes. He seemed put out when we complained about our food.
Tanya: What did he expect? The food left a lot to be desired! This is supposed to be such a great restaurant. I don't know what happened.
John: I guess it's gone downhill. I'll leave 15 percent. I could leave less, but I don't want to be a cheapskate!
Tanya: Yeah, we may want to come back here someday.
John: Come back here? When hell freezes over!
* It's standard to tip waiters and waitresses 15-20 percent in the U.S. They are unhappy when they get less than 15 percent.
Use "supposed to be" when talking about something that is generally thought to be true.
Examples:
◼ Paris is supposed to be the most romantic city in the world.
◼ Your boyfriend took you to dinner at Masa? That's supposed to be the most expensive restaurant in the city!
Use supposed to + infinitive to:
==> Say what should or should not be done because of rules, common practices, or customs
Examples:
◼ Before ordering supplies, you 're supposed to get your boss's approval.
◼ You're not supposed to smoke inside this restaurant.
==> Express sarcasm and/or anger, in place of should, can, or going to
Examples:
◼ Who was the nineteenth president of the United States? How am I supposed to know?(= I don't know! How would I know?)
◼ Your music is so loud, how am I supposed to get any work done? (= How can I get any work done with that loud music? I can't!)
◼ You invited your entire office over for dinner? Who's supposed to do all the cooking?(= I don't feel like cooking for all those people! Who's going to do all the cooking?)
==> Express something that was planned or intended, but did not happen (in this case, use "was/were supposed to")
Examples:
◼ Luke was supposed to start college in the fall, but then he decided to travel around the world instead.
◼ We're lost! We were supposed to take a right onto Danbury Road.
◼ We were supposed to go to a holiday concert last night, but it was snowing too hard.
Example: If you keep talking to me, how am I going to concentrate?
Answer: If you keep talking to me, how am I supposed to concentrate?
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