Dinner Plans

go out to dinner

Let's go out to dinner. I'm really hungry.

When you 'go out to dinner' you go to a restaurant to eat. Notice the following:

1. Can we go out to dinner tonight? I don't want to cook.
   
2. Going out to dinner is always a special thing for them.
   

family diner

Around my house, there's a few restaurants: Italian, grilled chicken restaurant, fish restaurant, and a family diner.

A 'family diner' is a casual restaurant which is a good place for families to eat because it has a menu with food that most people like. A 'family' diner can also refer to a restaurant that is owned and run by a family. Notice the following:

1. We are looking for a family diner to eat at tonight.
   
2. My dad goes to the family diner every Sunday for breakfast.
   

makes sense

It makes sense that it's called a family diner, because everyone in the family would be happy to eat there.

If something 'makes sense' it is reasonable or logical. Notice the following:

1. All of his answers make a lot of sense, but they aren't something that I would think of.
   
2. It doesn't make sense for all of us to drive there separately.
   

crowded or expensive

The Italian restaurant is really crowded and a little expensive, because it's very popular.

A place that has too many people and is uncomfortable because this is 'crowded.' If something is expensive it costs a lot of money or more money than it should. Notice the following:

1. It's too crowded to eat here. Let's go somewhere else.
   
2. I don't want to go anywhere expensive, just a place with good food.
   

stand or stall

This guy has a small stand and little tables in front of his stall.

A 'stand' or 'stall' is an informal restaurant on the street that usually serves only a few things at a very cheap price. Notice the following:

1. The juice stand is only here in the morning. It's usually gone by noon.
   
2. The only thing that he makes at his stall are tacos, but there are always lots of people around there.
   

grills or booth

He just grills chicken kind of on the street and serves them on little tables in front of his booth.

When you 'grill' something you cook it over an open fire or charcoal. A 'booth' is another word for stall or stand - see the definition above. Notice the following:

1. I think we are just going to grill food for the party. Maybe we'll have some chips and potato salad too.
   
2. There is a booth over there that sells the best hamburgers in the world.