Unit 15 Vocabulary — Going the extra mile

Verb (infinitive)
Bend the rules
to change the rules in a way that is considered not important or serious
A lot of hotels bend their rules for VIP guests.
Noun (thing)
Craving
a strong desire or need for
Pregnant women often have cravings for unusual foods.
Adjective
Demanding
requiring a lot of effort or attention
He was a very demanding guest, nothing was good enough for him.
Noun (thing)
Discretion
the quality of behaving or speaking in a way to avoid embarrassment or upset
When delivering room service orders to guests you may see something private, so discretion is important.
Verb (infinitive)
Exceed
to be greater, better than, or superior to
The hotel exceeded his expectations — he hadn't expected such good service.
Verb (infinitive)
Fulfill
to do, perform or obey a task to the correct level
Although it wasn't easy, the chef fulfilled all of the requirements to satisfy the restaurant critic.
Adjective
Fussy
very selective about what one chooses, hard to please
Most children are fussy eaters and will only try new foods if they are forced.
Verb (infinitive)
Go the extra mile
to do something more or greater than your responsibility or duty
The staff went the extra mile to make sure that the guest was satisfied
Verb (infinitive)
Let down
to disappoint or not to meet expectations
Hotels should try not to let down guests because if they do the guest may not return.
Verb (infinitive)
Modify
to make a small change to the form or character of
The restaurant is famous for their Beef Wellington, which can be modified to a vegetarian version by using egg plant instead of beef.
Proper noun (person)
No-show
a person who has made a reservation but doesn't make use of the service
The restaurant was fully booked last night but there were 7 no-shows, so in the end they only served 37 covers.
Verb (infinitive)
Pop out
to leave or go somewhere for a short time
Please wait a moment, the receptionist has just popped out for a second.
Verb (infinitive)
Sort out
to clarify, explain, or resolve
There were a few problems with the reservation, which needed to be sorted out before the guest arrived.
Verb (infinitive)
Take care of
to assume responsibility for the support, maintenance, or treatment of
The hotel employs three child-minders who can take care of your children when needed.
Verb (infinitive)
Track down
to search for and find after difficulty
It took several hours for the chef to track down a local source of smoked cheese.
Verb (infinitive)
Try your best
do everything within your power to achieve something
The manager did his best to resolve the complaint to the satisfaction of the guest.
Adjective
Vegan
not containing any meat or dairy products
Chefs often find it difficult to create exciting, tasty, vegan dishes.
Adjective
Vegetarian
not containing any trace of meat or meat products
Most restaurants offer a vegetarian option as standard.
Noun (thing)
Wedding reception
the party or celebration after a marriage ceremony
The hotel can organize wedding receptions for up to 300 guests.
Proper noun (thing)
Welcome basket
a selection of products, usually complimentary, which are waiting in a guest's room for their arrival
The hotel gives all guests a welcome basket containing fresh fruit, home baked biscuits and a selection of preserves.