The Mixed-Up Order Numbers
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Two customers accidentally receive each other's takeout orders at a busy restaurant counter until the staff sorts out the mix-up.
Dmitri walked into a busy restaurant to pick up his order. He ordered a chicken curry and a bottle of water. The counter had ten bags waiting for different customers. Corinne, the worker at the counter, called out order numbers. "Order twelve!" she said, and Dmitri stepped forward.
She handed him a bag with the number twelve on it. Dmitri thanked her and walked outside to his car. He opened the bag and looked inside before he drove away. Instead of chicken curry, he found a large pizza. "This isn't my order," Dmitri said to himself.
At the same time, another customer named Yusuf opened his own bag. Yusuf wanted a large pizza for his family dinner. But his bag had a container of chicken curry inside. Yusuf checked the number on his bag. It also said twelve, just like Dmitri's bag.
Yusuf walked back into the restaurant with his bag. He found Dmitri near the counter with his own bag. "Excuse me, I think we have the same order number," Yusuf said. Dmitri looked at both bags and started to laugh. "You have my curry, and I have your pizza," he said.
They both showed their bags to Corinne at the counter. She checked her list and found the problem quickly. Two orders both got the number twelve by mistake. "I'm sorry about that," Corinne said. "Let me fix this." She switched the labels and handed each man the right bag.
Dmitri opened his new bag and smelled the curry. "Perfect. This is exactly what I wanted," he said. Yusuf checked his pizza and nodded with relief. Both men thanked Corinne and walked toward the parking lot. "Have a good dinner," Corinne called after them.
