Themed Restaurant True To Its Name
Does a triple bypass hamburger sound like a juicy menu item?
Interesting Facts in Easy English
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- triple bypass: a surgical procedure to prevent blockage to the heart
- flatline: to register no brain waves or heartbeat on a monitor
- mascot: a person or character that brings attention to a brand, team, or establishment
- die-hard:Β extremely devoted
- entice:Β attract and convince
- payroll: the list of people who get paid by a business
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Themed Restaurant True To Its Name
Comprehension Questions
- Where is this restaurant located?
- What is unique about the servers?
- Who was patient John?
Discussion Questions: Many visitors to Las Vegas disapprove of this restaurant. They say that obesity is no laughing matter. Do you agree or disagree?
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Themed Restaurant True To Its Name
The Heart Attack Grill, a hospital-themed restaurant in Las Vegas, offers free food to anyone who weighs over 350 pounds. The menu items are referred to as “prescriptions”, and include unhealthy choices such as triple bypass burgers, flatliner fries, buttermilk shakes and filterless cigarettes. Food is served to “patients” by waitresses dressed as nurses. Patients who can eat the biggest burgers are wheeled out of the restaurant in a wheelchair. In 2013, the unofficial mascot of the Heart Attack Grill, a man who ate there daily for many years, actually died of a heart attack. The die-hard patron, who referred to himself as “patient John”, wore a hospital gown and often stood at the entrance to entice people to enter. Patient John was featured on the menu and on souvenir T-shirts, but was never on the payroll.
- This restaurant is located in Las Vegas.
- The servers act and dress up like nurses.
- Patient John was the unofficial mascot of the Heart Attack Grill. He ate at the restaurant daily for many years until he died of a heart attack.
