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Sound Recordings

A Waitress at the Hard Rock Cafe

In this interview you will meet a young waitress at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York. The interview takes place during the morning shift, which is not as busy as the shifts later on in the day.
Waitress at Hard Rock Cafe, New York
Image: Morten Serkland / CC BY-SA 4.0

Founded in London in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett, Hard Rock Café is a chain of theme restaurants, so far located in 53 countries. In 1979, the cafes began covering their walls with rock and roll memorabilia. This made them increasingly interesting venues for rock and roll lovers all over the world. The headquarters of HRC is in Orlando, Florida.

Working At Hard Rock Cafe, 5:05

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Audio: Morten Serkland / CC BY-SA 4.0

Comprehension

Listen to the interview and answer the following questions:

  1. Why is HRC (Hard Rock Cafe) so popular?
  2. Where do all the memorabilia come from?
  3. Why does the waitress prefer the morning shift?
  4. In what way is HRC an educational place?
  5. HRC is a popular venue for parties. Mention some of the parties arranged here.
  6. How does she characterize the workers in HRC?
  7. What does she say about her own taste in music?
  8. Who decides which songs to play in the cafe?
  9. How does the restaurant in Orlando differ from other HRC restaurants?
  10. Why should everybody pay a visit to HRC?

Pick Three HRCs

  • London
  • Sydney
  • San Fransisco
  • Ottawa
  • Chicago
  • New York
  • London
  • Edinburgh
  • Dublin
  • Malta

Study the Hard Rock Cafe web sites in three of these cities and answer the questions below.

  1. When was the cafe opened?
  2. What are some of the memorabilia there?
  3. What are some of the upcoming events?
  4. What are the addresses of your chosen cafes?
  5. Are the menus the same in all three cafes?