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to give up that “solid” meal of meat, potatoes, and gravy. Yet the strong
health and fitness movement in the U.S. shows no signs of being a
temporary trend.
Finally, there is that international trend to “fast food’ chains
which sell pizza, hamburgers, Mexican foods, and various ice creams.
While many Americans and many other people resent this trend and
while, as may be expected, restaurants also dislike it, many young,
middle-aged, and old people both rich and poor, continue to buy and eat
fast food. Perhaps it’s all taken a bit too seriously?

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Text 5

EATING OUT

Although the English do not eat out as much as other Europeans
do there is an enormous variety of both British and foreign restaurants to
choose from. Some of them are traditional where a waiter serves
customers and others are self-service restaurants.
At a self-service cafeteria a customer serves himself, and he can
get a meal more quickly and less expensively there than in other types of
restaurants.
You can find a cheap and tasty meal at "Fish & Chips" shops.
"Fast Food' restaurants are also very popular because their atmosphere is
informal, they are usually very clean and the food is fairly cheap. Fast
food isn't just hamburgers: you can choose from baked potatoes, fish
and chips, Greek kebabs and pizzas.
In most cities in Britain you will find French, Italian, Indian and
Chinese restaurants which offer's take-away (carry-out) service. In
London there are also Indonesian, Lebanese, Iranian, German, Spanish,
Mexican and Greek restaurants. They are particularly popular and
crowded, especially during the lunch hour. Though the choice of items
on their menus is extensive, it is traditional. You can eat their special
delicacies and you are served by natives who make you feel that you are
being given "the real thing".
But the most popular place for a drink and a chat has been and
still is the famous English pub with its cozy atmosphere. When you want
to relax after a day's work, you go to the pub. People go there not only to
drink some beer but to meet their friends, and they may often spend the

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