Skip to content
What are some common phrases for ordering food in a Spanish restaurant visualisation

What are some common phrases for ordering food in a Spanish restaurant

Learn Essential Spanish Vocabulary for Beginners – A1 Level: What are some common phrases for ordering food in a Spanish restaurant
Learn with Comprenders App About Comprenders

When dining at a Spanish-speaking restaurant, it’s helpful to know some common phrases for ordering food. Here are key expressions and tips for different contexts:

General Phrases for Ordering Food

  • Polite Requests:

    • Me gustaría… — I’d like…
    • Quisiera… — I’d like…
    • ¿Puede traerme… por favor? — Could you bring me… please?
    • Para mí… — For me…

  • Casual Requests:

    • Voy a querer… — I’m going to want…
    • Te encargo… — I’ll take…
    • Me pones… — Can you put me (give me)…?

  • Direct Requests (still polite with tone):

    • Quiero… por favor. — I want… please.
    • Dame… por favor. — Give me… please.

Interacting with the Waiter

  • Greeting:

    • Hola, buenas tardes/noches. — Hello, good afternoon/evening.

  • Asking for the menu:

    • ¿Nos puede traer el menú, por favor? — Could you bring us the menu, please?

  • Asking for recommendations:

    • ¿Qué nos recomienda? — What do you recommend?

  • Inquiring about dishes:

    • ¿Qué trae este platillo? — What does this dish include?
    • ¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa? — What is the house specialty?

  • Indicating readiness to order:

    • Estamos listos para ordenar. — We are ready to order.
    • Un momento, por favor. — One moment, please.

Placing an Order

  • Example orders:

    • Para mí una ensalada y para él un filete, por favor. — I’ll have a salad, and he’ll have a steak, please.
    • Voy a querer una sopa y un sandwich. — I’ll take a soup and a sandwich.

  • Specifying preferences:

    • Sin azúcar/sal/carne. — Without sugar/salt/meat.
    • Bien cocido/medio/poco cocido. — Well-done/medium/rare.

After Ordering

  • Confirming the order is complete:
    • Eso es todo, gracias. — That’s all, thank you.
  • Asking for the bill:
    • ¿Nos puede traer la cuenta, por favor? — Could you bring us the bill, please?

Regional Variations

  • In Spain: Using phrases like me pones…, or simply stating the item followed by “por favor,” is common and natural (e.g., Una cerveza, por favor.). More formal expressions like quisiera may sound overly formal in casual settings 1, 12.
  • In Mexico: Casual but polite phrases such as voy a querer…, or te encargo…, are widely used. While phrases like me gustaría or quisiera are grammatically correct and polite, they are less commonly used in casual dining 2, 9.

By using these phrases with a friendly tone and adding “por favor” and “gracias,” you’ll ensure polite and effective communication during your dining experience!

References

Open the App About Comprenders