For Here or to Go? How to Order Food in Spanish
Knowing how to order food in Spanish is not only a fantastic way for you to advance your conversational skills, but it also improves your fluency and allows you to prove your confidence in the language.
Plus, learning vocabulary related to food takes you a long way when visiting a restaurant in a Spanish-speaking country.
Keep reading for a fun lesson on vocabulary and common phrases that’ll show you how to order food in Spanish like a native speaker.
How to Order Food in Spanish: Essential Vocabulary
Spanish is a diverse language, and most restaurants have loads of possibilities and options for you to choose from. Being prepared allows you to enjoy your meal to the fullest and guarantees your experience will be worth your while. This list of essential vocabulary will come in handy for your restaurant experience in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| restaurant | el restaurante |
| lounge | el salón |
| reservation | la reservación |
| host / hostess | la anfitriona / el anfitrión |
| server / waiter | el mesero / la mesera |
| person dining | el comensal |
| cook / chef | el cocinero / el chef |
| bartender | el bartender |
How to Order Food in Spanish: Making a Reservation
Not all restaurants require you to make a reservation, but if you want to enjoy a nice sit-down dinner at a formal establishment, making a reservation is advised. You’ll be able to reduce any long waiting time and if you’re arriving with a group, the restaurant is able to prepare to cater to your needs in the best possible way.
Suppose you want to make a reservation for a party of six at a fancy restaurant in Antigua Guatemala. Your conversation in action would be similar to this:
Anfitrión: Buenas tardes, ¿En que le puedo servir?
Tú: Buenas tardes, quiero hacer una reservación para ir a cenar el sábado en la noche.
Anfitrión: Con mucho gusto. ¿Para cuántas personas?
Tú: Sería para seis personas por favor.
Anfitrión: Claro que sí, ¿A qué hora sería su reservación?
Tú: A las 8 p.m. por favor.
Anfitrión: ¿A nombre de quién sería su reservación?
Tú: A nombre de Jane Smith.
Anfitrión: Perfecto, le confirmo su reservación para 6 personas el día sábado a las 8PM, a nombre de Jane Smith.
Tú: Muchas gracias, nos vemos el sábado.
Anfitrión: Los esperamos, feliz día.
Host: Good afternoon, how can I help you?
You: Good afternoon, I’d like to make a reservation for dinner on Saturday night.
Host: Absolutely, for how many people?
You: For six people please.
Host: Of course, at what time would you like your reservation?
You: At 8 p.m. please.
Host: Under what name would you like your reservation?
You: Under Jane Smith.
Host: Perfect, I’m confirming your reservation for 6 people on saturday at 8 p.m., under Jane Smith.
You: Thank you, I’ll see you Saturday.
Host: We’ll be expecting you, have a great day.
How to Order Food in Spanish: Selecting a Table
Let’s look at table-related vocabulary and a few phrases you can use:
Buenas tardes, tengo una reservación para Jane Smith.
Good evening, I have a reservation for Jane Smith.
Quisiera una mesa para 5 personas por favor.
I’d like a table for 5 people please.
Una mesa en la terraza de afuera sería agradable.
A table on the terrace outside would be nice.
Prefiero una mesa en el área para no fumadores.
I prefer a table in the non-smoking area.
Esa mesa no me gusta, está cerca del baño.
I don’t like that table, it’s too close to the bathroom.
¿Nos podría traer una silla para niños por favor?
Can we get a child seat please?
Necesitamos otra silla por favor.
We need another chair please.
Se puede llevar la silla, solamente somos nosotros.
You can take the extra chair, it’ll only be us.
| English | Spanish |
| table | la mesa |
| chair | la silla |
| children’s chair / child seat | la silla para niños |
| menu | el menú / la carta |
| plate / plates | el plato / los platos |
| glass / glasses | el vaso / los vasos |
| cutlery | los cubiertos |
| fork | el tenedor |
| spoon | la cuchara |
| teaspoon | la cucharita |
| salad fork | el tenedor de ensalada |
| tablecloth | el mantel |
| salt and pepper | la sal y la pimienta |
| menu | el menú / la carta |
Ordering Drinks in Spanish
It’s not only about knowing how to order food in Spanish. Beverages are also an important part of a meal. The server will ask you one of the following questions:
¿Que van a tomar?
What would you like to drink?
¿Qué les traigo de tomar?
What can I bring you to drink?
¿Desean algo de tomar?
Would you like something to drink?
¿Quisieran ordenar bebidas?
Would you like to order drinks?
Let’s take a look at phrases and vocabulary you can use to order your beverages and respond to the waiter’s questions:
¿Qué bebidas tiene?
What drinks do you have?
¿Que tienen de tomar?
What do you have to drink?
Quisiera una copa de jugo de naranja.
I would like a glass of orange juice please.
Me trae un café con leche, por favor.
Please bring me a coffee with milk.
Para mi un vaso de agua, por favor.
A glass of water for me, please.
| English | Spanish |
| sparkling water | el agua mineral / el agua con gas |
| water | el agua pura |
| bottle of water | la botella de agua |
| glass of water | el vaso de agua |
| beer | la cerveza |
| lemonade | la limonada |
| orange juice | el jugo de naranja |
| smoothie / milkshake | el licuado / el batido |
| cup of coffee | la taza de café |
| cup of tea | la taza de té |
| glass of milk | el vaso de leche |
| hot chocolate | el chocolate caliente |
| iced tea | el té frío / el té helado |
| soda | la gaseosa |
| soft drink | el refresco |
How to Order Food in Spanish
Once you’re done looking at the menu and have made up your mind, it’s time to choose your food and place your order.
Let’s take a look at useful vocabulary that’ll make you sound like a native-speaker when it comes down to how to order food in Spanish
Ordering at a Restaurant
The server will most likely give you suggestions or specials of the day. The server is likely to approach you with the following phrases:
Aquí tiene la carta.
Here’s the menu.
¿Podría hacerles una sugerencia?
May I make a suggestion?
¿Le puedo tomar su orden?
May I take your order?
¿Que desean comer?
What would you like to eat?
¿Desean ordenar?
Would you like to order?
Le recomiendo probar el especial.
I recommend you try the special.
¿Qué término desea la carne?
How would you like your meat?
¿Qué acompañamientos desea?
What sides would you like?
Pueden elegir dos acompañamientos.
You can choose two sides.
¿Les traigo una ensalada?
Should I bring you a salad?
¿Quisieran ordenar postre?
Would you like to order dessert?
Responses
Use the following phrases to respond and if you have questions for completing your order in Spanish:
¿Me podría traer el menú por favor?
Can you bring me the menu please?
¿Cuál es la especialidad del día?
What’s the specialty of the day?
¿Nos da unos minutos más por favor?
Can we have a few more minutes please?
¿Qué nos recomienda?
What do you recommend?
¿Que trae este plato?
What’s in this dish?
¿Cuáles acompañamientos vienen con el pollo horneado?
What sides come with the baked chicken?
Para empezar quisiera una crema de tomate.
For starters I would like a tomato cream.
I would like to order a salad with dressing.
Quisiera ordenar una ensalada con aderezo.
¿Me podría traer este plato para compartir?
Could you bring me this plate for sharing?
Aún no he decidido.
I haven’t decided yet.
Soy vegetariano / vegano.
I’m vegetarian / vegan.
Soy alérgica al gluten.
I’m allergic to gluten.
Quiero ordenar las chuletas de cerdo con puré de papa y vegetales.
I want to order the pork chops with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Sin picante por favor.
Without hot sauce please.
De postre quiero una banana split por favor.
For dessert I want a banana split please.
Ordering at a Fast Food Restaurant
Now if you’re at a fast-food restaurant, knowing how to order food in Spanish is totally different. A cashier will take care of your order and ask you the following:
¿Su pedido es para comer aquí o para llevar?
Is your order for here or to go?
¿Quisiera papas fritas con su orden?
Would you like fries with your order?
¿Desea que le agrandemos su bebida?
Do you want us to enlarge your drink?
El combo número 2 incluye un acompañamiento y una gaseosa.
Combo number 2 includes one side and one soda.
¿Quisiera agregar algo más?
Would you like to add anything else?
Su total es de $8.00, ¿Cuál sería su forma de pago?
Your total is $8.00, how would you like to pay for that?
Familiar Foods and Dishes
| English | Spanish |
| appetizer / starter | el aperitivo / la entrada |
| entrée / main course | el plato principal |
| salad | la ensalada |
| dressing / vinaigrette | el aderezo / la vinagreta |
| dessert | el postre |
| side dishes | los acompañamientos / las guarniciones |
| beef / veal | la carne / la ternera |
| well done / medium well / medium | bien cocida / a punto / termino medio |
| medium rare / rare / blue rare | tres cuartos / jugosa / casi cruda |
| soup | la sopa |
| mashed potatoes | el puré de papa / el puré de patatas |
| sauté potatoes | las papas salteadas / las patatas salteadas |
| rice | el arroz |
| french fries | las papas fritas |
| fried chicken | el pollo frito |
| fish / fish filet | el pescado / el filete de pescado |
| chicken | el pollo |
| turkey | el pavo |
| pork chop | la chuleta de cerdo |
| lamb | el cordero |
| hamburger / cheeseburger | la hamburguesa / la quesoburguesa |
| shrimp | los camarones |
| seafood | los mariscos |
| raw | crudo |
| grilled | a la plancha |
| roasted | asado |
| fried | frito |
| filet | filete |
| baked | horneado / al horno |
| ice cream | el helado |
| cake / pie | el pastel / la tarta |
Finishing and Paying for Your Meal
You’ve enjoyed a delicious and wonderful meal. Now it’s time to wrap things up. In Spanish-speaking countries you’ll be asked if you would like anything else such as coffee, dessert, or something to go. For example:
¿Quisieran ordenar algo más?
Would you like to order anything else?
¿Les puedo ofrecer algo más?
Can I offer you anything else?
¿Se lo empaco para llevar?
Would you like me to pack this to go?
¿Cómo estuvo su comida?
How was your food?
Remember that in Spanish-speaking countries, you need to ask for the check. They won’t bring it to you until you do. Restaurants typically allow you to enjoy a moment of sobremesa, known as the art of relaxing and enjoying a conversation on the table after finishing a meal.
If you need to signal the server and want to start wrapping things up you can address him or her with the following phrases:
Disculpe, ¿Me podría traer la cuenta por favor?
Excuse me, could you please bring me the check?
Sobró mucho ¿Me podría poner esto para llevar por favor?
There’s a lot left over, can I have this to go?
¡Disculpe, (tráigame) la cuenta por favor!
Excuse me, (bring me) the check please!
How to Order Food in Spanish: Final Tips
Making mistakes is perfectly natural! Put yourself out there, as practice is the best way to learn how to order food in Spanish.
- It’s common courtesy to use por favor (please), disculpe (excuse me), and gracias (thank you)
- Use the term usted (formal you) when you’re addressing the server
- Turn commands into polite questions. For example, if you want to say Traeme un plato de spaguetti (Bring me a plate of spaghetti) you can replace it for ¿Me traes un plato de espagueti por favor? (Can you bring me a plate of spaghetti, please?).
- Use the expression buen provecho (enjoy your meal) when you start and finish the meal.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. People from Spanish-speaking countries are warm and welcoming, which usually leads to exceptional service.
We’ve got something for you! Get comfortable ordering from a menu in Spanish with this food and drink menu. You can practice the vocabulary you learned today at home!
Download FREE Spanish Food and Drink Menu
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¡Buen Provecho!
Congratulations—you now know how to order food in Spanish! Get out there and enjoy a meal with your friends so you can put your skills to practice.
If you want to take things to the next level, join us at Homeschool Spanish Academy for a free trial class with our native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. They’ll teach you more vocabulary and help you improve your fluency. Knowing how to order food in Spanish won’t be a problem anymore.
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