How to speak Spanish in the restaurant and do it politely.
¡Hola! So you already know the basics to interact with the locals when you go on holidays or when you meet someone from Spain or Latin America outside their frontiers (we are everywhere), but you want to be able to have a full conversation with the waiter or waitress.
This is what you need to understand what's been said, answer appropriately and make your own demands. Also you'll recap the polite form in Spanish.
If you don't remember how to form it check this post.
What the client, YOU, can say:
Mesa para dos, por favor. – table for 2 please (change dos for the number of people you are, for example uno if you go alone).
De primer plato voy a tomar … - first I’m going to have…
De segundo plato voy a tomar... – for second plate I’m going to have
y ...para acompañar. – and … on the side. Ex: Y arroz para acompañar - and rice on the side.
De postre voy a tomar… - for dessert I’m going to have…
Para beber voy a tomar… - To drink I’m going to have…
Todo está bien, gracias. –Everything is alright, thanks.
Nada más – Nothing else
¿La cuenta, por favor? - The bill, please.
You may also need to say ¿dónde está el aseo, por favor? - where is the toilet, please?
Now let's go for the waitress part. This includes some expresions in the polite form. At the end I will show you how easy the theory is :)
What the waiter or waitress will say:
Buenos días/buenas tardes/buenas noches. - Good morning/afternoon/evening.
¿Mesa para cuántos? - table for… how many?
¿Qué vas a tomar? /¿Qué va a tomar? - what are you going to have? / formal version
¿Qué vais a tomar? / ¿Qué van a tomar? - what are you guys going to have? / formal version
¿Qué va/vas/vais/van a tomar...? - What are you going to have...?
Va – you formal ------ van -you guys formal
Vas – you informal --- vais – you guys informal
1 ... de primer plato? - first?
2 … de segundo plato? -…for second plate?
3 … de postre? -… for dessert?
4 ... para beber? -…to drink?
¿Y tú?/ ¿Y usted? - and you? / and you formal version
¿Algo más? - anything else?
¿Está todo bien? - is everything alright?
¿Quieres / Quiere / Queréis / Quieren* la cuenta? - do you want the bill?*
Quiere - you formal ------ Quieren - you guys formal
Quieres - you informal ---Queréis - you guys informal
To learn more about the polite form in Spanish and check the rule, click here to see my post on that.
Aquí tiene – here you are
¡Qué aproveche! - enjoy your meal
Gracias - Than you!
¡Listo! / Ready
Stay posted for more situational posts and don't wait to brag about it! :)