Ordering Fast Food in Spanish: phrases and conversations

¡Hola! In this lesson, you will learn some useful phrases and questions to order fast food in Spanish. We will cover the names of some types of fast food, as well as several questions that waiters make in restaurants and possible ways to answer them. More importantly, you will be able to practice with two listening activities containing the most important vocabulary in this topic and quizzes. Let’s start…

How to order fast food in Spanish: key phrases and questions

In Latin America, it is very common for each country to have its own dishes as part of its fast food menu. However, there are several dishes that are very popular in The Americas and other continents like Europe the same way. The following image illustrates some of these dishes, which change a little in name and recipe from country to country.

The vocabulary for Popular Fast Food Dishes in Spanish

First, to order fast food in Spanish, you need certain basic phrases such as “Por favor” (please), “Gracias” and some common greetings and farewells. Below, there are some other specific expressions and questions that waiters ask so that they can take your order at a fast food restaurant in Spanish. Take some time to analyze each of the examples and its translation. These examples will be the basis for both listening activities in this lesson, so try your best to remember as many as possible.

A waiter’s common questions in Spanish

¡Buenos días! ¿En qué puedo servirle?
Good Morning. What can I do for you?
¿Qué desea ordenar?/¿Qué le gustaría ordenar?
What would you like to order?
¿Qué le gustaría tomar?/ ¿Qué va a tomar?
What would you like to drink?
¿Quiere su orden para comer acá o para llevar?/¿Servida o para llevar?
Would you like to eat here or to go?
El combo número tres incluye una hamburguesa, papas y un vaso de soda.
Set number three includes a hamburger, french fries and a glass of soda.
Muchas gracias por su orden. Espere 5 minutos por favor.
Thank you very much for your order. Wait 5 minutes please.

A customer’s common questions in Spanish

As a costumer (el cliente), you need to tell the waiter what you want to order. Notice how important expressions in the conditional tense such as “Me gustaría…” and “Quisiera…” are. Here are some other common phrases and questions you should learn to order fast food in Spanish:

¡Buenos días! Por favor deme el combo número 2. Gracias.
Good morning! I’ll order set number 2. Thank you.
Me gustaría ordenar el combo número 1. ¿Viene con soda o té?
I would to order set number 1. Does it come with soda or te?
Deme un segundo… Bien, voy a llevar una hamburguesa mediana con papas.
Give me a second … Well, I’m going to order a medium hamburger with french fries.
¿Qué incluye el combo familiar? / ¿Qué trae el combo familiar?
What does the family set include?
¿Cuánto es en total? / ¿Cuánto es por todo?
How much is it in total?

Listening Activity No. 1: Ordering Fast Food in Spanish – Comida Rápida

Listen to the first conversation between a waiter and a customer in Spanish and find out what the customer wants to order. We will be including some of the questions and phrases introduced before, plus a few new ones. Write down as many details as you can so you can later solve the quiz about it and compare your notes with the transcript.

New phrases and questions in the conversation:

  • ¿Qué más desea ordenar?” means “What else would you like to order?”
  • ¿Algo más señor?”  means “Something else Sir?”
Conversation script: Ordering fast food in Spanish
Vendedor: Buenos días. ¿Qué desea ordenar?
Cliente: Buenos días. ¿Me puede dar un sándwich de atún por favor?
Vendedor: Claro, no hay problema. ¿Qué más desea ordenar?
Cliente: Sí, también quiero el combo número tres.
Vendedor: ¿Qué le gustaría tomar?
Cliente: ¿Qué bebidas tienen?
Vendedor: Tenemos café, refrescos naturales, té de limón y soda.
Cliente: Tomaré un vaso mediano de té de limón.
Vendedor: ¿Algo más señor?
Cliente: Solamente eso, gracias.

Listening Activity No. 2: Ordering in Spanish at a restaurant

Listen to another conversation with someone ordering in Spanish at a restaurant, including the vocabulary for ordering fast food in Spanish, plus some other basic words and phrases. Take a look at the picture with the restaurant’s menu before listening to the conversation. Make sure to solve the quiz about it.

New vocabulary in the conversation:

  • Una porción extra de papas fritas” means “An extra of french fries”
  • ¿Desea agregarle algo más?” means “Would you like to add something else?”
  • Está bien, aquí tiene” means “That’s ok. Here you go!”
Ordering Fast food in Spanish
Conversation script: Ordering in Spanish at a restaurant
Vendedor: ¡Bienvenido! ¿Qué le gustaría ordenar?
Cliente: Gracias. ¿Me puede mostrar el menú por favor?
Vendedor: Si claro, aquí tiene el menú. Hoy tenemos una oferta especial. El combo número uno y el combo número dos vienen con una porción extra de papas fritas.
Cliente: ¡Excelente! El combo uno trae una hamburguesa pequeña con una orden de papas y el combo dos trae dos piezas de pollo con ensalada.
Vendedor: También tenemos un combo familiar. El combo familiar incluye 6 piezas de pollo, 4 papas fritas, 4 panes y 4 ensaladas.
Cliente: Está bien. Voy a ordenar el combo número dos entonces.
Vendedor: Ok, dos piezas de pollo con ensalada, más una porción extra de papas fritas. ¿Desea agregarle algo más?
Cliente: Si, quiero agregarle otra porción de papas fritas por favor.
Vendedor: ¿Qué le gustaría tomar? – Tenemos café, té verde, jugo de naranja y soda.
Cliente: Voy a tomar un vaso de jugo de naranja.
Vendedor: ¿Desea ordenar algo más?
Cliente: No, eso es todo. ¿Cuánto es en total?
Vendedor: Son 5 dólares con 50 centavos.
Cliente: Está bien, aquí tiene.

This is the end of this lesson. Hopefully, you will remember the most important phrases that we introduced through the examples and listening activities. Practice recording yourself and compare your pronunciation with the audios in this lesson. Now, go find a restaurant where you can order fast food in Spanish. ¡Hasta pronto!

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