# Ordering at a restaurant



## Marias-espanol

Hola,
Puede ayudarme por favor?  Would you use gustaría or quisiera when ordering in a Mexican Restaurant?  I think one is more polite.  How would I say, "I would like a diet coke please?"  or "I would like my usual please."
Gracias,
María


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## Irethtook

Usually when you ask for something you say:

"Me gustaría pedir..."
"Por favor traigame..."
"Yo voy a querer..."

All of them are acceptable, "por favor traigame" is more formal.

"I would like a diet coke please?"
"Por favor traigame un refresco dietético"

"I would like my usual please."
"Lo de siempre(or Por favor traigame lo de siempre)"


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## Dission

I would like a diet coke please = Una coca-cola light por favor
I would like my usual please = tomaré lo de siempre

(IN SPAIN)


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## Marias-espanol

Irethtook said:


> Usually when you ask for something you say:
> 
> "Me gustaría pedir..."
> "Por favor traigame..."
> "Yo voy a querer..."
> 
> All of them are acceptable, "por favor traigame" is more formal.
> 
> "I would like a diet coke please?"
> "Por favor traigame un refresco dietético"
> 
> "I would like my usual please."
> "Lo de siempre(or Por favor traigame lo de siempre)"


Gracias, Irethtook y Dission,
Does it make a difference if I know them?  I don't want to disrespect mis amigos.
What about "¿Qué quieres tomar?"    I would have never thought about traigme-"bring me" right?
María


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## Irethtook

"¿Qué quieres tomar?" Is when the waiter asks you what are you going to drink. Or when you invite a friend and ask him/her "¿qué quieres tomar?".

With these phrases you answer to the waiter, maybe you refer to something else?

And yes "tráigame"(sorry for the mistake) is "bring me".


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## i_speak_spanish

I think that would is the polite term here.. and quisiera o me gustaría are also the polite terms in spanish.

*Usually when you ask for something you say:*

*"Me gustaría pedir..."*
*"Por favor traigame..."*
*"Yo voy a querer..."*

I think that you can also use "QUISIERA UNA ..." but maybe someone wont agree.

*I would like a diet coke please = Una coca-cola light por favor*
*I would like my usual please = tomaré lo de siempre*


I should say:
I would like a diet coke please = Quisiera/me gustaría Una coca-cola light por favor
I would like my usual please = Quisiera/me gustaría lo de siempre

*about "¿Qué quieres tomar?"* 
I think that *"¿Qué quieres tomar?"* in english is What would you like to drink?

I hope you understand me.


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## Marias-espanol

Irethtook said:


> "¿Qué quieres tomar?" Is when the waiter asks you what are you going to drink. Or when you invite a friend and ask him/her "¿qué quieres tomar?".
> 
> With these phrases you answer to the waiter, maybe you refer to something else?
> 
> And yes "tráigame"(sorry for the mistake) is "bring me".


No No No  You are correct.  That is how Carlos ask me what I want to drink.  I was asking if it was informal/formal? How would I respond/answer him?  I am on a first name basis with about all of them. I don't want to be disrespectful. Sorry I didn't make myself more clear.
María


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## i_speak_spanish

Marias-espanol said:


> No No No You are correct. That is how Carlos ask me what I want to drink. I was asking if it was informal/formal? How would I respond/answer him? I am on a first name basis with about all of them. I don't want to be disrespectful. Sorry I didn't make myself more clear.
> María


 
If he asked you "qué quieres tomar?" I think that  there are not polite terms.. but I don't mean that your friend is not polite, but just friendly and even maybe smiling, or that he knows you for enough time to know that you won't take that question as he is angry with you.  it is not a formal question

You just respond him smiling and saying thanks, I mean, you can do it informally.

(Am I writting right?)


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## Marias-espanol

i_speak_spanish said:


> If he asked you "qué quieres tomar?" I think that there are not polite terms.. but I don't mean that your friend is not polite, but just friendly and even maybe smiling, or that he knows you for enough time to know that you won't take that question as he is angry with you.
> 
> You just respond him smiling and saying thanks, I mean, you can do it informally.
> 
> (Am I writting right?)


Hola, i_speak_spanish,
I don't think he is being disrespectful.  Maybe he says "quiere".  Any way I don't mind, we are friends.  He is always smiling. He does know me well enough to be informal with me, I think.   Yes I can understand you perfectly. 
Gracias,
María


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## sofu

Hi!
Just a comment for I_speak_spanish.
Above you said:
"I think that *"¿Qué quieres tomar?"* in english is What do you like to drink". 
I'm afraid you're wrong, you should say : "What would you like to drink"
When you ask : what do you like to drink? you're asking about sbd's likes or dislikes in general.


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## i_speak_spanish

btw... you should know that there is a difference about *like* and *would like to* (querer y quisiera)

You don't translate: I like apples = Yo quiero manzanas.

I will translate that as: Me gustan las manzanas totally different to Yo quisiera manzanas = I would like apples.

There are other threads about this issue here in wordreference.

Cheers


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## i_speak_spanish

sofu said:


> Hi!
> Just a comment for I_speak_spanish.
> Above you said:
> "I think that *"¿Qué quieres tomar?"* in english is What do you like to drink".
> I'm afraid you're wrong, you should say : "What would you like to drink"
> When you ask : what do you like to drink? you're asking about sbd's likes or dislikes in general.


 
Yes, thinking again, I agree with you.

What would you like to drink? = *"¿Qué quieres tomar?"* 

Cheers and beers


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## Olmos18

What I heard more than anything in the years I lived in Spain was simply "me trae un/una x por favor?


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## i_speak_spanish

Olmos18 said:


> What I heard more than anything in the years I lived in Spain was simply "me trae un/una x por favor?


 
Definitely there are a lot of short and simple answers.. just note that you are using a literal or not literal translation


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## aparejador

Dission said:


> I would like a diet coke please = Una coca-cola light por favor
> I would like my usual please = tomaré lo de siempre
> 
> (IN SPAIN)



I second the above phrases, word for word, and here's another reason why...
You avoid the whole issue of Tu/Usted, you save time, you get good at pronouncing it.


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## i_speak_spanish

aparejador said:


> I second the above phrases, word for word, and here's another reason why...
> You avoid the whole issue of Tu/Usted, you save time, you get good at pronouncing it.


 
Then I would say that the original idea   should be:

*A diet coke please = Una coca-cola light por favor
My usual please = tomaré lo de siempre*


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## Marias-espanol

Hola,
That woud be much easier to say.  Is it polite to say it that way?
That is how I say it in English.  We don't usually use the respect that is used in Spanish here in the U.S.  I try to but I think that the Spanish language is just more respectful.  Why is "bring me"(traigame) more polite than "I would like"(me gustaria, quisiera)
Gracias,
María


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## i_speak_spanish

I don't see that "bring me"(traigame) is more polite that "I would like"(me gustaria, quisiera). Even more, I would like seems to be more polite that bring me.


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## i_speak_spanish

In not from Spain, but I think it is the same that inhere.

I think that *A diet coke please *is already "polite" because you say *please*. The difference here is with *A diet coke,* which can be taken as a rude manner.


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## ruru2006

Irethtook said:


> "¿Qué quieres tomar?" Is when the waiter asks you what are you going to drink. Or when you invite a friend and ask him/her "¿qué *quiere*s tomar?".
> 
> With these phrases you answer to the waiter, maybe you refer to something else?
> 
> And yes "tráigame"(sorry for the mistake) is "bring me".


 
Qué quiere/Qué desea tomar.

I don't think the waiter would be so familiar as to '*tutear*' the patron.


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## i_speak_spanish

ruru2006 said:


> Qué quiere/Qué desea tomar.
> 
> I don't think the waiter would be so familiar as to '*tutear*' the patron.


 
I agree. I was thinking on her friend not the waiter.


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## Marias-espanol

Hola,
Well the owners of the restuarant address me as tu.  Why wouldn't the waiters?  
María


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## aparejador

Marias-espanol said:


> Hola,
> Well the owners of the restuarant address me as tu.  Why wouldn't the waiters?
> María



Beacuase they are following an archaic social norm that puts 'Usted' as a way of keeping a certain 'professionality' into the speech of those working in a 'service industry' position.  The owner wants to speak to you on your own terms, to be more 'familiar' with you, in order to give you a more warm welcome.  I never did quite grasp the necessity for polite to be more 'distant' and the possibilty of offending someone by being too familiar with speech.  God is addressed in Spanish using "Tú" for "Thou" not "Usted."  So just how "Tú" could be a lack of respect seems an oxymoron.


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## i_speak_spanish

Well, either if you know the owners or not. If the waiter doesn't address me as tú or the waiter doesn't know me enough, I think that the waiter should say: *Qué quiere tomar?* o *Qué desea tomar?*

I am guessing that you know well the owners and the waiter. In that case, they can say *Qué quieres tomar?*


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## i_speak_spanish

aparejador said:


> Beacuase they are following an archaic social norm that puts 'Usted' as a way of keeping a certain 'professionality' into the speech of those working in a 'service industry' position. The owner wants to speak to you on your own terms, to be more 'familiar' with you, in order to give you a more warm welcome. I never did quite grasp the necessity for polite to be more 'distant' and the possibilty of offending someone by being too familiar with speech. God is addressed in Spanish using "Tú" for "Thou" not "Usted." So just how "Tú" could be a lack of respect seems an oxymoron.


 
I must say that is not archaicly or professionally, but formal and polite.

I really don't believe that the owner say tú, because he wants to be warmer. I think that he does because he knows you for enough time.

It is like Hello and Hi, you choose.


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## aparejador

I suppose it's relative.  U.S. English stopped differentiating between Thou and You centuries ago.  Some places have nearly dropped Usted and Vosotros, and are close to openly accepting Tu and Ustedes in their place.  Tu for both Tu and Usted, and Ustedes for both Ustedes and Vosotros.
Languages evolve.  
e.g. Vos has nearly gone out of existence in all but a few Spanish-speaking countries.


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## Marias-espanol

Yes I agree with i_speak_spanish, we have been good friends for 4 years.  I have known the waiters for as long as they have been working there.  The main owner has even went as far as tearing up my ticket.  So I guess it doesn't matter if I use gustaría of quisiera.
María


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## i_speak_spanish

Marias-espanol said:


> Yes I agree with i_speak_spanish, we have been good friends for 4 years. I have known the waiters for as long as they have been working there. The main owner has even went as far as tearing up my ticket. So I guess it doesn't matter if I use gustaría of quisiera.
> María


 
Cool!

One question, what did you mean with *tearing up* my ticket. He cried when you left?


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## Marias-espanol

No he didn't cry.  That means that he tore it in little pieces and threw it in the trash.  He wouldn't let me pay for the meal.


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## i_speak_spanish

Oks, now I am thanking you.


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## Marias-espanol

You are thanking me, for what?  Telling you what tearing up my ticket means?  De nada, no hay problema.  I should be thanking you for helping me with this confuesing topic.  ¡Muchas gracias!


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## ruru2006

aparejador said:


> Beacuase they are following an archaic social norm that puts 'Usted' as a way of keeping a certain 'professionality' into the speech of those working in a 'service industry' position. The owner wants to speak to you on your own terms, to be more 'familiar' with you, in order to give you a more warm welcome. I never did quite grasp the necessity for polite to be more 'distant' and the possibilty of offending someone by being too familiar with speech. God is addressed in Spanish using "Tú" for "Thou" not "Usted." So just how "Tú" could be a lack of respect seems an oxymoron.


 
I think we're getting into another whole different subject here.

What's so wrong and arcaic about the usage of proper language and respectful/polite manners?

What's wrong with addressing the waiter/waitress in a polite and respectful manner?


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## Marias-espanol

ruru2006 said:


> What's so wrong and arcaic about the usage of proper language and respectful/polite manners?
> 
> What's wrong with addressing the waiter/waitress in a polite and respectful manner?


Nada.  That is why I started this thread.  I wanted to know the correct way to order at my favorite restaurant.  I got confused because I got several different answers.  How do I really know?
María


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## ruru2006

*ireth *and *dission* offered good suggestions.
It is only the very informal: *quieres, vas, traéme* the ones to keep away from - those we use in a very informal (friends & family) terms.


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## Marias-espanol

Ok, muchas gracias I will go back and reread them.


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## elbeto

Hi.
If I'm the first to ask: "yo quiero una coca light, por favor."
If I'm the second: "para mi una coca-cola, por favor."


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## Marias-espanol

i_speak_spanish said:


> I don't see that "bring me"(traigame) is more polite that "I would like"(me gustaria, quisiera). Even more, I would like seems to be more polite that bring me.


Hola,
I was at the restaurant the other day and I ask the waiter (a good friend of mine) and he told me that "Me qustaria" or "Quisiera" are both polite.  He said that I could use either one to order.
Gracias,
María


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