One of the reasons that motivate us to learn Spanish is to use it while traveling to new destinations. Since business and leisure travel usually involve eating out, it's worth learning how to order food in Spanish.

There are many opportunities to practice your Spanish at restaurants both inside and outside Spanish-speaking countries. For example, restaurants with staff from Latin America and Spain are popular in both Europe and North America.
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How to Order Food in Spanish at Restaurants

Types of Spanish Resturants

Spanish cuisine runs the range from the well-known fare at tapas bars to regional restaurants, with dishes such as paella from Valencia and Basque specialties such as calamares en su tinta, squid that have been prepared in their own ink. In North America, there are also many Mexican restaurants and the staff is often happy to speak Spanish to you.

The greatest thing about learning how to speak Spanish is the adventure of using it in a Spanish-speaking country. The types of food that you can find in Spanish-speaking countries is also often more authentic. If you want to know how to order food in Spanish, here are the things you will want to remember:
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Opening Times - Horario de Apertura

In Spain Restaurants generally open very late. A common opening time is 9 pm, although some may open as early as 8 pm. However, if you are in a tourist zone in places such as the Canary Islands or a touristy beach zone on the mainland, you may find either that dinner is open non-stop between lunch and dinner or that it opens anytime between 5 pm and 7 pm. In Latin America, opening times vary from country to country.

How to Make Reservations in Spanish - Reservas

Many restaurants have websites and email addresses which make it especially easy to make reservations. You might already be in the area to make a reservation in person. If you have to make a reservation by phone, here is an example of how you could reserve a table in Spanish:

Restaurant: “Diga. Restaurante La Comida Buena”

‍You: “Hola. Me llamo _______.  Quisiera reservar una mesa por _______ a las _______ el ________ el ______ de ______.”

‍That’s a lot of blanks to fill out.

It says, “Hello. My name is ________. I’d like to reserve a table for _______ (say how many people) at ________(tell them what time). Then add the day of the week and the date and the month.

When reserving over the phone, it’s a good idea to include the day of the week and the month and year to help avoid misunderstanding. Remember that many restaurants close one or two days a week to allow their staff to take a break.

See Rype’s blogs on Spanish numbers, days of the week, and how to tell time, in order to choose the correct entries for reserving a table.
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The Fixed Lunch Menu - El Menú del Día

In parts of Spain, it is common to have a fixed lunch menu with wine and coffee included at a set price. This helps save time for the worker who can then return to the office on time. For visitors, it makes ordering lunch easier while making lunch cheaper.To ask for the fixed lunch menu in Spanish, say, ‘quisiera el menú del día, por favor’
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Spanish words used in certain Spanish-speaking countries

One of the funnest parts of learning Spanish is learning to use the local vocabulary. Some words are unique to specific countries. For example, if you wish to order a draft beer in Spain, you can ask for una caña. In any other Spanish-speaking country, this word won’t work for a draft beer. Instead you will want to ask for una cerveza de barril.  

‍Outside of Spain, if somebody hears you ask for una caña, people may think you are trying to ask for caña de lomo, which is a kind of spicy pork sausage. Without any context, most people would probably look at you with a blank expression. Also note that caña de azucar means sugar cane. However, there is also the possibility of using the word caña in Spain as well as in Chile, to order a tall glass of white wine, by saying una caña de vino blanco. Another example of local vocabulary is the word tortilla.

‍North Americans are familiar with this word as a soft or hard shell for tacos and enchiladas. In Spain however, it is an omelet that has been made in advance and is waiting for the customer to order it and enjoy. Una tortilla española is made with potatoes and can also be found on menus in Argentina and Uruguay.
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How to Order Wine in Spanish

Speaking of wine, Spanish-speaking countries that produce excellent wine include Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Uruguay. Wine lovers won’t want to miss out on trying some local wine if visiting one of these countries. Wine is known as vino, and in Spanish when you’re talking about wine the varieties white, rosé and red are commonly known as blanco, rosé and tinto.

‍To order wine, you can often order by the glass (un vaso) by the pitcher (una carafe), or by the bottle (una botella). House wines are generally cheaper and are available by the glass and by the pitcher. The finest wines are usually labeled Reserva and generally cost the most.  An example of ordering wine in Spanish is: ‘Quisiera una carafe de vino tinto, por favor.’  Change the quantity and type of wine accordingly using the appropriate vocabulary.
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Spanish vocabulary to order starters and main dishes

In some countries, such as in Costa Rica, there is the possibility of asking for a plato fuerte, which is the main entrée. It is generally served with a combination of meat or fish, accompanied by two side dishes. In many other Spanish-speaking countries, you will find the main course is known as un segundo. The starter is known as un primero.

‍Common dishes in Spain include a cold tomato, cucumber and bell pepper soup known as gazpacho, rice arroz, fish pescado, meat carne, and desert postre.  Most North Americans are already familiar with the choices on the menu at Mexican restaurants. These include cerveza, nachos, tortillas, enchiladas, burritos, chile relleno, mole, and tacos. Argentina and Uruguay are two top places for those who enjoy high-quality beef steaks. In addition, as with Spain and many other Spanish-speaking countries, you can also find chorizo, which is a spicy pork sausage.
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Placing Your Order - Pediendo un plato

The waiter is Spanish is known as camarero and waitress is camarera. In order to get their attention, you can look your server and raise your hand if they are looking your direction, or if they are nearby but their backs are turned you can say, ‘discúlpame, por favor’. As we mentioned earlier, if you like the idea of ordering the set menu, say ‘quisiera el menú del día por favor’.

‍If you want to venture into placing a special order and try a variety of dishes, scour the menu for items that make your mouth water the most. In tapas bars, you can walk up front to have a look at what is available. You can keep it simple by pointing at the items and saying, ‘uno de estos, por favor’.
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Asking for the Bill - Pediendo la cuenta

When it is time to pay up and leave the restaurant, catch your server’s attention. Let them know whether you are paying cash or by credit card. Voy a pagar en efectivo means ‘I’m going to pay cash’ and Voy a pagar con la tarjeta means ‘I’m going to pay by card’. When you want to request the check, say ‘La cuenta por favor’.  
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How Much Should You Tip? - Dejando una propina

In the United States, it is common to leave a tip of 15 to 20 percent. For Mexico, it is customary to leave 15 percent. People from Spain usually just round the bill up, except for upscale restaurants where 10 percent is common. And in Argentina, it is also common to leave a 10 percent tip.We hope this mini-guide on how to order food in Spanish was helpful. Now you can go on your own to start practicing!