Fast Food Cheat Sheet

[jArrona]

Hi~ I was recently hired at Carl's Jr. / Hardee's. As you may notice, most of the workers at fast food are Hispanic and speak Spanish. I was wondering if anyone could give me some basic translations for communicating with customers and co-workers.

My apologies if this is in the wrong section! Here's a run-down of what I'd like to know~

1. How can I help you?

2. Would you like something else? / Anything else for you? / Will that complete your order today?

3. Enjoy your meal~!

4. You're welcome!

5. Have a good day! / Have a good night!

6. For here or to go?

7. Would you like to make that a meal?

Food
1. Onion

2. Tomato

3. Pickle

4. Lettuce

5. Sauce

6. Cheese

7. Small, Medium, or Large size

8. Extra "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

9. Light "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

10. With "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

11. Ice

12. Whipped Cream / Topping

Other
1. We need change. (For when the register runs out of change or a certain kind of bill)

2. Can I borrow your card?


If I think of more, I'll ask! Thanks to whoever helps me ^.^ <3

[pjt33]

I think that all of the fast food workers around here speak Spanish, but that's probably because I'm in Spain. If you tell us where you are and which dialect of Spanish your colleagues speak you'll get much more useful translations than if you require us to read your mind.

[jArrona]

Wow, no need to be rude. I wasn't aware that there were different ways to speak it... I'm from the U.S., California to be specific, so I'm sure it's.. a Mexican dialect? Sorry, not sure how to answer that one, seeing as I don't speak Spanish.. @_@

[Caballero]

I guess it's because different dialects can have completely different terminology for food items. Food probably has the most dialectal diversity of all. In fact for some foods, sometimes people from one country won't understand the terminology of another country at all.

You're welcome - De nada
Lettuce - lechuga
Cheese - queso

[Rusty]

I don't think anyone is trying to be rude, jArrona. Even if translations were provided to you, it's highly unlikely you'll be able to use them without the help of someone who speaks Spanish. Do you have friends that speak Spanish who will be willing to teach you how these sentences/words are said?

[alx]

Hi,

This is not a direct translation but what I would expect to hear when at a restaurant,

1. How can I help you? -- ¿En que puedo ayudarle? ("¿Puedo tomarle la orden?" is used more frequently )

2. Would you like something else? / Anything else for you? / Will that complete your order today? -- ¿Desea algo más?

3. Enjoy your meal~! --In mexico we say "Provecho"

5. Have a good day! / Have a good night! -- Que tenga un buen día / Que tenga buenas noches.

6. For here or to go? -- ¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?

Food
1. Onion -- cebolla

2. Tomato -- jitomate

3. Pickle -- pepinillo

5. Sauce --salsa

7. Small, Medium, or Large size -- tamaño chico, mediano o grande

11. Ice -- hielo

[jArrona]

Originally Posted by Rusty

I don't think anyone is trying to be rude, jArrona. Even if translations were provided to you, it's highly unlikely you'll be able to use them without the help of someone who speaks Spanish. Do you have friends that speak Spanish who will be willing to teach you how these sentences/words are said?

I understand that, and I appreciate the pointer~ But in my English dialect, the part about "require us to read your mind" is a sarcastic remark and is indeed very rude. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding!

Originally Posted by alx

Hi,

This is not a direct translation but what I would expect to hear when at a restaurant

Thank you, that would probably be even more useful if they are the phrases you hear commonly at a restraunt. Thanks!

@Caballero: Thank you, I think I've heard some of those words spoken in the kitchen and now I know what they mean~<3

[Luna Azul]

Originally Posted by alx

2. Tomato -- jitomate

7. Small, Medium, or Large size -- tamaño chico, mediano o grande

These are just two examples of the differences between the countries.

I believe "jitomate" is only said in Mexico (or maybe in some parts of Central America, I don't know) . We call it "tomate"

Also, we'd say "tamaño pequeño", not "chico"

I agree with Rusty. You have to learn how to pronounce the words, the written words we may give you here will be useless without the right pronunciation.. and grammar, for that matter..

[jArrona]

I do have several people who can teach me how these are said, or even provide corrections if there is something they say more frequently in my area. It's just no one has the time to actually write these out for me

So I really appreciate all of the help! To everyone<3 Gracias~!

[Luna Azul]

Originally Posted by jArrona

I do have several people who can teach me how these are said, or even provide corrections if there is something they say more frequently in my area. It's just no one has the time to actually write these out for me

So I really appreciate all of the help! To everyone<3 Gracias~!

Well, I hope they'll have the time to teach you how to pronounce them..

Good luck!!

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by jArrona

I understand that, and I appreciate the pointer~ But in my English dialect, the part about "require us to read your mind" is a sarcastic remark and is indeed very rude. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding!

It seems to have been a self-referential point, because it's illustrating as well as making the point that major languages are spoken across many cultures and have significant variation. Please accept my apologies for offending you.

For the queries which are still outstanding I can't guarantee that the phrases used in Spain are also idiomatic in Mexican Spanish, but as a stop-gap answer:

8. Largo de
9. Corto de
10. Con
12. Nata montada

And

1. Falta cambio / Faltan monedas de ... / Faltan billetes de ... (E.g. faltan monedas de diez céntimos. I'm not sure whether there are specific translations for nickels, dimes, quarters).
2. ¿Me prestas la tarjeta?

[Luna Azul]

Originally Posted by pjt33

8. Largo de
9. Corto de
10. Con
12. Nata montada

Wow. wow.. the only one I understand is "con". Please, tell me it means "with"

I'm not sure whether there are specific translations for nickels, dimes, quarters.

There are no specific translations for nickels, dimes and quarters. They're called monedas de "cinco centavos", "diez centavos" and "veinticinco centavos".

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Luna Azul: pjt is just replying according to the way people around him say what was asked, the way it was asked.

Originally Posted by jArrona

8. Extra "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

9. Light "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

10. With "x" (sauce, cheese, etc)

12. Whipped Cream / Topping

Instead of "largo de" and "corto de", a Mexican would rather say "con más..." and "con menos..."

And we would say "crema batida" instead of "nata montada".

[Luna Azul]

=AngelicaDeAlquezar;111128]@Luna Azul: pjt is just replying according to the way people around him say what was asked, the way it was asked.

I know that, I hope I didn't sound offensive in any way because that wasn't my intention. I just pointed out how different the language can be in every country. I was actually trying to put a little humor in it.

Instead of "largo de" and "corto de", a Mexican would rather say "con más..." and "con menos..."

And we would say "crema batida" instead of "nata montada".

This is the way I'd say them too.

[jArrona]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Instead of "largo de" and "corto de", a Mexican would rather say "con más..." and "con menos..."

And we would say "crema batida" instead of "nata montada".

So what does that roughly translate to? Since someone said "con" means "with", would "con más" sort of mean "with lots" or "with more" and "con menos" mean "with less"?

Just curious, since the more I understand, the more I can use it correctly.

Also, I just thought of something I should have thought of before, is how to say "with cheese, or without?"

I'm guessing maybe it would be "con queso o..." though google translate says "con o sin queso?" @w@

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by jArrona

So what does that roughly translate to? Since someone said "con" means "with", would "con más" sort of mean "with lots" or "with more" and "con menos" mean "with less"?

Just curious, since the more I understand, the more I can use it correctly.

Also, I just thought of something I should have thought of before, is how to say "with cheese, or without?"

I'm guessing maybe it would be "con queso o..." though google translate says "con o sin queso?" @w@

I believe that the usual pattern for asking for a choice from among two or more prepositions is to say con queso o sin queso, repeating the object with each preposition. (Con = with, as you have already learned. Sin [pronounced approximately like English "seen", not like English "sin"] = without.)

[pjt33]

Yep, "con más" means "with more" and "con menos" means "with less".

"With cheese or without?" can be "¿Con o sin queso?" or "¿Con queso o sin queso?" You would be understood if you asked "¿Con queso o sin?", but some quick corpus checking indicates that it's non-standard.

[Luna Azul]

"Con queso o sin queso" - "con o sin queso" = Both are correct.

"con menos queso" - "con más queso"

"Póngale menos queso" - "póngale más queso"

"aumente el queso" - "reduzca el queso"