Korean cafés and casual restaurants run on short, high-frequency chunks: how many people, what you’re ordering, ice level, bag or not, and payment.
You don’t need fluent chat—you need templates that match how staff actually speak.
Start from our Korean basics hub, drill on the Korean everyday phrases quiz and Korean travel essentials quiz, and review thank you / sorry / excuse me so your register matches the room.
Meaning pages: 감사합니다, 미안합니다, 안녕하세요.
Getting attention & opening
- 저기요 (jeogiyo) — “Excuse me / hey” (staff, counter).
- 여기요 (yeogiyo) — “Over here” when they’re close.
- 주문이요 (jumuniyo) — “I’d like to order” (common at counters).
Ordering (counter or table)
“One of these, please” (pointing at menu):
- 이거 하나 주세요. (Igeo hana juseyo.) — “One of this, please.”
“Two Americanos” style:
- 아메리카노 두 잔 주세요. (Amerikano du jan juseyo.)
Size / ice (listen for these; answer short):
- 톨 (tol), 그란데 (geurande) — borrowed sizing at chains.
- 얼음 많이 / 적게 (eoreum mani / jeopge) — lots of ice / little ice (context varies).
To go vs here:
- 포장이요 (pojangiyo) — takeout.
- 여기서 먹을게요 (yeogiseo meogeulgeyo) — “I’ll eat here.”
What staff often says (recognition practice)
- 앉으세요 (anjeuseyo) — “Please sit.”
- 잠깐만 기다려 주세요 (jamkkanman gidaryeo juseyo) — “Please wait a moment.”
- 카드로 하실까요? 현금이요? — card or cash (phrasing varies).
You can answer 네 / 카드요 / 현금이요 as appropriate.
Paying & leaving
- 계산할게요 (gyesanhalgeyo) — “I’ll pay.” / “Check, please” (contextual).
- 영수증 필요하세요? (yeongsujeung piryohaseyo?) — “Need a receipt?” 아니요 / 네.
Thanks on the way out:
- 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) — safe default.
- With closer service contexts you might hear 들어가세요 (deureogaseyo) — “go in” / “goodbye” (shop leave-taking); 네, 감사합니다 is fine.
Menu vocabulary you’ll see everywhere
| Korean (loanwords common) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 메뉴 | menu |
| 세트 | set |
| 사이즈 | size |
| 테이크아웃 / 포장 | takeout |
| 매장 | in-store / dine-in |
| 얼음 | ice |
Chains mix Konglish—don’t be thrown off by English on the board.
Sound natural, not like a textbook
Trap: Long speeches when 이거 하나 주세요 would do.
Trap: Using 반말 (banmal, casual speech) with staff you don’t know—default to -요 endings until invited down.
Link with broader habits
Short daily drills help these lines stick; see how to practice every day (15 minutes).
Practice in StudyArcade
Build a five-line order deck (greeting → order → ice → 포장/매장 → pay) and run it until it’s automatic.
Ready to make studying fun? Download StudyArcade on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/studyarcade-study-games/id6759309341