Ordering at a Korean café: phrases you'll actually use

2026-10-21

Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Korea runs on coffee. There seems to be a café on every corner, from big chains to tiny independent spots in old hanok houses. Ordering is a perfect first real-life Korean conversation: it's short, predictable and the staff are used to it. Here's what you'll hear and what to say back.

The magic formula: [item] + [number] + 주세요

Almost every order follows the same pattern: what you want, how many, and 주세요 (juseyo) – please give me.

• 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요. (Amerikano han jan juseyo.) – One Americano, please.
• 라떼 두 잔 주세요. (Ratte du jan juseyo.) – Two lattes, please.

잔 (jan) is the counter for cups and glasses. Use native Korean numbers with it: 한 잔 (han jan) – one cup, 두 잔 (du jan) – two, 세 잔 (se jan) – three.

Hot or iced?

Staff will often ask:

• 따뜻한 거로 드릴까요, 아이스로 드릴까요? (Ttatteutan georo deurilkkayo, aiseuro deurilkkayo?) – Would you like it hot or iced?

Answer with 따뜻한 거요 (ttatteutan geoyo) – a hot one, please, or 아이스요 (aiseuyo) – iced, please. Or say it up front: 아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.

Iced Americano is so popular that it has its own nickname: 아아 (a-a), short for 아이스 아메리카노. The hot version is 뜨아 (tteu-a), from 뜨거운 아메리카노. There's even a word for people who drink it iced all winter: 얼죽아 (eoljuga), from "얼어 죽어도 아이스 아메리카노" – "iced Americano even if I freeze to death."

Size

Sizes vary by chain, and many smaller cafés only have one or two. If you're asked 사이즈는 어떻게 해 드릴까요? (Saijeuneun eotteoke hae deurilkkayo?) – What size would you like? – point at the menu or say 작은 거요 (jageun geoyo) – the small one, or 큰 거요 (keun geoyo) – the large one.

For here or to go?

This is the question that catches people out:

• 드시고 가세요? (Deusigo gaseyo?) – Are you eating/drinking here? (literally "Will you have it and then go?")
• 매장에서 드세요, 가져가세요? (Maejangeseo deuseyo, gajyeogaseyo?) – For here, or to take away?

Your answers:

• 먹고 갈게요. (Meokgo galgeyo.) – I'll have it here.
• 가져갈게요. (Gajyeogalgeyo.) – I'll take it away.
• 포장해 주세요. (Pojanghae juseyo.) – Please wrap it to go. Common for food and drinks alike.

You'll also hear the English loanword 테이크아웃 (teikeuaut) – takeout.

Customising your drink

• 샷 추가해 주세요. (Syat chugahae juseyo.) – An extra shot, please.
• 연하게 해 주세요. (Yeonhage hae juseyo.) – Make it weaker, please.
• 시럽 빼 주세요. (Sireop ppae juseyo.) – No syrup, please.
• 얼음 조금만 넣어 주세요. (Eoreum jogeumman neoeo juseyo.) – Just a little ice, please.
• 디카페인 있어요? (Dikapein isseoyo?) – Do you have decaf?
• 우유를 두유로 바꿀 수 있어요? (Uyureul duyuro bakkul su isseoyo?) – Can I switch the milk to soy milk?

빼 주세요 (ppae juseyo) – please take it out – is extremely useful anywhere you order food.

Paying

• 결제는 어떻게 하시겠어요? (Gyeoljeneun eotteoke hasigesseoyo?) – How would you like to pay?
• 카드로 할게요. (Kadeuro halgeyo.) – By card.
• 영수증 드릴까요? (Yeongsujeung deurilkkayo?) – Would you like the receipt?
• 아니요, 괜찮아요. (Aniyo, gwaenchanayo.) – No, thanks.

Many cafés now take orders through a 키오스크 (kioseukeu) – a touchscreen ordering machine – instead of at the counter. Some offer other languages, but the Korean buttons are worth learning: 매장 (maejang) – for here, 포장 (pojang) – to go, 결제 (gyeolje) – pay.

Picking up your drink

Often you'll be handed a 진동벨 (jindongbel) – a vibrating buzzer – that goes off when your drink is ready. Other places call out your order number: 37번 고객님! (Samsipchil-beon gogaengnim!) – Customer number 37! Before leaving, it's polite to say 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) – thank you – or 잘 마실게요 (jal masilgeyo) – "I'll enjoy it."

A full order, start to finish

• Staff: 주문하시겠어요? (Jumunhasigesseoyo?) – Ready to order?
• You: 아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요. – One iced Americano, please.
• Staff: 드시고 가세요? – For here?
• You: 아니요, 가져갈게요. – No, to go.
• Staff: 결제 도와드릴게요. (Gyeolje dowadeurilgeyo.) – I'll take your payment.
• You: 카드로 할게요. – By card.

Korean you can use

Start with the formula, add one customisation, and you'll be ordering like a local by your second visit.