A1German

At a Fast-Food Counter

Use these phrases to order food, customize your meal, and pay quickly at a German fast-food counter.

Key Phrases

Voice
Ordering a meal · 2 ways to say it

Ich nehme das Burger-Menü, bitte.

neutral

I'll take the burger combo, please.

Polite and standard when placing your main order.

Ein Burger-Menü, bitte.

casual

A burger combo, please.

More casual — very common at busy counters.

Choosing the size · 2 ways to say it

Ich nehme die große Portion, bitte.

neutral

I'll take the large size, please.

Groß, bitte.

casual

Large, please.

Natural short answer when the cashier asks for your size.

Ordering a drink

Ich nehme eine Cola, bitte.

neutral

I'll take a cola, please.

Choosing to eat in

Ich esse hier, bitte.

neutral

I am eating here, please.

Use this to answer the question 'Hier essen oder to go?'.

Ordering to take away

To go, bitte.

casual

To go, please.

Everyday standard expression for takeaway orders.

Paying in cash

Ich zahle bar, bitte.

neutral

I am paying cash, please.

Paying by card

Karte, bitte.

casual

Card, please.

Short and natural when holding out your card or phone.

Requesting no onions

Einen Burger ohne Zwiebeln, bitte.

neutral

A burger without onions, please.

'Ohne' means 'without' — place it directly before the ingredient.

Asking for extras

Ich nehme extra Käse, bitte.

neutral

I'll take extra cheese, please.

Place 'extra' before any topping you want added.

Practice Dialogue

Cashier
Hallo! Was nehmen Sie?
Customer
Ein Burger-Menü, bitte. Aber ohne Zwiebeln.
Cashier
Alles klar. Welche Größe?
Customer
Groß, bitte.
Cashier
Und welches Getränk?
Customer
Ich nehme eine Cola, bitte.
Cashier
Hier essen oder to go?
Customer
To go, bitte.
Cashier
Das macht neun Euro.
Customer
Karte, bitte.
Cashier
Gerne. Hier ist das Essen.
Customer
Super, danke!

More Eating & Drinking Out (A1)

← All German survival phrases