How do you talk to a waiter in Spanish?

In Chile, you say, garzón (gahr-sohn), which is derived from the French word for “young man.” If you call the waiter by either of these terms in Mexico, he may not react. You can better get his attention by saying joven (Hoh-bvehn), meaning “young,” even if he isn’t so young.

• ¿Qué desea comer? (What would you like to eat?)
• ¿Qué desea beber? (What would you like to drink?)
• ¿Estan listos para ordenar? (Are you ready to order?)
• ¿Qué quiere? (What do you want?)
• ¿Lo siento/Lamento, no tenemos _____ (Sorry, we don’t have___)

1. Say please and thank you. A waitress is serving you, but she is still a person and should be treated like it. …
2. Don’t call her sweetheart or any other “pet name.” It is condescending. Also, don’t stare at her. …
3. Avoid complaining about the restaurant. …
4. You might try empathizing with her, though.

“Chh-Chh!” “Senor” sounds just to foreignerish to me. I think “joven” is the most common – unless your waiter is female in which case “Señorita” seems to work fine. Joven for waiters, Señorita for maitresses, regardless of their age.

The best way to attract the waiter’s attention is eye contact. An attentive server should be glancing at his tables regularly to check on diners, and when he does so, catch his eye, perhaps nodding or raising your eyebrows.

Please don’t order in Spanish at your local Mexican restaurant, unless you know the employees personally and they’re comfortable with it. … However, if you’re in a Spanish-speaking country or find yourself in a situation where it’s appropriate to order food in Spanish, take advantage of that opportunity!

Cuenta: Check or Bill If you do want to use words, though, go with “la cuenta.” In Spain, it is considered rude for waiters to bring the check before diners ask for it. Speak up when you’re ready to pay; otherwise you’ll be waiting for quite a while! How to use it: La cuenta, por favor.

1. Tomo… (lit. I take…)
2. Dame… (lit. Give me…)
3. Quiero… (lit. I want…)
4. Ponme… (lit. Put for me…)
5. Me vas a poner… (lit. You will put for me…)

What’s your name? = ¿Cómo te llamas? Remember, when speaking to someone your age or younger, use a tú form of this phrase.

1. Let him (or her) know you’re interested. Flirt shamelessly if you think your server is attractive. …
2. Recognize the signs that he’s interested. …
3. Take advantage of the perks of your newfound relationship. …
4. Know when things are going south. …
5. Find a new favorite restaurant.

Asking unwanted questions may cause waiters to avoid your table. If you insist on knowing your server’s name, always introduce yourself first. It’s less threatening and reinforces that you see them as equals. Remember that good service is impossible without your participation.

1. Face association. …
2. Turning orders into a song. …
3. Creating a physical map of the orders in your head. …
4. Associating regular customers with their order. …
5. Word associations. …
6. They keep a note.

waiter → esperador, esperadora. waiter → mesero, camarero, camarera, mozo.

Calling The Waiter “Garçon”