English at the shop and the café: ready-made dialogues

You don't need long sentences to speak English at a shop or café; a few set phrases cover ordering, asking prices, and paying. Saying the dialogues out loud once beforehand makes the real moment much easier.

Ordering at a café

Server: “Hi, what can I get you?” You: “Could I have a latte, please?” Server: “Small or large?” You: “Small, please.” Server: “Anything else?” You: “A piece of cheesecake, please.” Server: “For here or to take away?” You: “For here, thanks.”

At the shop

“Excuse me, where can I find the rice?” / “It's in aisle five.” / “How much is this?” / “It's two pounds fifty.” / “Do you have a bigger size?” / “Can I have a bag, please?”

Paying

“Can I pay by card?” / “Cash or card?” / “Card, please.” / “Could I have the receipt, please?” To ask for the bill at a café: “Could we have the bill, please?” (“the check” in American English).

When there's a problem

“Sorry, I ordered a tea, not a coffee.” / “Excuse me, this is cold.” / “I think there's a mistake on the bill.” Starting with “Sorry” or “Excuse me” keeps a complaint polite.

To keep going, see English at a restaurant: booking, ordering, and paying and Polite English: asking, thanking, and apologising.

Frequently asked questions

“Bill” or “check”? British English says “bill” and American English says “check”; both are understood.

How do I stay polite when there's a problem? Start with “Sorry” or “Excuse me” and state the problem briefly: “Excuse me, this is cold.”