How to Order Coffee in Korean
If you’re wondering how to order coffee in Korean, the good news is that you don’t need to memorize a long conversation.
These days, many cafes in Korea also use self-order kiosks instead of taking every order at the counter. With a kiosk, you can choose your drink, options, and payment directly on the screen, so you may not need to speak much Korean at all.
But not every cafe uses a kiosk, and there are still plenty of times when you’ll order directly from a staff member.
In that case, a few simple phrases are usually enough.
For example, if you want an iced Americano, you can simply say:
아이스 아메리카노 주세요.
Aiseu amerikano juseyo.
“An iced Americano, please.”
If you want to include the quantity, you can say:
아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
Aiseu amerikano han jan juseyo.
“One iced Americano, please.”
You don’t need to make the sentence any more complicated than that.
How to Add an Option to Your Coffee
If you want to change or add something to your drink, tell the staff when you order.
For example, if you want an extra espresso shot:
아이스 아메리카노 샷 하나 추가해 주세요.
Aiseu amerikano syat hana chugahae juseyo.
“Please add one extra shot to my iced Americano.”
A simple way to think about it is to say the drink first and then add the option you want.
You also don’t have to specify every option when ordering. If there’s nothing you want to change, simply order the drink and it will be prepared with its standard options.
What Does “드시고 가세요?” Mean?
After you order, the staff may ask whether you’re staying at the cafe or taking your drink with you.
You might hear:
드시고 가세요?
Deusigo gaseyo?
“Are you having it here?”
Or:
포장이세요?
Pojang-iseyo?
“Is it to go?”
If you’re staying at the cafe, you can say:
먹고 갈게요.
Meokgo galgeyo.
“I’ll have it here.”
If you’re taking it with you:
테이크아웃할게요.
Teikeuaut halgeyo.
“I’ll take it to go.”
If the staff asks, “포장이세요?” you can also simply answer:
네, 포장이요.
Ne, pojang-iyo.
“Yes, to go.”
The exact order of these questions can vary from cafe to cafe. Some staff may ask whether you’re staying or taking out immediately after your order, while others may tell you the total first and then ask.
So instead of memorizing an exact conversation, it’s more useful to recognize these common questions.
What a Real Cafe Order Can Sound Like
Here’s one simple example:
Customer:
아이스 아메리카노 샷 하나 추가해 주세요.
“An iced Americano with one extra shot, please.”
Staff:
드시고 가세요?
“Are you having it here?”
Customer:
테이크아웃할게요.
“I’ll take it to go.”
Staff:
5,000원입니다.
“It’s 5,000 won.”
You could also hear the conversation in a slightly different order:
Customer:
아이스 아메리카노 샷 하나 추가해 주세요.
Staff:
5,000원입니다. 드시고 가시나요?
“It’s 5,000 won. Are you having it here?”
Customer:
테이크아웃할게요.
The price here is only an example.
What matters is the general flow:
Order your drink and options → say whether you’re staying or taking out → pay
Do You Need to Say “I’ll Pay by Card”?
Usually, no.
Credit cards and mobile payments such as Samsung Pay are commonly used at cafes in Korea. If you’re paying normally by card or mobile payment, you generally don’t need to announce, “I’ll pay by card.”
When the staff tells you the total, you can simply get your payment method ready.
If you’re using a gift coupon or another coupon, however, show it to the staff when you pay.
You can say:
기프티콘 쓸게요.
Gip-tikon sseulgeyo.
“I’ll use a gift coupon.”
Or:
쿠폰 쓸게요.
Kupon sseulgeyo.
“I’ll use a coupon.”
The Simplest Way to Order Coffee in Korean
You don’t need perfect Korean to order at a cafe.
For a basic order:
Drink + 주세요 (juseyo)
아이스 아메리카노 주세요.
“An iced Americano, please.”
To include a quantity:
Drink + quantity + 주세요
아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
“One iced Americano, please.”
To add an option:
Drink + option + 해 주세요
아이스 아메리카노 샷 하나 추가해 주세요.
“Please add one extra shot to my iced Americano.”
And if the staff asks whether you’re staying or taking out:
먹고 갈게요.
“I’ll have it here.”
테이크아웃할게요.
“I’ll take it to go.”
Even though self-order kiosks are now common at many Korean cafes, there will still be times when you need to order directly from a staff member.
In those moments, being able to say what you want and understand a few common questions is much more useful than trying to build a perfect Korean sentence.
Today’s Korean
아이스 아메리카노 주세요.
Romanization: Aiseu amerikano juseyo.
Pronunciation: A-i-seu a-me-ri-ka-no ju-se-yo.
Meaning: “An iced Americano, please.”
Use this basic pattern to order a drink at a cafe.
샷 하나 추가해 주세요.
Romanization: Syat hana chugahae juseyo.
Pronunciation: Syat ha-na chu-ga-hae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: “Please add one extra shot.”
Use this when you want an additional espresso shot in your coffee.
테이크아웃할게요.
Romanization: Teikeuaut halgeyo.
Pronunciation: Te-i-keu-a-ut hal-ge-yo.
Meaning: “I’ll take it to go.”
This is a natural response when the staff asks whether you’re staying at the cafe or taking your drink with you.
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