Phrases for Indicating the Temperature of Drinks｜English Expressions for Ordering

When ordering drinks at a café or restaurant, it is very useful to be able to express your preference, such as “Iced, please”or “Hot, please.”

This allows your order to go smoothly and ensures that you can enjoy your drink the way you like it.

In this lesson, I will focus on English expressions for indicating drink temperature when ordering. I will also explain polite ways of ordering, related phrases, and important points to keep in mind.

Dialogue

B

Hi there. What can I get for you today?

A

Can I have a latte, please?

B

Sure. Hot or iced?

A

Iced, please.

B

Got it. One iced latte coming up.

A

Thanks a lot.

Grammar and Expression Points

1. A Standard Phrase for Ordering: Can I have ～?

The phrase “Can I have ～?” is a polite way of ordering or requesting something in English.

Grammatically, it follows the structure: Can I + have + noun + please?

“Can I get ～?” is also common in casual settings, but “Can I have ～?” sounds slightly more polite and appropriate in a wider range of situations.

2. A Simple Way to Ask About Temperature: Hot or iced?

In English-speaking cafés, it is common for staff to confirm the temperature of the drink. Typical expressions include:

Note: While cold can also mean “chilled,” the word iced is more commonly used on café menus.

By contrast, hot naturally refers to warm drinks.

3. Expressing Your Preference Politely: Iced, please.

Simply saying “Iced” is enough to be understood, but adding “please” softens the tone and makes it more polite.

Each expression is correct, but choosing appropriately depending on the situation will leave a better impression.

4. A Natural Way to Show Gratitude: Thanks a lot.

The phrase “Thanks a lot.” is casual yet friendly. It is less formal than “Thank you.” but not overly casual, making it a balanced way to express gratitude.

Other variations include:

Summary

Izumi

Author

「English Morning｜基礎から学ぶ英語講座」を運営している泉（Izumi）です。このサイトでは基礎から応用まで、英語の文法を解説しています。