💡 In a Czech bakery you say poprosím (may I have) and name the amount: dva rohlíky (crescent rolls - the most common bakery item), chléb, koláč (a sweet pastry with filling).
💡 In bakeries bread is often sliced free of charge: they ask Mám vám ho nakrájet?; it goes into a paper bag; bags in Czech shops are mostly paid.
💡 In Czech bakeries and lahůdky (delis) you buy a chlebíček (open sandwich), a koláč (round pastry) and a rohlík (roll); sandwiches and pastry are priced per piece, bread often by weight.
💡 Coffee in Czech cafés: espresso, káva s mlékem, cappuccino, latte; they ask the size (malá, velká) and tady nebo s sebou.
💡 Cafés often have a zákusek (pastry), dort (cake), štrúdl (strudel), větrník (choux with cream); they ask se šlehačkou? (with whipped cream).
💡 In Czech cafés and restaurants it is usual to greet on entering (Dobrý den) and ask Je tu volno? (is it free here); the waiter comes to you.
💡 A tip (spropitné) in the Czech Republic is rounding up or about ten percent; you say how much to take: Platím padesát, zbytek nechte. Cards are generally accepted.
💡 Wifi in cafés is often free; the password is written on the menu, a board or the receipt; you can simply ask.
💡 Cafés ask about the size: malá, střední, velká; plant milk is ovesné (oat), sójové (soy), mandlové (almond); sometimes there is a příplatek (surcharge) for it.
💡 Ice cream is sold by the kopeček (scoop): say how many scoops and in what - a kornout (cone) or a kelímek (cup).
💡 In a restaurant you usually wait to be shown a table or seat yourself; at weekends booking is better: Máme rezervaci na jméno Kovalenko.
💡 Look for polední menu (the weekday lunch deal), dnešní nabídka (today's offer), předkrm (starter), hlavní jídlo (main course), dezert (dessert); the wish is Dobrou chuť!
💡 In Czech menus allergens are marked by numbers from one to fourteen next to the dish; nuts are ořechy, gluten lepek, lactose laktóza. Asking is normal.
💡 In a restaurant you pay at the table: you say Platit, prosím, and when you hand over money you state the sum including the tip: Dvě stě, děkuji means you keep the change.
💡 Politely pointing out a mistake is normal: Promiňte, tohle jsem si neobjednal(a); the waiter usually replaces the dish right away.
💡 In a hospoda (pub) the waiter marks the beers drunk with čárky (tally strokes) on a coaster; at the end you pay by the number of strokes; say Dvě piva, prosím and Platit!
💡 Dětská židlička is a high chair, dětské menu a children's menu; many places have play corners (dětský koutek).
💡 On weekdays many restaurants have a polední menu (lunch offer): a polévka (soup) and a hlavní jídlo (main course) at a good price, usually only until two or three p.m.
💡 Svíčková na smetaně is beef in a cream sauce with knedlíky (Czech dumplings) and cranberries; guláš is meat in a thick sauce; smažený sýr is cheese in breadcrumbs.
💡 When booking give the day, time, number of people and surname; for a bigger group at the weekend book in advance and arrive on time, because tables are held only briefly.
💡 In the Czech Republic this is normal: answer dohromady, nebo zvlášť? (together or separately?) when you ask for the bill; you pay by card or cash right at the table.
💡 Bez lepku (gluten-free) and vegetariánské (vegetarian) are marked in the menu with symbols or letters; ask the waiter about allergens: mouka (flour), mléko (milk), vejce (eggs), ořechy (nuts).
💡 Párek v rohlíku is a sausage in a roll, street fast food; they ask hořčice nebo kečup? (mustard or ketchup); s sebou means to take away.
💡 In a canteen (jídelna) or buffet you choose the dish at the counter and pay at the till; the polední menu usually has numbers (číslo jedna, číslo dvě).
💡 When ordering delivery give the address, the floor or zvonek (the doorbell), the way of paying - kartou kurýrovi or hotově - and anything else the courier should know; there is sometimes a doručovací poplatek (delivery fee).