Thread: Ordering at a restaurant

Что вы закажете?

Can a waiter use this expression (using the perfective) too?

Or he has to say "Что вы будете заказывать?" ?

Что будете заказывать is more common.

Что вы закажете? - sounds weird if said by a waiter, but it could be asked by a friend as a matter of interest.

Yes, due to some reason "Что вы будете заказывать?" in the imperfective form when asked by a waiter is more like an invitation to make an order, rather than a question about some future events.

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

Yes, due to some reason "Что вы будете заказывать?" in the imperfective form when asked by a waiter is more like an invitation to make an order, rather than a question about some future events.

For example. customers have been thinking too long and the waiter is irritated.
In this case, is there a possibility that he says, "Что вы закажете?" ?

I think that in such a case it is often said "Вы что-нибуть закажете?"

Уже закажете что-нибудь? - This is what conveys impatience
Вы что-нибудь закажете? - Can convey impatience as well but also can be used just to ask if someone's gonna order something

Что будете заказывать - What would you like to order? What would you like for .... ?
Что вы закажете? - What will you order - can be used as a quesion, if the context is fine to use it.

Чего изволите?