How to Ask for the Check in Spanish: La Cuenta, Por Favor

Learn how to ask for the restaurant check in Spanish, confirm a card payment option, and keep the request separate from asking the price of one item.

Say La cuenta, por favor

La cuenta, por favor. means “The check, please” in a restaurant. It is a short, useful request when you are ready to pay. You can first get the server's attention with Disculpe — “Excuse me.”

For a full question, use ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor? — “Could you bring me the check, please?” This version addresses one person formally. When paying for a group, ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? changes “me” to “us.”

You do not need to explain why you are leaving. A clear request and polite tone are enough.

The check is different from an item's price

¿Cuánto cuesta? asks “How much does it cost?” It is useful for asking the price of an item, but it is not the same request as asking a server to bring your restaurant bill.

After receiving the bill, ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? means “Can I pay by card?” Ask about the option instead of assuming every place accepts your preferred payment method. The phrase does not tell you anything about fees, card networks, or local payment policies.

A complete closing exchange

A: Disculpe, ¿me trae la cuenta, por favor?
“Excuse me, could you bring me the check, please?”

B: Claro. Un momento.
“Of course. One moment.”

A: Gracias. ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
“Thanks. Can I pay by card?”

B: Sí.
“Yes.”

A: Perfecto, gracias.
“Great, thanks.”

The dialogue is intentionally simple. Splitting a bill or asking about a charge would require another question.

Avoid using an English-looking shortcut

English “check” does not translate to cheque in this restaurant request. A cheque is a different payment-related word. Keep la cuenta as your restaurant phrase.

Also, do not assume the bill will arrive at the same point in every restaurant. You can ask when you are ready rather than treating the timing as a universal rule.

Practice the last minute of a meal

Look away from the article and say three lines: get attention, request the check, and ask about card payment. Repeat once using nos instead of me for a group. Then remove the full question and use the shorter La cuenta, por favor so you can recognize both versions.

For the start of the meal, practice asking for a recommendation.

Explore Saystep Spanish, the official Spanish-learning site for English speakers. You can also practice this article's dialogue independently, without using an app.