Alright I've been told so many different things on how to order, specifically
fast food and for some reason I have never gotten a straight answer.

The popular ones is to say ____をください or _____ お願いします. But when I was in Japan
I never heard either of those, just the food item and how many they wanted, so
I am confused.

How to actually order fast food?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-12T22:58:19.020
57234
2018-03-13T13:09:41.343
2018-03-13T08:12:29.353
5464
28117
question
food
How to actually order fast food?
It's so simple. It's just the difference between "2 Big Macs, please" and "I'd
like Triple Cheese Burger with soda".

"xxxをください" = "Please give me xxx" (Maybe sounds weird in English, but it's ok
in Japanese)

"xxxをお願いします" = "xxx, please"

"xxxを"/"xxxで"/"xxx" = "xxx" (Just itself, not so polite/formal, but everyone
does anyway)

After you tell what you want to have, the salesperson might ask you
"ご注文{ちゅうもん}は以上{いじょう}でしょうか？" (Have you ordered all?). You say "はい" (Yes).

That's all.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-13T02:05:18.580
57239
2018-03-13T03:36:02.020
2018-03-13T03:36:02.020
9831
28118
57234
answer
As @Towa_Shina has answered, there are various ways to order. People are
generally not very polite to customer service people and some even treat them
poorly. The reason that people haven't been able to answer you is because the
manner in which people order (interact with staff) is an individual choice.
Some people actually feel awkward and uncomfortable using polite language in
these situations. There is even disagreement about whether it is okay to be
thank [convenience store
clerks](https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/should-saying-
thanks-at-a-japanese-convenience-store-go-without-saying). As shocking as it
is to Western sensibilities just barking out your order is acceptable.

So long as your order is understood, you are free to choose your level of
politeness/directness.

> ビッグマック二つとペプシ二つください。
>
> ビッグマック二つとペプシ二つお願いします。
>
> ビッグマック二つとペプシ二つ。
>
> ビッグマック：二｛に｝、ペプシ：二｛に｝。
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-13T02:56:47.193
57242
2018-03-13T02:56:47.193
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
27280
57234
answer
Here are examples of what most people (including myself, a native speaker)
_actually_ say:

  * チーズバーガー、1つ。 One cheese burger.
  * ウーロン茶、L。 Oolong tea, L.
  * 以上で。 That's it.
  * Suica/クレジットカードで。 With Suica (electronic money)/credit card.

I usually do not even say ありがとう(ございます), so your observation in Japan was
correct. That said, if you feel you took more time than usual as a foreigner,
it might be better to say at least "Thanks".

There is nothing wrong if you used ください and お願いします, but they are not required
at all in reality.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-13T03:37:46.993
57245
2018-03-13T03:45:31.530
2018-03-13T03:45:31.530
5010
5010
57234
answer
> But when I was in Japan I never heard either of those, just the food item
> and how many they wanted...so I am confused.

Your observation is correct.

We only say the (food) item and how many we want not only at a fast-food
restaurant but also at various shops or stores, even at a ticket office like:

  * 【マクドナルドで】 A:「いらっしゃいませ！ こんにちは！ 店内｛てんない｝でお召｛め｝し上｛あ｝がりですか？」 B:「いえ、持ち帰りで」 A:「はい。ご注文｛ちゅうもん｝どうぞ」 B:「チーズバーガー１つ、コーラ小{しょう}１つ」
  * 【八百屋｛やおや｝で】 A:「何｛なに｝にしましょう？」 B:「キュウリ２本｛ほん｝とトマト３つ、それに大根｛だいこん｝１本｛ぽん｝」
  * 【飲{の}み屋｛や｝で】 B:「ビール大｛だい｝３、小｛しょう｝２、それにチューハイ２つ」
  * 【映画館｛えいがかん｝で】 B:「大人｛おとな｝２枚｛まい｝、子供｛こども｝３枚｛まい｝」
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-13T04:11:22.293
57246
2018-03-13T13:09:41.343
2018-03-13T13:09:41.343
9831
20624
57234
answer