to go

Meaning

A phrase used when ordering food or drinks at a restaurant or cafe to indicate that you will take the food with you to eat elsewhere, rather than eating it inside. It is primarily used in North American English.

Examples

• I'd like a medium iced latte to go, please.

  I'd like a medium iced latte to go, please.

• Are these burgers to eat here or to go?

  Are these burgers to eat here or to go?

• I don't have time for a sit-down lunch, so I'll get a sandwich to go.

  I don't have time for a sit-down lunch, so I'll get a sandwich to go.

• She ordered two slices of pizza to go on her way to work.

  She ordered two slices of pizza to go on her way to work.

• Can I get this pasta to go? I can't finish it all.

  Can I get this pasta to go? I can't finish it all.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I want a coffee for take away.

  ✓ I want a coffee to go.

  In US English, 'to go' is the standard phrase. Mixing them up as 'for take away' sounds unnatural.

• ✗ I would like this pizza for going, please.

  ✓ I would like this pizza to go, please.

  The idiom is fixed as 'to go'. Do not change 'go' to 'going'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I'll have a double espresso ___.

  💡 You want to carry the coffee out of the shop.

  Show answer

  to go

• Is your order for here or ___?

  💡 The opposite of eating inside the restaurant.

  Show answer

  to go