Country menu guides
How to read a menu in Thailand
A Thai menu is grouped by type of dish rather than by course: salads (yam), soups and curries (tom, kaeng), stir-fries (phat), fried and grilled dishes, then one-plate rice and noodle meals. Dishes are shared and arrive when they're ready, with rice ordered on the side. In hotels, malls and smarter restaurants, a "++" after the price means a service charge and 7% VAT are added.
How the menu is organized
How to order: shared dishes, rice on the side
Thai meals are shared. A good rule is one dish per person plus one, chosen for balance: a curry or soup, a stir-fry, a salad and something mild. Everything comes as soon as it's cooked, not in courses, and everyone takes a little at a time with their own rice.
- Order rice separately. Khao suai (steamed jasmine rice) comes by the plate; with northeastern (Isan) food, order khao niao, sticky rice eaten with your fingers.
- Eating alone? Pick from the ahan chan diao (one-plate) dishes: fried rice, phat kaphrao with rice, a noodle soup.
- Spoon, not knife. Thais eat with a spoon in the right hand and a fork to push food onto it; chopsticks are for noodle soups.
- Choose your protein. Many stir-fries list one price per meat: chicken (kai), pork (mu), beef (nuea), prawn (kung), usually costing more for seafood.
Spice levels and the condiment set
Dishes are cooked to order, so you can ask for less heat: mai phet (not spicy) or phet noi (a little spicy). "A little" by Thai standards can still be hot, especially with som tam, where each chilli is pounded in by hand. Noodle shops leave a caddy on the table (khrueang prung) with sugar, dried chilli, fish sauce and chillies in vinegar, so each diner seasons their own bowl. Taste before adding.
Regional menus
- Bangkok and the centre: green curry, tom yam kung, phat thai, and Chinese-Thai noodle and rice shops.
- Isan (northeast): som tam, larb, grilled chicken and sticky rice — sour, salty, often fiercely hot.
- North (Chiang Mai): khao soi, northern sausage (sai ua) and chilli relishes; milder and more herbal.
- South: the hottest curries, turmeric, lots of seafood, and Muslim-influenced dishes such as massaman curry and roti.
Reading prices: ++, NET and seafood by weight
Prices are in baht (฿ or THB). At street stalls and local shophouses, the price on the board is the price you pay. In hotels, malls, rooftop bars and upmarket restaurants, look for "++": a service charge (typically 10%) and 7% VAT will be added, and VAT is calculated on the price plus service. A ฿1,000 meal becomes ฿1,000 + ฿100 service = ฿1,100, plus ฿77 VAT = ฿1,177. "NET" means nothing is added. More in what ++ means.
At seafood restaurants, fish, crab and prawns are often sold per kilo (kilo) or per 100 g (khit), or listed at market price. Agree the price and weight before it's cooked — see market price.
Words you’ll see on the menu
| On the menu | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ผัด | phat | stir-fried (spelled 'pad' on many menus) |
| ทอด | thot | deep-fried |
| ย่าง | yang | grilled |
| ปิ้ง | ping | grilled or toasted over charcoal, often on skewers |
| นึ่ง | nueng | steamed |
| ต้ม | tom | boiled; soup |
| แกง | kaeng | curry, or a soup-like dish |
| ยำ | yam | spicy-sour salad |
| ตำ | tam | pounded in a mortar |
| ราด | rat | poured over; khao rat = rice with a topping |
| ผัดไทย | phat thai | stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tamarind, peanuts |
| ผัดกะเพรา | phat kaphrao | stir-fried with holy basil and chilli, often with a fried egg |
| ผัดซีอิ๊ว | phat si-io | wide rice noodles stir-fried with soy sauce |
| ส้มตำ | som tam | green papaya salad |
| ลาบ | lap | minced meat salad with lime, herbs and toasted rice (larb) |
| ต้มยำกุ้ง | tom yam kung | hot and sour prawn soup |
| ต้มข่าไก่ | tom kha kai | chicken soup with coconut milk and galangal |
| แกงเขียวหวาน | kaeng khiao wan | green curry |
| แกงมัสมั่น | kaeng matsaman | massaman curry |
| พะแนง | phanaeng | panang curry, thick and mild |
| ข้าวผัด | khao phat | fried rice |
| ข้าวซอย | khao soi | northern curry noodle soup |
| ข้าวมันไก่ | khao man kai | poached chicken on rice cooked in chicken stock |
| ไก่ย่าง | kai yang | grilled marinated chicken |
| ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง | khao niao mamuang | mango with sticky rice and coconut cream |
| ไก่ | kai | chicken |
| หมู | mu | pork |
| เนื้อ | nuea | beef (literally 'meat') |
| กุ้ง | kung | prawns, shrimp |
| ปลา | pla | fish |
| ปลาหมึก | pla muek | squid |
| หอย | hoi | shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters) |
| ปู | pu | crab |
| ทะเล | thale | seafood (literally 'sea'), e.g. mixed seafood fried rice |
| ไข่ / ไข่ดาว | khai / khai dao | egg / fried egg on top |
| เต้าหู้ | tao hu | tofu |
| ผัก | phak | vegetables |
| น้ำปลา | nam pla | fish sauce |
| กะปิ | kapi | fermented shrimp paste |
| น้ำพริก | nam phrik | chilli dip or relish, often with shrimp paste |
| ถั่วลิสง | thua lisong | peanuts |
| เม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์ | met mamuang himmaphan | cashew nuts |
| กะทิ | kathi | coconut milk |
| ข้าวสวย / ข้าวเหนียว | khao suai / khao niao | steamed jasmine rice / sticky rice |
| เส้นใหญ่ / เส้นเล็ก | sen yai / sen lek | wide / thin rice noodles |
| บะหมี่ | ba mi | egg noodles (made with wheat) |
| วุ้นเส้น | wun sen | glass noodles |
| เผ็ด | phet | spicy (hot) |
| ไม่เผ็ด / เผ็ดน้อย | mai phet / phet noi | not spicy / a little spicy |
| พริก | phrik | chilli |
| ไม่ใส่… | mai sai… | without… (e.g. mai sai phrik = no chilli) |
| มังสวิรัติ | mangsawirat | vegetarian (ask about fish sauce and oyster sauce) |
| เจ | che | 'jay' food: no animal products, no garlic or onion; marked by a yellow flag. Often uses soy or wheat-gluten mock meat |
| ธรรมดา / พิเศษ | thammada / phiset | regular / 'special' (a bigger portion or extra topping, at a higher price) |
| กับข้าว | kap khao | dishes to share with rice |
| กลับบ้าน | klap ban | takeaway (literally 'go home') |
| ++ | service charge and VAT will be added | |
| NET / ราคาสุทธิ | rakha sutthi | net price: everything included |
| ค่าบริการ | kha borikan | service charge |
| ภาษีมูลค่าเพิ่ม | phasi munlakha phoem | VAT (often written 'government tax' in English) |
| ราคาตามท้องตลาด | rakha tam thong talat | market price |
| กิโล / ขีด | kilo / khit | per kilo / per 100 g (seafood prices) |
| เช็คบิล | chek bin | the bill (check bill) |
Charges and extras on the bill
| On the menu | Romanization | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ++ | Plus plus | Menu prices exclude a service charge (typically 10%) and 7% VAT. Together they add about 17.7%, because VAT is charged on the price plus service. | |
| NET / ราคาสุทธิ | rakha sutthi | Net price | The printed price is what you pay; nothing is added. |
| ค่าบริการ | kha borikan | Service charge | Typically 10% where charged: hotels, malls, upmarket and tourist restaurants. Street stalls and local shophouses don't add one. |
| ทิป | thip | Tip | Not required. Leaving small change or rounding up in sit-down restaurants is common and appreciated; it isn't expected at street stalls. |
| น้ำแข็ง / ผ้าเย็น | nam khaeng / pha yen | Ice / packaged wet towel | At some local restaurants, a bucket of ice and the sealed wet towels on the table cost a few baht each. Leave the towel unopened if you don't want it. |
Allergen traps
| Allergen | Where it hides |
|---|---|
| Fish | Fish sauce (nam pla) seasons most savoury dishes, including salads, stir-fries, soups and many vegetable dishes. Isan-style som tam may also contain fermented fish (pla ra). |
| Shellfish | Shrimp paste (kapi) is in most curry pastes and many chilli dips; dried shrimp go into som tam and phat thai; oyster sauce flavours many stir-fries. |
| Peanuts | Phat thai (crushed peanuts on top or on the side), som tam Thai-style, massaman curry, satay sauce and some dipping sauces. |
| Tree nuts | Cashews in chicken with cashew nuts (kai phat met mamuang himmaphan) and some salads and stir-fries. |
| Gluten and soy | Soy sauce, oyster sauce and seasoning sauces often contain wheat; egg noodles (ba mi) are wheat; batters on fried snacks. |
| Eggs | Phat thai, fried rice, a fried egg added on top (khai dao), omelette dishes and some desserts. |
| Dairy | Rare in savoury food, which uses coconut milk, but Thai iced tea and coffee usually come with condensed or evaporated milk. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Useful phrases
| Phrase | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอเมนูหน่อยครับ / ค่ะ | kho menu noi khrap / kha | The menu, please. (Men end polite sentences with khrap, women with kha.) |
| มีเมนูภาษาอังกฤษไหมครับ / คะ | mi menu phasa angkrit mai khrap / kha | Do you have an English menu? |
| เอาอันนี้ครับ / ค่ะ | ao an ni khrap / kha | I'll have this one. |
| ไม่เผ็ดครับ / ค่ะ | mai phet khrap / kha | Not spicy, please. |
| เผ็ดน้อยครับ / ค่ะ | phet noi khrap / kha | Only a little spicy, please. |
| ผม / ฉัน แพ้ถั่วลิสงครับ / ค่ะ | phom / chan phae thua lisong khrap / kha | I'm allergic to peanuts. (phom for men, chan for women) |
| ไม่ใส่น้ำปลาได้ไหมครับ / คะ | mai sai nam pla dai mai khrap / kha | Can you make it without fish sauce? |
| ขอน้ำเปล่าครับ / ค่ะ | kho nam plao khrap / kha | Water, please. |
| อร่อยมากครับ / ค่ะ | aroi mak khrap / kha | Very delicious. |
| เช็คบิลครับ / ค่ะ | chek bin khrap / kha | The bill, please. |
Dishes to know
- Pad thai
- Pad kra pao
- Tom yum goong
- tom kha gai
- Som tam
- Green curry
- massaman curry
- panang curry
- khao pad
- pad see ew
- Khao soi
- Larb
- Gai yang
- khao man gai
- mango sticky rice
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Frequently asked questions
What does ++ mean on a menu in Thailand?
It means a service charge and VAT will be added to the printed price. The service charge is typically 10% and VAT is 7%, charged on the price plus service, so the bill comes to about 17.7% more than the menu price. A dish listed at ฿200++ costs about ฿235. "NET" means the price already includes everything.
Do you tip in restaurants in Thailand?
Tipping is not required in Thailand, but it is common to leave small change or round up in sit-down restaurants when service was good. At street stalls nobody expects a tip. If the bill already includes a service charge, you don't need to add anything, although some people still leave a few coins for the staff.
How do I say 'not spicy' in Thai?
Say "mai phet", adding "khrap" if you are a man or "kha" if you are a woman to make it polite. For some heat but less than usual, say "phet noi", a little spicy. Dishes are usually cooked to order, so asking is normal, but even a mild version of som tam or a jungle curry can still be quite hot.
Is vegetarian Thai food made without fish sauce?
Not always. Dishes marked vegetarian (mangsawirat) may still be seasoned with fish sauce, oyster sauce or shrimp paste unless you ask. Food labelled "che" (often spelled jay), shown with a yellow flag, is the strictest: no animal products and traditionally no garlic or onion. Ask "mai sai nam pla" (without fish sauce) when ordering.
Do you have to order rice separately in Thailand?
Usually yes. In restaurants where dishes are shared, curries, stir-fries and salads come without rice, and you order steamed jasmine rice (khao suai) by the plate or a shared bowl, or sticky rice (khao niao) with northeastern food. One-plate dishes such as fried rice or phat kaphrao with rice already include it.
