<blockquote>
<p>Somebody who regularly dines/drinks/etc at the same café/restaurant/bar/etc</p>
</blockquote>
<p>maybe “常客”, “熟客”; roughly “a regular guest”, “a acquainted guest”</p>
<blockquote>
<p>usual&quot; which refers to the same meal/drink/etc that such patrons habitually order</p>
</blockquote>
<p>in cantonese, one may say “照舊”, roughly “as before”. my experience is, the waiter would say once what’s the order to you, on behalf on you, you just smile, or nod; to confirm the order.</p>
<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-24T04:25:52.040Z
2023-05-24T04:25:52.040Z
水巷孑蠻
<ol>
<li>That guy is a regular(<strong>常客</strong>), he comes here every Saturday and orders the same thing.</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>He is our regular - 他是我們的常客.</li>
</ul>
<ol start="2">
<li>Hi Barry, do you just want the usual(<strong>照常/照舊</strong>) today?</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Do you just want the usual today? - 今天還是照常/照舊嗎?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-24T04:19:51.303Z
2023-05-24T04:19:51.303Z
r13
<p>For a regular, I believe 回头客 can be used.</p>
<p>See the <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%9B%9E%E9%A0%AD%E5%AE%A2#Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wiktionary page</a> and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx1wYYe-B_o" rel="nofollow noreferrer">video from 大鹏 about the word</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-24T17:54:29.130Z
2023-05-24T17:54:29.130Z
2ndQuantized
<p>The regular customer will say 老样子 , this is more native</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-25T04:07:54.443Z
Do you mean a Chinese regular will say "老样子" like an English regular would say "the usual'? Or do you mean a regular would be called a "老样子" in Chinese?
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-26T05:46:43.360Z
I mean the first one, a Chinese regular will say “老样子”
Jennis Joe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-24T18:03:44.583Z
2023-05-24T18:03:44.583Z
Jennis Joe
<p>In English there is an idiomatic noun sense of &quot;regular&quot; for a regular customer. Somebody who regularly dines/drinks/etc at the same café/restaurant/bar/etc:</p>
<ul>
<li>That guy is a regular, he comes here every Saturday and orders the same thing.</li>
</ul>
<p>In the same context there is another idiomatic sense of &quot;usual&quot; which refers to the same meal/drink/etc that such patrons habitually order.</p>
<ul>
<li>Hi Barry, do you just want the usual today?</li>
</ul>
<p>Are there direct equivalents in Chinese. If I'm a regular at a place is there a friendly/casual way to arrive and order &quot;the usual&quot;?</p>
<p>I know there's a dozen ways to say each even if there's not an idiom of course but I'm wondering if there are idioms as there are in some languages.</p>

<mandarin><idioms>
Does Chinese have idiomatic equivalents of "a regular" and "the usual"?
# Does Chinese have idiomatic equivalents of "a regular" and "the usual"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-05-24)

In English there is an idiomatic noun sense of "regular" for a regular customer. Somebody who regularly dines/drinks/etc at the same café/restaurant/bar/etc:

* That guy is a regular, he comes here every Saturday and orders the same thing.

In the same context there is another idiomatic sense of "usual" which refers to the same meal/drink/etc that such patrons habitually order.

* Hi Barry, do you just want the usual today?

Are there direct equivalents in Chinese. If I'm a regular at a place is there a friendly/casual way to arrive and order "the usual"?

I know there's a dozen ways to say each even if there's not an idiom of course but I'm wondering if there are idioms as there are in some languages.

**Tags:** mandarin, idioms


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-05-24. Score: 3

> Somebody who regularly dines/drinks/etc at the same café/restaurant/bar/etc

maybe “常客”, “熟客”; roughly “a regular guest”, “a acquainted guest”

> usual" which refers to the same meal/drink/etc that such patrons habitually order

in cantonese, one may say “照舊”, roughly “as before”. my experience is, the waiter would say once what’s the order to you, on behalf on you, you just smile, or nod; to confirm the order.

have fun :)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-05-24. Score: 3

1. That guy is a regular(**常客**), he comes here every Saturday and orders the same thing.

* He is our regular - 他是我們的常客.

2. Hi Barry, do you just want the usual(**照常/照舊**) today?

* Do you just want the usual today? - 今天還是照常/照舊嗎?


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-05-24. Score: 1

For a regular, I believe 回头客 can be used.

See the [wiktionary page](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%9B%9E%E9%A0%AD%E5%AE%A2#Chinese) and a [video from 大鹏 about the word](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx1wYYe-B_o).


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### Answer by username_4 on 2023-05-24. Score: 0

The regular customer will say 老样子 , this is more native

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Do you mean a Chinese regular will say "老样子" like an English regular would say "the usual'? Or do you mean a regular would be called a "老样子" in Chinese?  
> **username_4**: I mean the first one, a Chinese regular will say “老样子”  

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