Culinary Adventures: How to Order Food & Drinks in Japanese Restaurants
The search results mainly focus on technological systems for ordering food in restaurants, such as QR code menus and electronic ordering systems, rather than traditional cultural or practical guidance on how to order food and drinks in a Japanese restaurant.
To provide a complete and useful answer, I will draw from general cultural knowledge and common practices in Japanese restaurants including key phrases and etiquette.
How to Order Food and Drinks in a Japanese Restaurant
Ordering food and drinks in a Japanese restaurant typically follows these steps and cultural tips:
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Greeting and Seating: Upon entering, customers are usually greeted with “Irasshaimase” (Welcome). Wait to be seated or seat yourself if it’s a casual setting.
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Menu: Menus can be physical or digital (sometimes QR code-based). You can ask for recommendations:
- “Osusume wa nan desu ka?” (What do you recommend?)
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Ordering Drinks:
- To order drinks, you can say the drink name followed by “kudasai” (please). For example, “Beer kudasai” (Beer, please).
- Common drinks include beer (biiru), sake (Japanese rice wine), tea (ocha), and soft drinks.
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Ordering Food:
- Pointing at the menu or using the item name, you can say the dish name + “kudasai” (please).
- Examples: “Sushi kudasai” (Sushi, please), “Tempura onegaishimasu” (Tempura, please).
- For multiple items, say the dish name then “to” (and) to link, e.g., “Sushi to miso shiru onegaishimasu” (Sushi and miso soup, please).
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Asking about ingredients or requests:
- “Nani ga haitteimasu ka?” (What does this have in it?)
- To request no wasabi or less spice, say: “Wasabi nuki de onegaishimasu” (Without wasabi, please).
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Calling the Staff:
- If the staff does not come by, raise your hand slightly or say “Sumimasen” (Excuse me) politely to get attention.
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Paying the bill:
- At the end, ask for the bill by saying “Okanjou onegaishimasu” (Bill, please).
- Payment is usually done at the register rather than the table.
Useful Japanese Phrases for Ordering
| Japanese Phrase | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Irasshaimase | Welcome (greeting) |
| Osusume wa nan desu ka? | What do you recommend? |
| (Dish/Drink) kudasai | (Dish/Drink), please |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry |
| Okanjou onegaishimasu | Bill, please |
| Nani ga haitteimasu ka? | What does this contain? |
| Wasabi nuki de onegaishimasu | Without wasabi, please |
| Mou sukoshi matte kudasai | Please wait a moment |
This guidance equips someone unfamiliar with Japanese restaurant customs to order food and drinks smoothly and politely. The ordering process can vary slightly depending on the formality and style of the restaurant.
If further detail or specific examples of phrases or etiquette are needed, it can be explored as well.