Are you thinking of working in a Japanese restaurant?

Restaurants are popular and easy to start for first-time workers in Japan. However, Japanese restaurants have a polite culture and there are many things to learn.

This article will introduce you to the phrases you must know when working in a Japanese restaurant and how to deal with customers in different situations.

Customer Entering the Restaurant

・いらっしゃいませ “irasshaimase”

Meaning: Welcome / Thank you for coming.

First of all, when a customer enters a store, we say “irasshaimase” as a greeting. Depending on the style of the restaurant, you may say こんにちは (Hello / Hi) or there might be original greeting.

・ご予約（よやく）されていますか？ “go-yoyaku-sarete-imasu-ka”

Meaning: Do you have a reservation?

Check to see if your customer has a reservation.

・ただいま満席（まんせき）です “tadaima-manseki-desu”

Meaning: We are full now.

Used when the restaurant is full and you have to turn down a customer. It will be polite to say 申し訳ございません “mou-si-wake-gozai-mase-n" before the sentence.

Seating

・お好（す）きなお席（せき）にどうぞ “osuki-na-oseki-ni-douzo”

Meaning: Your choice of seating.

Used when you don't need to assign a seat to a customer.

・お席（せき）にご案内（あんない）します “o-seki-ni-go-annai-si-masu”

Meaning: Show you to your seat.

Say when a customer is seated and you take them to their seat. Also ok to only say ご案内します（I'll take you） “go-annai-si-masu".

Order

・ご注文（ちゅうもん）お伺（うかが）いします “go-tyuumon-o-ukagai-si-masu”

Meaning: May I take your order?

Say before taking orders. Also ok to only say お伺いします “o-ukagai-si-masu”.

・以上（いじょう）でよろしいですか？ “izyou-de-yorosii-desu-ka”

Meaning: Will that be all?

Confirm when your customer's order is done. It will be polite to say ありがとうございます “arigatou-gozaimasu" after asking.

Serving Dish

・失礼（しつれい）します “siturei-si-masu”

Meaning: Excuse me.

Say it before you serve the food. Especially, when you want the customer to move a little or serve food from the back.

・お待（ま）たせしました “o-ma-tase-si-masi-ta”

Meaning: Thank you for waiting.

Say it when you serve the dish, regardless of the time the customer wait.

Bussing

・あいているお皿（さら）お下（さ）げします “ai te iru o sara o sa ge si masu”

Meaning: I`ll take down the empty plates.

Say it when you take the dish.

・こちらをお下（さ）げしてもよろしいですか？ “kotira-wo-osage-site-mo-yorosii-desuka”

Meaning: May I clear your plates? / Are you done?

Check when you are not sure if it's okay to take the plate.

Check

・お会計（かいけい）お席（せき）までおもちします “o-kaikei-oseki-ma-de-o-mo-ti-si-masu”

Meaning: I'll bring the bill to your table.

Used when the bill is at the table.

・お会計（かいけい）はこちらでお願（ねが）いします “o-kaikei-ha-kotira-de-o-negai-si-masu”

Meaning: Please pay over here.

Used when the bill is at the register or entrance.

Customer Leaving the Restaurant

・またのご来店（らいてん）お待（ま）ちしております “matano-go-raiten-o-ma-ti-si-te-ori-masu”

Meaning: Please come again!

Saying it in addition to ありがとうございました "thank you" makes a great impression!

Also ok to only say またお待ちしております “mata-omati-si-te-ori-masu".

Extra Useful Phrases

・かしこまりました “kasikomari-masi-ta”

Meaning: Yes sir / Yes, certainly.

Polite way to say わかりました（I understand / Ok）.

・少々（しょうしょう）お待（ま）ちください “syousyou-o-ma-ti-kudasai”

Meaning: Please wait a moment.

・持（も）ち帰（かえ）り “mo-ti-kae-ri”

Meaning: Take-out

※お通（とお）し “o-too-si”

Meaning: Table charge / Service dish

Some Japanese restaurants, especially izakaya (Japanese style pubs), serve a small dish called お通し, which is like a table charge. The dishes to be served and the prices are fixed by the restaurant and apply to all customers.

Since this is a uniquely Japanese culture, it is often confusing to foreign customers, so be able to explain it!

Ready to Work in a Japanese Restaurant?

Guidable introduces many restaurant jobs in Japan. Also introduce useful information for work and life in Japan on Instagram. Please check it!

How many phrases did you know? Phrases used when working in a restaurant are not easily learned in college classes or Japanese language learning tools.

Please read this article repeatedly to master it!