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.
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.
Meaning: Do you have a reservation?
Check to see if your customer has a reservation.
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.
Meaning: Your choice of seating.
Used when you don't need to assign a seat to a customer.
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".
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”.
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.
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.
Meaning: Thank you for waiting.
Say it when you serve the dish, regardless of the time the customer wait.
Meaning: I`ll take down the empty plates.
Say it when you take the dish.
Meaning: May I clear your plates? / Are you done?
Check when you are not sure if it's okay to take the plate.
Meaning: I'll bring the bill to your table.
Used when the bill is at the table.
Meaning: Please pay over here.
Used when the bill is at the register or entrance.
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".
Meaning: Yes sir / Yes, certainly.
Polite way to say わかりました(I understand / Ok).
Meaning: Please wait a moment.
Meaning: Take-out
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!
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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!
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