Japan Food Ordering Phrases: What to Say at a Restaurant
Contents
- 1. Quick reference: useful phrases for ordering food in Japan
- 2. Order an item and say how many you want
- 3. Drinks, sizes and common menu words
- 4. Understand questions from restaurant staff
- 5. Explain allergies and dietary requirements clearly
- 6. Ask for the bill and clarify payment
- 7. An example using udon
- 8. Frequently asked questions
- 9. More listening and planning resources
Ordering in Japan can be simple: point to an item on the menu and say its name followed by kudasai (ください), or use onegaishimasu (お願いします) to make a polite request. To ask for the bill, say okaikei, onegaishimasu (お会計、お願いします). If you want separate bills, say betsubetsu de onegaishimasu (別々でお願いします). These expressions appear in the Japan Foundation’s learning materials for restaurant situations (Starter lesson and Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026).
A few extra words can help you understand menu labels, quantities and questions from staff. The examples below are practical language-learning phrases, not a guarantee that a particular restaurant offers an item or can meet a dietary requirement. Menus, prices, payment arrangements and ordering procedures depend on the individual restaurant, so check its menu and instructions.
Quick reference: useful phrases for ordering food in Japan
Start with the name of the item you want, then add kudasai. For a simple request such as water, omizu, onegaishimasu (お水、お願いします) is another useful option from the Japan Foundation’s examples. If you have a dietary restriction or need separate payment, use the phrases as a starting point and confirm the details with the restaurant.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning and use |
|---|---|---|
| ください | kudasai | “Please give me…”; put it after the item you want |
| お願いします | onegaishimasu | “Please”; a polite way to make a request |
| お水 | omizu | Water |
| お会計、お願いします | okaikei, onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
| 別々でお願いします | betsubetsu de onegaishimasu | Separately, please; a request for separate bills |
| アレルギーがあるので、食べられないんです | arerugii ga aru node, taberarenain desu | I cannot eat it because I have an allergy |
The readings in the table are practical pronunciation aids, not a substitute for a clear explanation when the details matter. In particular, the general allergy sentence does not identify the ingredient, describe the seriousness of a reaction or establish that a dish is safe. For a dietary restriction, JNTO recommends carrying a written Japanese explanation and discussing your requirements with the restaurant; a dish name by itself does not confirm that it meets them (JNTO vegetarian guide, checked 4 November 2026).
It can help to save the Japanese characters and reading for the phrases you expect to use. You can then say the phrase, show it on your phone, or point to a menu item while making the request. JNTO also recommends learning short, everyday Japanese expressions before travel and provides information about multilingual travel pamphlets (JNTO Japanese-language guide).
Order an item and say how many you want
The basic pattern is item name + kudasai. Japan Foundation’s Starter lesson uses chiizu baagaa kudasai (チーズバーガーください), meaning “A cheeseburger, please,” and edamame futatsu kudasai (枝豆2つください), meaning “Two portions of edamame, please” (Japan Foundation Starter lesson; source research recorded 4 November 2026). These examples show how to combine an item with a quantity; they do not establish a restaurant’s serving size.
| Example | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| チーズバーガーください | chiizu baagaa kudasai | A cheeseburger, please |
| 枝豆2つください | edamame futatsu kudasai | Two portions of edamame, please |
| お水、お願いします | omizu, onegaishimasu | Water, please |
If the menu has a photograph or the item name is written in Japanese, use it to make your request clearer. Point to the specific listing and say the item name if you can; if you are unsure how to read it, showing the written name is still useful. Ask staff to confirm when the quantity, size or ingredients matter, rather than assuming that a number or picture explains every detail.
The menu may distinguish tanpin (単品), an individual item ordered on its own, from setto (セット), a set or combination. Check the actual listing to see what the set includes and what price is shown before choosing. The Japan Foundation’s teaching examples explain these labels but are not current prices at a real restaurant, so they should not be used to estimate a meal budget.
The words ryou (量, quantity or amount) and tsugi (次回, next time) also appear in the Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson. Recognising them may help when a menu or explanation refers to an amount or a later visit, but the core ordering pattern remains the same: identify the item, state the amount you want if needed, and check the restaurant’s response.
Drinks, sizes and common menu words
Recognising a few menu labels can make it easier to choose a drink, size or type of meal. The Japan Foundation’s Starter lesson includes hot coffee, iced coffee, oolong tea, drink and dessert categories, and S, M and L size labels (Japan Foundation Starter lesson; source research recorded 4 November 2026). The available choices, combinations and prices depend on the restaurant.
| Menu word | Reading | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| ホットコーヒー | hotto koohii | Hot coffee | Whether a size or set is offered |
| アイスコーヒー | aisu koohii | Iced coffee | The available drink options |
| ウーロン茶 | uuroncha | Oolong tea | The specific drink menu |
| ドリンク | dorinku | Drink or drinks category | Which drinks are available |
| デザート | dezaato | Dessert category | The particular item and its ingredients |
| S / M / L | small / medium / large | Size labels | Which size you want |
| 単品 / セット | tanpin / setto | Individual item / set | What is included and the listed price |
Size labels give you a useful starting point, but check the menu or ask staff if the distinction matters. The labels do not tell you the exact volume or portion at every restaurant. Similarly, dorinku and dezaato identify menu categories rather than a particular product, so look for the specific option before ordering.
The Japan Foundation’s Elementary 2 restaurant lesson includes several other useful labels. Teishoku (定食) is a set-meal category, while higawari (日替わり) indicates that an offering changes by day. Oomori (大盛り) means a larger serving, and heijitsu nomi (平日のみ) indicates that an offer applies only on weekdays (Japan Foundation Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026).
You may also see okawari jiyuu (おかわり自由), a sign that refills are available. Check with staff which item the sign applies to and under what conditions rather than assuming it covers everything you order. These labels help you interpret a menu, but the restaurant’s own wording and instructions determine what is included.
Understand questions from restaurant staff
Staff may ask politely whether you have decided or what you would like. Recognising the question gives you a chance to answer with the item name and your request instead of feeling that you need to understand every word in a longer exchange. The following expressions are included in the Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson (Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026).
| What you may hear | Reading | General meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ご注文 | go-chuumon | Order, expressed politely |
| お決まりですか | okimari desu ka | Have you decided? |
| いかがですか | ikaga desu ka | How is it? / What would you like? depending on context |
| どうなさいますか | dou nasaimasu ka | What would you like to do? |
| ございます | gozaimasu | A polite form of “there is” or “we have” |
If you hear okimari desu ka and are ready, name the item you want and add kudasai. If you have not decided, you can look at the menu before answering; the phrase itself is a question about whether your choice is settled. Ikaga desu ka can mean different things depending on the surrounding conversation, so use the menu, gestures and context to work out what staff are asking.
When you do not understand an option, show the written item or point to it and ask staff to confirm what you are ordering. Do not assume that a familiar-sounding label explains every ingredient or the contents of a set. If an answer affects an allergy or another important requirement, make that requirement explicit rather than relying on a general description.
Takamatsu City’s multilingual restaurant examples include saki ni chuumon shite kudasai (先に注文してください), meaning “Please order first,” and serufu saabisu (セルフサービス), meaning self-service (Takamatsu City restaurant expressions, checked 4 November 2026). Follow the specific restaurant’s signs and directions. These expressions are useful for understanding a stated procedure, but they do not mean that every restaurant uses the same ordering method.
Explain allergies and dietary requirements clearly
Tell the restaurant the specific ingredient or restriction you need to avoid, then ask whether the meal can meet that requirement. The Japan Foundation’s example arerugii ga aru node, taberarenain desu (アレルギーがあるので、食べられないんです) communicates that you cannot eat something because you have an allergy. It is a starting expression, not a complete account of every allergy or the seriousness of a reaction (Japan Foundation Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026).
JNTO recommends carrying a card written in Japanese that explains dietary restrictions. Prepare wording that reflects your own requirements, show it to staff before ordering and ask whether the restaurant can accommodate them (JNTO vegetarian guide, checked 4 November 2026). A vegetarian-sounding dish name, for example, does not by itself establish that all its ingredients or its preparation meet your needs. The same principle applies to any restriction: confirm the actual meal with the restaurant.
A careful approach is to:
- Write down the exact restriction. Identify the ingredient or condition you need to explain, rather than relying on the general word “allergy” or “vegetarian.”
- Show the explanation before ordering. Give staff a chance to respond before you choose a dish.
- Ask about the specific menu item. Point to the proposed item or name it so the discussion concerns the meal you are considering.
- Confirm that you understand the answer. If the response is unclear, ask again or choose only when you understand whether the restaurant can meet your requirement.
- Repeat the check at each restaurant. An answer from one venue does not establish what another venue uses or how it prepares food.
If the restaurant cannot confirm whether a dish meets your requirements, do not treat the name of the dish as proof that it is suitable. A written card can make the question clearer, but it cannot guarantee that a restaurant can accommodate every restriction. For related planning, the existing JGO! guides include topics on food allergies, halal food and restaurant etiquette; check the current information for the restaurant you plan to visit.
Ask for the bill and clarify payment
To request the bill, say okaikei, onegaishimasu (お会計、お願いします). If you want separate bills, say betsubetsu de onegaishimasu (別々でお願いします). The Japan Foundation’s lesson also includes goissho de yoroshii desu ka (ごいっしょでよろしいですか), a staff question checking whether the bill will be paid together (Japan Foundation Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026).
| Situation | Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask for the bill | お会計、お願いします | okaikei, onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
| Ask to pay separately | 別々でお願いします | betsubetsu de onegaishimasu | Separately, please |
| Staff asks about one bill | ごいっしょでよろしいですか | goissho de yoroshii desu ka | Will you pay together? |
If staff ask goissho de yoroshii desu ka, they are checking whether the bill will be together. You can use betsubetsu de onegaishimasu to request separate payment, but do not assume that every restaurant can split a bill. Payment location and accepted methods also vary by restaurant, so ask staff if you are unsure where to pay or which method the shop accepts.
Takamatsu City’s examples include kakaku niwa shouhizei ga fukumarete imasu (価格には消費税が含まれています), indicating that consumption tax is included in the displayed price (Takamatsu City restaurant expressions, checked 4 November 2026). Read the actual menu and ask the shop about any amount that is unclear; this example does not establish how every restaurant displays its prices.
An example using udon
Takamatsu City’s multilingual restaurant expressions include several udon names and ways to refer to the number of noodle portions (Takamatsu City restaurant expressions, checked 4 November 2026). The vocabulary can help you recognise a menu listing, but it is not a promise that every restaurant serves these dishes or uses the same portion sizes.
| Menu item or sign | Reading | Meaning in the city’s examples |
|---|---|---|
| わかめうどん | wakame udon | Udon with wakame seaweed |
| きつねうどん | kitsune udon | Udon with fried tofu |
| 釜玉うどん | kamatama udon | Udon using egg |
| カレーうどん | karee udon | Udon with curry |
| 1玉 / 2玉 / 3玉 | hitotama / futatama / mittama | One, two or three portions of noodles in the example |
To request a listed item, point to the menu and add kudasai if you can. If you want a particular noodle quantity, check the shop’s menu and confirm the amount with staff; the terms above identify quantities in the city’s examples but do not establish the serving size at another restaurant. If a dish contains an ingredient you need to avoid, explain the exact restriction and ask staff rather than treating the short English description as a full ingredient or preparation list.
The same city resource includes saki ni chuumon shite kudasai (先に注文してください), an instruction to order first, and serufu saabisu (セルフサービス), meaning self-service. Follow the signs and instructions at the shop you are visiting. Check the actual menu for prices and the restaurant’s directions for how its service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is a simple way to order food in Japanese?
Say the item name followed by kudasai (ください), as in chiizu baagaa kudasai (チーズバーガーください), “A cheeseburger, please.” Japan Foundation’s Starter lesson also uses onegaishimasu (お願いします) as a polite request, including omizu, onegaishimasu (お水、お願いします), “Water, please” (Japan Foundation Starter lesson; source research recorded 4 November 2026). If the menu has a written name or picture, point to the item as you speak so staff can see which option you mean.
For drinks, the lesson includes options such as ホットコーヒー (hot coffee), アイスコーヒー (iced coffee), and ウーロン茶 (oolong tea), which you can name in your request. If you want a combination rather than one item, use セット; 単品 means a single item rather than a set.
How do I ask for the bill?
Say okaikei, onegaishimasu (お会計、お願いします), meaning “The bill, please.” This expression appears in Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson (Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026). Ask staff where to pay if the payment location is unclear, because the procedure depends on the restaurant.
If a staff member asks ごいっしょでよろしいですか, they are checking whether the bill should be handled together. This is a question about combining payment, not about where you should pay.
How do I ask for separate bills?
Say betsubetsu de onegaishimasu (別々でお願いします), meaning “Separately, please.” The phrase communicates your request, but it does not guarantee that the restaurant can split the bill. If the arrangement matters, confirm with staff rather than assuming separate payment is available.
Staff may ask ごいっしょでよろしいですか to check whether you want the bill handled together. You can use 別々でお願いします in response to make your preference clear.
What do tanpin and setto mean?
Tanpin (単品) means an individual item ordered on its own, while setto (セット) means a set or combination in the Japan Foundation’s Starter material (Japan Foundation Starter lesson; source research recorded 4 November 2026). Read the particular menu to see what is included in a set and what price is shown. The teaching examples are not current prices at real restaurants.
How should I explain an allergy or dietary restriction?
Prepare a written Japanese explanation of your specific requirement and show it to staff before ordering. JNTO recommends carrying a Japanese dietary card, and cautions that a dish name alone does not establish whether a meal meets your needs (JNTO vegetarian guide, checked 4 November 2026). Ask about the specific item and choose only when you understand the restaurant’s answer; repeat the check at each venue.
What does okawari jiyuu mean?
Okawari jiyuu (おかわり自由) indicates that refills are available in the Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson (Elementary 2, Lesson 3; source research recorded 4 November 2026). Ask which item the sign applies to and under what conditions, rather than assuming that every part of the meal can be refilled. The menu or staff can clarify what the offer covers at that restaurant.
More listening and planning resources
The Japan Foundation’s Irodori materials provide the core ordering examples used in this guide: Starter Lesson 6 and Elementary 2, Lesson 3. Takamatsu City’s multilingual restaurant expressions add examples for udon, self-service and displayed prices. JNTO’s Japanese-language information and vegetarian guide offer further preparation for travel and dietary conversations.
These videos are additional listening resources identified in the original guide; they are not official sources for the factual explanations above:
- TabiEats: restaurant-ordering phrases
- Ninjapanese: survival Japanese for ordering food
- INARI JAPANESE: fast-food ordering phrases
- Learnjapanesedaily: food-ordering phrases for beginners
- Inku Japanese: ordering phrases and replies
- Holiday Travel Japan: izakaya food and drink phrases (listed with Chinese-language metadata)
- Easy Japanese Listening Lab: restaurant listening practice (listed with Chinese-language metadata)
Related JGO! guides include Akihabara Guide: Anime, Electronics and Planning Your Visit, Aomori Nebuta Festival: Dates, Seats and Haneto Guide, Atsuta Jingu: Shrine Access, Museums and Prices, Awa Odori Festival: Tokushima Dates and Tickets, Bento Guide: Buying and Enjoying Japan’s Train Lunches and Beppu Food Guide: Toriten, Reimen and Jigoku-mushi. Open Japan in Google Maps if you want to explore locations.
