The Complete Guide to Japanese Phrases for Your Favorite Restaurants Abroad
So, you made it to Japan!
Now you’re happily curled up under the kotatsu in your apartment when you feel an urgent grumble in your stomach. You realize: You need some food!
But where to start? 牛丼（ぎゅうどん – beef bowl)？ラーメン（らーめん – ramen)？カレーライス（かれーらいす- curry and rice)？
Even the mere thought of trying to order those dishes holds perils you can’t comprehend.
And the garbled English translations underneath the hiragana and katakana on the menus leaves you wondering just what ingredients lurk in the murky sauces…
Fear not!
Look around—you’ll find a lot of those warm, fuzzy and familiar signs of the good ol’ fast food classics.
So before you dive into 海鮮料理 (かいせん りょうり – super fancy and formal Japanese seafood cuisine) start a little smaller with friends like マクドナルド (まくどなるど – McDonald’s), スターバックス (すたーばっくす – Starbucks) and セブンイレブン (せぶん いれぶん – 7-Eleven).
And don’t let the katakana scare you—all these can be identified by those ubiquitous logos you know and love.
Note: If you’re reading this outside of Japan, then you can use the lessons here to practice Japanese by yourself when you walk into a nearby fast food establishment.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
The Complete Guide to Japanese Restaurant Phrases for Starbucks, McDonald’s and More!
We’re going to start with some basic phrases you’ll find pretty much anywhere you go to order food. Then we’ll get a little more specific about phrases for ordering at certain restaurants. Remember that you can reinforce all these vocabulary words and phrases by hearing them in context, like through the FluentU program.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Click here to check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
Japanese Restaurant Phrases to Learn Before Leaving Your Room
A lot of the fear and embarrassment that comes with venturing into Japanese restaurants is a result of being unprepared.
So, arm yourself with these simple bits of language for smooth navigation!
Pleasantries
Manners maketh the (wo)man, they tell us. You won’t get far in this land without your P’s and Q’s.
こんにちは — Your simple “hello.”
ありがとうございます — Almost anyone can tell you what comes before “Mr. Roboto” if prompted. Make sure you’re saying “thank you!”
。。。ください — This is your basic “please give me” verb at the end of your order.
お願いします (おねがいします) — If you want to be especially polite and humble, this one goes at the end of your order and is more like “if you could do this for me.”
If you’re a real newbie, you’re going to need a little more structural guidance after these beauties to get your Yoda-like sentences down. And in addition…
Key katakana
While those golden arches and green mermaids might be familiar, once you get inside these places you’re going to have trouble getting anything if you haven’t mastered the art of (at least pronouncing) katakana accurately.
Check out this handy-dandy guide to reading katakana first, and then make sure you’re getting those pronunciations right before you take the plunge.
Vocabulary tailored to you
So you might feel a swell of pride once you can smoothly read all the items on the menu…but that’s for another time and place.
For this time and this place, you’re a hungry wanderer with little experience in Japanese—so all you really need to learn are your favorite foods!
Big Mac fan? ビッグマックセット (びっぐまっく せっと – Big Mac combo) is what you’re looking for.
Being thrifty more your style? Go for a １００円 ハンバーガー (ひゃくえん はんばーがー – 100 yen hamburger).
Bonus: If you want to be really prepared when you hit the scene, here are a few (all-Japanese!) resources so you can master your favorites:
- McDonald’s Menu — Take a gander at the バーガーメニュー (ばーがー めにゅー – hamburger menu) to speed up the process once you’re at the restaurant.
- Starbucks’ Menu — Try clicking either ビバレッジメニュー (びばれっじ めにゅー – beverage menu) or フードメニュー (ふーど めにゅー – food menu).
- 7-Eleven Product List — The categories are along the left side, and if you need some kanji help, try a quick-and-easy download of tools like Rikaikun (Chrome).
What’s in your pocket
You’re safely past the ordering gauntlet when…oh, right!
You need to pay that smiling staff.
Make sure you have a basic understanding of Japanese numbers—in the hundreds! The good news is, you likely won’t have to remember anything above １５００円 (せんごひゃく えん), 1500 yen (unless you’ve waited a little longer than you should’ve to pluck up and get in line).
Here’s a great basic resource for putting together the numbers you’ll need to pay.
Start Small: Phrases to Blast Through Japanese Fast Food Lines Like a Pro
Thankfully, a lot of these phrases are going to crop up often in any fast food place or コンビニ (こんびに – convenience store). Wanna hear a few essentials before we dive in? Sure ya do!
いらっしゃいませ！— Welcome!
お待たせしました、どうぞ。 (おまたせしました、どうぞ) — Thanks for waiting, go ahead.
かしこまりました — Got it!/Understood!
店内 (てんない) — Dining in/Eating in the restaurant. You might also hear こちらで (for here) in place of this phrase.
お持ち帰り (おもちかえり) — Take-out/To go
以上でよろしいですか？(いじょうで よろしいですか？) — Will that be all?/Anything else?
お飲物 (おのみもの) — Drink
袋／手さげ袋 (ふくろ／てさげぶくろ) — (Carrier) bag
袋／手さげ袋は結構です。(ふくろ／てさげぶくろ は けっこうです。) — I don’t need a bag.
レシートは結構です。(れしーと は けっこうです。) — I don’t need a receipt.
お会計は、６００円になります。(おかいけいは、ろっぴゃくえんに なります。) — Your total is 600 yen.
レシート／領収書 (れしーと／りょうしゅうしょ) — Receipt
Phrases for Ordering at マクドナルド (まくどなるど – McDonald’s)
While a lot of fast food joints might be singing the same kinds of set phrases, here’s some vocab you’re going to hear at this particular place:
単品で (たんぴんで) — A la carte
セットで (せっとで) — Combo
。。。抜きで (ぬきで) — Without…(pickles, etc.)
フライドポテト (ふらいど ぽてと) — French fries
Now let’s take a look at what a typical visit might sound like, shall we? Let’s eat!
A: いらっしゃいませ！次のお客様（こちらへ）どうぞー。(いらっしゃいませ！つぎの おきゃくさま (こちらへ) どうぞー。)
Welcome! Next customer please.
B: こんにちは。
Hi.
A: ご注文はお決まりですか？(ごちゅうもんは おきまりですか？)
Have you decided on your order?
B: はい、ビッグマックをひとつとフライドポテト、Mサイズで。(はい、びっぐまっくをひとつと ふらいどぽてと、えむさいず で。)
Yes, one Big Mac and a medium order of fries.
A: セットでよろしいですか？それとも単品で？(せっとで よろしいですか？それとも たんぴんで？)
Combo? Or a la carte?
B: あっ、セットでお願いします。(あっ、せっとで おねがいします。)
Oh, a combo please.
A: お飲物は？(おのみものは？)
And to drink?
B: コーラで。あと、ケッチャップつけてもらえますか？(こーら で。あと、けっちゃっぷ つけてもらえますか？)
A coke. And could you put in some ketchup?
A: ケッチャップですね。店内でお召し上がりですか？お持ち帰りですか？(けっちゃっぷ ですね。てんないで おめしあがり ですか？おもちかえり ですか？)
Ketchup, of course. Will you be eating in? Taking out?
B: 持ち帰りで。（もちかえりで。）
Taking out.
A: かしこまりました。お会計は、７６０円になります。(かしこまりました。おかいけいは、ななひゃくろくじゅうえん になります。)
Got it. Your total is 760 yen.
B: (Give １０００円 – せん えん)
(Give 100 yen)
A: １０００円からお預かりします。。。２４０円のお返しです。脇にずれて少々お待ちくださいませ。(せんえんから おあずかりします。。。にひゃくよんじゅうえんの おかえしです。わきに ずれて、しょうしょう おまちくださいませ。)
I’ll take care of this 1000 yen for you…240 yen is your change. Please step to the side and wait a moment.
Phrases for Ordering at スターバックス (すたーばっくす – Starbucks)
A little local tidbit: If you’re ever hanging out with some younger Japanese friends, you might try shortening the pronunciation to スタバ (すたば) and watching heads turn!
Here’s a few bites of vocabulary you’ll definitely need in any brave Starbucks encounter.
ホットとアイス (ほっと と あいす) — Hot or iced
サイズ (さいず) — Size
ショート (しょーと) — Short
トール (とーる) —Tall
グランデ (ぐらんで) — Grande
ベンティ (べんてぃ) — Venti
マッグカップと紙カップ (まっぐかっぷ と かみかっぷ) — Mug or paper cup
お茶 (おちゃ) — Tea
Here’s what you might encounter when you step up to the counter. (Any of these phrases look familiar?)
A: いらっしゃいませ！次のお客様 (こちらへ) どうぞー。(いらっしゃいませ！つぎの おきゃくさま (こちらへ) どうぞー。)
Welcome! Next customer please.
B: こんにちは。
Hello.
A: こちらでお召し上がりですか？お持ち帰りですか？(こちらで おめしあがり ですか？おもちかえり ですか？)
Are you eating here, or taking out?
B: こちらで。
Eating here.
A: お飲み物はいかがでしょうか？(おのみものは いかがでしょうか？)
Would you like a drink?
B: カフェモカ、ショートサイズでお願いします。(かふぇもか、しょーと さいずで おねがいします。)
A cafe mocha, short, please.
A: ホットとアイスはどちらがよろしいですか？(ほっと と あいすは どちらが よろしいですか？)
Hot or iced?
B: ホットで。あと、シュガードーナツを一つください。(ほっとで。あと、しゅがーどーなつ をひとつ ください。)
Hot, please. And one sugar doughnut, please.
A: 以上でよろしいですか？(いじょうで よろしい ですか？)
Will that be all?
B: はい。
Yes.
A: かしこまりました。お会計は、６００円になります。(かしこまりました。おかいけいは、ろっぴゃくえんに なります。)
Got it. Your total is 600 yen.
B: (gives exact change)
A: ちょうどお預かりします。レシート。。。(ちょうど おあずかりします。れしーと。。。)
I’ll collect the exact amount. Your receipt…
B: あっ、レシートは結構です。(あっ、れしーとは けっこうです。)
Oh, I don’t need the receipt.
A: かしこまりました。列をずれて、少々お待ちくださいませ。(かしこまりました。れつをずれて、しょうしょう おまちくださいませ。)
Got it. Please step aside and wait a moment.
Phrases for Ordering at セブンイレブン (せぶん いれぶん – 7-Eleven)
Now listen up—this and several other コンビニ (こんびに – convenience stores) are going to be the best friends you never knew you needed in Japan.
They’re found at just about every corner (sometimes directly across the street from one another, which begs the question, how in the world do they all compete?) and they’ll be your go-to for some quick refueling.
ポイントカードをお持ちでしょうか？(ぽいんとかーどを おもちでしょうか？) — Do you have a point card?
温めますか？(あたためますか？) — Shall I heat this up?
シールでよろしいですか？(しーるで よろしいですか？) — Is just a sticker okay?
袋はいりません。(ふくろは いりません。) — I don’t need a bag.
Hungry? Time to chow down in the most quick and easy way around!
A: いらっしゃいませ！次のお客様 (こちらへ) どうぞー。 (いらっしゃいませ！(つぎの おきゃくさま (こちらへ) どうぞー。)
Welcome! Next customer please.
B: (Puts items on counter) これでお願いします。(これで おねがいします。)
Just these, if you please.
A: (Gestures to curry rice) カレーライスを温めますか？(かれーらいすを あたためますか？)
Shall I heat up your curry and rice?
B: はい、お願いします。(はい、おねがいします。)
Yes, please.
A: お会計は、５６０円になります。ポイントカードをお持ちでしょうか？(おかいけいは、ごひゃくろくじゅうえんに なります。ぽいんとかーどを おもちでしょうか？)
Your total is 560 yen. Do you have a point card?
B: 持ってないです。(もってないです。)
No, I don’t.
A: １０００円からお預かりします。４４０円のお返しです。(せんえんから おあずかりします。よんひゃくよんじゅうえんの おかえしです。)
I’ll collect your 1000 yen. 440 yen is your change.
B: レシートは結構です。(れしーとは けっこうです。)
I don’t need my receipt.
A: ありがとうございました。またお越しくださいませ。(ありがとうございました。また おこしくださいませ。)
Thank you very much, please come again.
Or, if you’re just grabbing a little snack:
A: お待たせしました、どうぞ。(おまたせしました、どうぞ。)
Thanks for waiting, go ahead.
B: 牛肉コロッケを一つください。(ぎゅうにくころっけをひとつ ください。)
One beef croquette, please.
A: ソースは付けましょうか？(そーすは つけましょうか？)
Shall I attach some sauce?
B: はい。
Yes.
A: シールでよろしいですか？(しーるで よろしいですか？)
Are you okay with just a sticker?
B: はい。
Yes.
A: お会計は。。。(おかいけいは。。。)
Your total is…
Starting to get the idea? Fairly simple right?
There’s no question you’ll be able to conquer any ファストフード (ふぁすとふーど – fast food) adventure you undertake with this little cheat sheet under your belt.
Now pluck up, suit up, gear up and 頑張ってね！(がんばってね！- good luck!)
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
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FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:
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All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
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