Chapter 18 — Food, Restaurants, and Shopping

This chapter is different from most chapters in this book. It is not built around a single grammar pattern. It is built around situations — the things you need to understand and say when you eat at a restaurant, buy something at a shop, or talk about food. The grammar is minimal: one new expression (～にします) and a handful of set phrases. The bulk of the chapter is vocabulary and practical phrases that function as units.

Situational language is important because it follows scripts. A restaurant interaction in Japan follows a predictable sequence: you enter, you are greeted, you are seated, you order, you eat, you pay, you leave. Each step has standard phrases. If you know the script, you can navigate the situation even when your grammar is limited. This chapter gives you the script.

18.1 Restaurant Entry and Seating

When you enter a restaurant in Japan, the staff will greet you. The exchange follows a fixed pattern. Most of what the staff says, you only need to recognize — you do not need to produce it.

いらっしゃいませ — Welcome

The moment you step through the door, you will hear:

いらっしゃいませ。

This means "Welcome" and is said by every shop and restaurant employee in Japan. It is a highly polite imperative form of the verb いらっしゃる, which itself is an honorific verb meaning "to come / to go / to be." You do not need to understand the grammar behind it. You do not need to respond to it. It is a one-directional greeting from staff to customer. Simply acknowledge it and wait to be addressed further.

You will also hear いらっしゃいませ when entering any shop — convenience stores, department stores, bookstores. It is universal in Japanese customer service.

なんめいさまですか — How many in your party?

The host will ask how many people are in your group:

何なん名めい様さまですか。

This means "How many people?" The word 何名様 is the honorific form of 何人なんにん (how many people). The 様さま suffix is the ultra-polite version of さん. Again, you only need to recognize this question.

Your answer uses the counter にん for people, which you learned in Chapter 7:

一人ひとりです。 — One person. 二人ふたりです。 — Two people. 三人さんにんです。 — Three people. 四人よにんです。 — Four people.

If the restaurant has different seating options, the staff may ask:

カウンターと テーブル、どちらが いいですか。 "Counter or table — which do you prefer?"

カウンターで おねがいします。 — Counter, please. テーブルで おねがいします。 — Table, please.

In some older or smaller restaurants, you may be asked about smoking sections:

喫煙きつえんと 禁煙きんえん、どちらが いいですか。 "Smoking or non-smoking — which do you prefer?"

禁煙で おねがいします。 — Non-smoking, please.

The word 喫煙 means "smoking" (literally "inhale-smoke") and 禁煙 means "non-smoking" (literally "prohibit-smoke"). Since 2020, indoor smoking in restaurants has been largely banned in Japan by law, so this question is increasingly rare. But you may still encounter it.

18.2 Ordering

Once you are seated and have looked at the menu (メニュー), you are ready to order. This section covers the phrases that make up the ordering interaction.

Calling the waiter

If the waiter does not come to you, raise your hand slightly and say:

すみません。

You already know this word from earlier chapters. In a restaurant, it functions as "Excuse me" — a polite way to get the server's attention. Many restaurants also have a call button (呼よび出だしボタン) at each table.

Signaling that you want to order

注文ちゅうもんを おねがいします。 "I'd like to order, please."

The word 注文 means "order" (as a noun). With を おねがいします, this is a standard request formula. Some speakers shorten this to 注文 おねがいします, dropping the を — this is natural in spoken Japanese.

Ordering items: ～を おねがいします

The simplest way to order is:

[item]を おねがいします。

Examples:

ラーメンを おねがいします。 "Ramen, please."

天てんぷらを おねがいします。 "Tempura, please."

ビールを おねがいします。 "A beer, please."

You can also use ください instead of おねがいします:

ラーメンを ください。 "Ramen, please."

Both are polite. おねがいします is slightly softer and more common in restaurant settings. ください is a direct request ("please give me"). Either is perfectly appropriate.

Ordering multiple items

Chain items with と (and):

ラーメンと ぎょうざを おねがいします。 "Ramen and gyoza, please."

コーヒーと ケーキを おねがいします。 "Coffee and cake, please."

～にします — I'll have ~ / I'll go with ~

When you have been deciding between options and want to announce your choice, use:

～にします。

This literally means "I will make it ~" or "I will decide on ~." It is used when the act of choosing is part of the context — when the waiter is waiting for your decision, or when someone has asked what you want.

わたしは ラーメンに します。 "I'll have the ramen."

飲のみ物ものは コーヒーに します。 "For my drink, I'll go with coffee."

やっぱり うどんに します。 "Actually, I'll go with udon." (やっぱり = "on second thought / actually")

The particle に here marks the target of the decision. します is the polite form of する. Together, にします is a set expression for decision-making. You will hear it constantly in daily life — not just in restaurants, but anywhere someone announces a choice.

Compare:

コーヒーを おねがいします。 — "Coffee, please." (neutral request) コーヒーに します。 — "I'll go with coffee." (announcing a decision)

The difference is subtle. Both result in you getting coffee. But にします carries the nuance of "I've made my choice."

Asking about the menu

If you see something on the menu and want to ask what it is:

これは なんですか。 "What is this?"

If you want a recommendation:

おすすめは なんですか。 "What do you recommend?"

The word おすすめ means "recommendation." It comes from the verb 勧すすめる (to recommend).

18.3 During the Meal

Requesting water

In most Japanese restaurants, water (お水みず) or tea (お茶ちゃ) is provided free of charge. If you need more:

お水 ください。 "Water, please."

お茶 ください。 "Tea, please."

The お prefix on 水 and 茶 is a politeness marker. You learned about this prefix in earlier chapters. In restaurant contexts, お水 and お茶 are the standard forms.

Requesting extras

箸はし ください。 "Chopsticks, please."

スプーン ください。 "A spoon, please."

フォーク ください。 "A fork, please."

ナイフ ください。 "A knife, please."

お皿さら ください。 "A plate, please."

おかわり — Refill / Second helping

The word おかわり means "another helping" or "a refill." It is a noun.

おかわり おねがいします。 "Another helping, please."

ご飯はんの おかわり おねがいします。 "Another serving of rice, please."

In many restaurants, rice refills are free (おかわり 自由じゆう — "free refills," where 自由 means "freedom/free"). You may see this written on the menu or on a sign.

During the meal: set phrases

Two phrases are used at the beginning and end of every meal in Japan. They are cultural rituals, not optional niceties.

Before eating:

いただきます。

This is said before the first bite. It expresses gratitude for the food — to the cook, to the person who paid, and in a broader sense, to the ingredients themselves. It comes from the humble verb いただく (to receive humbly). You do not need to analyze the grammar. Say it before you eat.

After eating:

ごちそうさまでした。

This is said when you finish your meal. It means something like "That was a feast" or "Thank you for the meal." ごちそう means "a feast" or "a treat," and さまでした is a polite past-tense ending. In casual settings among friends, the shorter ごちそうさま is also used.

These two phrases are used in homes, restaurants, school cafeterias — anywhere food is eaten. They are among the most important cultural expressions in daily Japanese life.

18.4 Paying

When you are ready to leave, you need to ask for the bill.

Asking for the check

お会計かいけい おねがいします。 "Check, please."

The word お会計 means "the bill" or "the check" (with the お politeness prefix). In casual speech, you may also hear おあいそ, which is a slang term for the bill used in some traditional restaurants. Stick with お会計 — it works everywhere.

In many Japanese restaurants, you pay at the register near the entrance (レジ), not at the table. The waiter will bring a slip (伝票でんぴょう) to your table, and you take it to the register to pay.

Splitting the bill

別々べつべつで おねがいします。 "Separately, please." (Each person pays for what they ordered.)

一緒いっしょで おねがいします。 "Together, please." (One bill for the whole table.)

The word 別々 means "separately" — it is a repetition of 別べつ (separate, different). The word 一緒 means "together." Both take で here, marking the manner of payment.

Payment method

カードで いいですか。 "Is card okay?"

現金げんきんだけですか。 "Cash only?"

The word カード refers to credit or debit cards. 現金 means "cash." The word だけ means "only."

In Japan, cash is still widely used, though card and electronic payment (電子でんしマネー) have become much more common in recent years. It is always worth checking.

If the cashier confirms:

はい、カード 大丈夫だいじょうぶです。 "Yes, card is fine."

すみません、現金だけです。 "Sorry, cash only."

18.5 Shopping

Shopping interactions follow a similar script to restaurant interactions. You enter, you are greeted with いらっしゃいませ, you browse, you ask about items, you decide, and you pay.

Asking the price

これは いくらですか。 "How much is this?"

その かばんは いくらですか。 "How much is that bag?"

You already know いくら and the number system from Chapter 7. This is review. The response will be a number followed by 円えん:

三千さんぜん円えんです。 — "It's 3,000 yen."

Asking to see something

それを 見みせてください。 "Please show me that."

The verb 見みせる (to show) is a 一段 verb. 見せてください is its て-form + ください — "please show me." You use it when an item is behind a counter or in a display case.

Deciding to buy

これを ください。 "I'll take this, please."

これに します。 "I'll go with this." (Using the にします decision expression from 18.2.)

Commenting on price

ちょっと 高たかいです。 "It's a bit expensive."

The word ちょっと means "a little" or "a bit." Combined with 高たかい (expensive), this is a gentle way of saying the price is too high. It may prompt the shopkeeper to suggest alternatives.

Asking for something cheaper

もう 少すこし 安やすいのは ありますか。 "Do you have something a bit cheaper?"

Let us break this sentence down:

• もう 少すこし — "a little more" (もう = "more, further"; 少し = "a little")
• 安やすいの — "a cheap one" (の replaces a noun, as you learned in Chapter 5 — 安いの = "a cheap one")
• は — topic marker
• ありますか — "is there?" / "do you have?"

This is a useful sentence pattern for any shopping situation. You can replace 安い with other adjectives:

もう 少し 大おおきいのは ありますか。 "Do you have something a little bigger?"

もう 少し 小ちいさいのは ありますか。 "Do you have something a little smaller?"

Declining politely

If you decide not to buy:

ちょっと 考かんがえます。 "I'll think about it." (A polite way to decline.)

大丈夫だいじょうぶです。 "I'm fine." (A polite refusal.)

18.6 Food Vocabulary

Below are approximately 30 food-related words organized by category. Pitch accent is marked with the standard notation from this book.

Staples

Protein

Vegetables and Fruit

Drinks

Common Dishes

Taste Adjectives

These are all い-adjectives. You can conjugate them using the system from Chapter 13.

Note on しょっぱい and しおからい: both mean "salty." しょっぱい is more colloquial and common in eastern Japan (including Tokyo). しおからい is the standard/literary form. You will encounter both. They are interchangeable in meaning.

Together with おいしい (delicious) and まずい (bad-tasting) from Chapter 13, you now have the full set of basic taste vocabulary.

18.7 Meal Vocabulary

Japanese has specific words for each meal of the day. These are compounds built on ごはん (meal/rice):

The first three follow a transparent pattern: time of day + ご飯はん. 朝あさ is "morning," 昼ひる is "noon/daytime," and 晩ばん is "evening." The word 夕食ゆうしょく uses different kanji readings and is found in slightly more formal contexts — hotels, printed schedules, formal announcements.

You may also encounter:

Example sentences:

朝あさご飯はんは パンを 食たべました。 "For breakfast, I ate bread."

昼ひるご飯は まだ 食べていません。 "I haven't eaten lunch yet."

晩ばんご飯に なにを 食べますか。 "What will you eat for dinner?"

今日きょうの 夕食ゆうしょくは カレーです。 "Today's dinner is curry."

18.8 Reading Passage

The following passage describes a restaurant visit. It uses only grammar and vocabulary taught in this chapter and preceding chapters. Read it through once, trying to parse each sentence before checking the translation below.

きのう、友ともだちと 一緒いっしょに 駅えきの 近ちかくの レストランに 行いきました。店みせに 入はいると、「いらっしゃいませ、何なん名めい様さまですか」と 聞きかれました。「二人ふたりです」と 答こたえました。テーブルに 座すわって、メニューを 見みました。

わたしは ラーメンが 好すきですから、みそラーメンに しました。友だちは ぎょうざと チャーハンを 注文ちゅうもんしました。「飲のみ物ものは どう しますか」と 聞かれたので、二人とも ビールに しました。

料理りょうりが 来きました。みそラーメンは とても おいしかったです。ちょっと 辛からかったですが、スープが 甘あまくて よかったです。友だちの ぎょうざも おいしそうでした。ご飯はんの おかわりは いりませんでした。

食たべ終おわってから、お会計かいけいを おねがいしました。二人で 二千八百にせんはっぴゃく円えんでした。別々べつべつに しました。わたしは 千五百せんごひゃく円で、友だちは 千三百せんさんびゃく円でした。カードで 払はらいました。

店を 出でるとき、「ごちそうさまでした」と 言いいました。とても いい 店でした。また 行きたいです。

Translation

Yesterday, I went to a restaurant near the station with a friend. When we entered the restaurant, we were asked, "Welcome, how many?" I answered, "Two." We sat at a table and looked at the menu.

I like ramen, so I decided on miso ramen. My friend ordered gyoza and fried rice. We were asked, "What will you do for drinks?" and we both decided on beer.

The food came. The miso ramen was very delicious. It was a little spicy, but the soup was sweet and that was good. My friend's gyoza also looked delicious. We did not need a rice refill.

After we finished eating, we asked for the check. It was 2,800 yen for two people. We split it separately. Mine was 1,500 yen and my friend's was 1,300 yen. We paid by card.

When we left the restaurant, we said, "Thank you for the meal." It was a very good restaurant. I want to go again.

Parsing Notes

A few constructions in this passage go slightly beyond what has been formally taught. They appear here for natural reading exposure. Brief explanations:

• 聞かれました — passive form of 聞きく (to ask). You were "asked." Passive forms are formally taught in Stage 2, but the meaning is transparent from context.
• 答こたえました — past of 答える (to answer), a 一段 verb.
• おいしそうでした — "looked delicious." The そう suffix (attached to the adjective stem おいし-) expresses appearance. This is also formally covered in Stage 2.
• 食たべ終おわってから — "after finishing eating." 食べ終わる is a compound verb (eat + finish). から after the て-form means "after."
• 行いきたいです — "want to go." The たい form (want to ~) attaches to the ます-stem of a verb: 行き + たい. This is covered in a later chapter; here, simply recognize the meaning.

Reading Passage 2 — ラーメン屋やで 注文ちゅうもん

Read the following passage. A customer orders at a ramen shop. All grammar and vocabulary come from this chapter and earlier chapters.

昼ひるご飯はんに ラーメンが 食たべたかったので、駅えきの そばの ラーメン屋やに 入はいりました。

小ちいさい 店みせでした。カウンターに 六人ろくにん 座すわれます。まず、入口にゅうぐちの 横よこに 券売機けんばいきが ありました。券売機で 食券しょくけんを 買かいます。

メニューを 見みました。しょうゆラーメンは 八百はっぴゃく円えん、みそラーメンは 九百きゅうひゃく円、とんこつラーメンは 九百円でした。わたしは しょうゆラーメンに しました。それから、ぎょうざも 食べたいので、ぎょうざの 食券も 買いました。ぎょうざは 三百五十さんびゃくごじゅう円で、五ご個こ入いりです。

カウンターに 座って、食券を 出だしました。「にんにく、入いれますか」と 聞きかれました。「はい、おねがいします」と 答こたえました。

五ご分ふんぐらいで ラーメンが 来きました。まず、スープを 飲のみました。熱あつくて とても おいしかったです。麺めんも ちょうどよかったです。ぎょうざも かりかりで おいしかったです。

全部ぜんぶ 食べて、店を 出ました。「ごちそうさまでした」と 言いいました。千百五十せんひゃくごじゅう円で、こんなに おいしい 昼ご飯が 食べられます。いい 店です。

Translation

I wanted ramen for lunch, so I went into a ramen shop near the station.

It was a small shop. Six people can sit at the counter. First, next to the entrance there was a ticket machine. You buy meal tickets at the ticket machine.

I looked at the menu. Soy sauce ramen was 800 yen, miso ramen was 900 yen, and tonkotsu ramen was 900 yen. I decided on soy sauce ramen. I also wanted to eat gyoza, so I bought a gyoza ticket too. The gyoza was 350 yen for five pieces.

I sat at the counter and handed over my tickets. I was asked, "Do you want garlic?" I answered, "Yes, please."

The ramen came in about five minutes. First, I drank the soup. It was hot and very delicious. The noodles were just right. The gyoza were also crispy and delicious.

I ate everything and left the shop. I said, "Thank you for the meal." For 1,150 yen, you can eat such a delicious lunch. It is a good shop.

Notes

• 券売機けんばいき — a ticket vending machine, common at ramen shops. You buy a 食券しょくけん (meal ticket) before sitting down.
• 食券 — meal ticket/food ticket.
• にんにく — garlic. Many ramen shops ask if you want garlic added.
• かりかり — a mimetic word (onomatopoeia) meaning "crispy."
• こんなに — "this much" / "so." An intensifier meaning "to this degree."

Vocabulary

New words introduced in this chapter: