Sit-down restaurants add a few jobs that cafés don’t: getting seated, ordering from a wider menu, saying what you can’t eat, and closing the bill.
You don’t need fluent small talk—you need reliable sentence shapes you can drop words into.
Build from our Japanese basics hub, run the Japanese travel essentials quiz and Japanese everyday phrases quiz, and warm up courtesy language with すみません and ありがとう.
For counter-style ordering you already know, see konbini & café scripts.
Entering & getting seated
If you need to signal staff near the door:
- すみません、二人です。 (Sumimasen, futari desu.) — “Excuse me, two people.” (Change 二人 to 一人 / 三人 as needed.)
If they ask indoors:
- 禁煙 / 喫煙 (kinen / kitsuen) — non-smoking / smoking seating, if offered.
Ordering (templates you can reuse)
Point + ask politely:
- これをお願いします。 (Kore o onegaishimasu.) — “I’ll have this.” (menu pointing is normal)
Ask what something is (short):
- これは何ですか？ (Kore wa nan desu ka?)
Order by name (when you can read or hear it):
- 〇〇を一つお願いします。 (… o hitotsu onegaishimasu.)
Drink add-on:
- 生ビールをお願いします。 (Nama biiru o onegaishimasu.) — draft beer; swap drink as needed.
Customize: a little lighter, no ice, less rice
Staff often ask follow-ups; these lines cover common tweaks:
- 辛くないのはありますか？ (Karakunai no wa arimasu ka?) — “Is there a non-spicy option?”
- 大盛り / 普通 / 少なめ (oomori / futsuu / sukuname) — large / normal / smaller portion (context-dependent chain phrasing).
- アレルギーがあります。 (Arerugii ga arimasu.) — “I have an allergy.” Then name it if you can: 小麦 (komugi — wheat), 卵 (tamago — egg), 乳 (nyuu — dairy), 落花生 (rakkasei — peanut).
Allergies are serious—carry written Japanese if possible; a phrase is a backup, not a guarantee.
During the meal
- お手洗いはどこですか？ (Otearai wa doko desu ka?) — restroom.
- すみません。 — flag attention anytime.
Paying & leaving
Ask for the check (common pattern):
- お会計お願いします。 (Okaikei onegaishimasu.)
Split / card / cash varies by shop; listen for カード (kaado) / 現金 (genkin).
Thank staff on the way out:
- ごちそうさまでした。 (Gochisousama deshita.) — said after eating (thanks for the meal / service).
- ありがとうございました。 (Arigatou gozaimashita.)
Words worth knowing before “fluency”
| Japanese | Rough meaning |
|---|---|
| メニュー | menu |
| おすすめ | recommendation |
| セット | set meal |
| おかわり | refill (rice, etc., context-specific) |
| 持ち帰り | takeout |
| 店内 | dine-in |
| 税込 / 税別 | tax included / excluded (check signage) |
Sound natural, not performative
Trap: Long honorific speeches at casual chains.
Fix: Short お願いします lines + clear はい / いいえ.
Trap: Saying nothing when you have an allergy.
Fix: アレルギーがあります early, calmly, and in writing if it matters.
Stack with other phrase posts
Thank-you nuance: 7 ways to say thank you.
“How are you” small talk: textbook vs natural.
Drill what you’ll actually say
Pick one drink, one main, and one allergy sentence (even if hypothetical).
Run them in StudyArcade until they’re boring—that’s when they’ll show up under mild stress.
Ready to make studying fun? Download StudyArcade on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/studyarcade-study-games/id6759309341