Ordering a Meal – Part 3 Paying your bill and other cultural notes

In this alternative reality, you have been seated, but your waitstaff doesn’t come. What do you do? In Japan, typically you don’t wait until the staff comes to you, like you would in America. Instead you call them when you are ready. How do you call them?

Usually you say something like in the general direction of the wait staff.

すみません (sumimasen) Excuse me!

The key in this to extend the e in せ for about twice as long as per usual.

Alternatively, you can use

お願いします (onegai-shimasu) Excuse me.₁

Again, hold out the a in ま for a hair longer than usual.

You can also use either of these are either time during your meal for say, more water or another beer.

お水ください (omizu-kudasai) Water, please.

ビールお願いします。 (biiru onegai-shimasu) Beer please.

もう一杯お願いします。(mou ippai onegai-shimasu) One more please.

You’ve had your fill of food and drink and it’s time to go. It’s time to get the check.

お勘定をお願いします o-kanjou wo onegai-shimasu) Check, please!

Check in hand, how do you pay? You don’t wait at your table, but rather go the the register. It’s usually near the entrance. Sometimes the cashier will ask you:

ご一緒ですか？ go issho desu ka? Is this together?

If you are paying together, you can reply

はい、お願いします。(hai, onegai-shimasu) Yes, please.

Or if you paying separately:

いや、別々お願いします。(iya, betsu-betsu onegai-shimasu) No, separate please.

When you finish paying, be polite and say:

ごちそうさまでした。Gochisou-sama deshita It was a feast.

Last, I want to end with a few cultural notes you should be aware when you go out to eat in Japan of two things.

1 Tipping – There is no tipping in Japan. Even if you are super happy with your service don’t leave a tip. I’ve heard stories of managers or wait staff chasing after people to return the tip. Save everyone the confusion and instead of leaving a tip, perhaps enjoy another drink.

2 Payment – You normally pay the check together. That is everybody pitches in an equal share to the total check and divides the change equally. You might end up paying more than you actually consumed, but that’s the way it goes. You win some, you lose some.

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₁お願いします means please. But in this case it’s more of a “Would you please come over here”. I’m making a rather liberal translation of it to “Excuse me” as it’s clearer and doesn’t sound to awkward in English.