Dining In or Ordering Takeout in Japan

It’s very common for restaurants in Japan to offer both a dine-in and takeout option for their food. What questions should you be on the lookout for, and how should you respond?

Dining In

The first thing the waiting staff is likely to ask you is “Irasshaimase, ten’nai de o meshi agaridesu ka?” This means “Welcome, would you like to eat in the store?” To confirm your desire to dine in, say “Ten’nai de” or, “Dine in, please”.  In many places, you could even get away with a simple, “Hai, kokode” (“Yes, here”). To increase the formality, you can say “Koko de onegaishimasu“. This means “I would like to eat here, please”. Usually, establishments expecting this level of formality aren’t the ones providing takeout. Once you’re seated, you can begin ordering your food.

Takeout

Eating in an establishment is often an enjoyable experience. Sometimes though, restaurants can become very busy. If there are no tables available, you may wish to take your food with you instead. If you would prefer this option, how do you request it?

The waiter may ask you if you would like take out. This happens at fast food restaurants, and places where takeout is popular. If they ask you “Irasshaimase, o mochikaeridesu ka?” or “Welcome, will you be taking this home?” then all you have to do is say “Hai, mochikaeri de“. What if they ask you if you would like to dine in, but you wish to take it home instead? Saying “Īe, mochikaeri de” or “No, takeout please” will do the trick. To be more polite, you can tell them with “Mochikaeritaindesuga” or “I would like to take this home, please”. Then, whether you choose dine-in or takeout, make sure you know how to get a drink to go along with your food.

For a more in-depth guide for ordering takeout in Japan (and some hiragana practices), click here.