Ordering at a Ramen Shop in Tokyo — JLPT N5 Japanese Conversation
The situation
Yattan (ヤッタン) sits down at the counter of a busy ramen shop (ラーメン屋) in Tokyo and orders from the staff member (店員さん).
いらっしゃいませ！ご注文は？
いらっしゃいませ！ごちゅうもんは？
Welcome! What would you like to order?
えーと、しょうゆラーメンにします。
えーと、しょうゆラーメンに します。
Um, I'll have the shōyu ramen.
はい。麺の量は、大盛りと普通、どちらにしますか。
はい。めんの りょうは、おおもりと ふつう、どちらに しますか。
Got it. For the noodle portion, would you like large or regular?
大盛りをください。それから、ぎょうざも一つください。
おおもりを ください。それから、ぎょうざも ひとつ ください。
A large, please. And one order of gyoza too, please.
かしこまりました。少々お待ちください。
かしこまりました。しょうしょう おまち ください。
Certainly. Please wait a moment.
すみません、お水をください。
すみません、おみずを ください。
Excuse me, water please.
はい、どうぞ。あちらのお水は、ご自由にお使いください。
はい、どうぞ。あちらの おみずは、ごじゆうに おつかい ください。
Here you go. The water over there is free to help yourself to.
ありがとうございます！
ありがとうございます！
Thank you so much!
Key expressions
- 〜にします — "I'll have / I'll go with ~." You attach にします to the dish you've settled on: しょうゆラーメンにします. The thing you pick takes に, never を. See 〜にする (deciding and choosing) for how this pattern works.
- 〜をください — "~, please." This is how you actually request the item: 大盛りをください、お水をください. Where にします announces the decision, をください hands it over to the staff.
- 大盛り vs 普通 — portion size. 大盛り (おおもり) is a large / extra-noodle serving, and 普通 (ふつう) is the regular size. Many shops also offer 特盛り (とくもり, extra-large). You'll be asked どちらにしますか ("which will you have?").
- 〜てください / お〜ください — the polite request. Staff say 少々お待ちください ("please wait") and ご自由にお使いください ("please use freely"). These are the extra-polite お-form, built on the same idea as 〜てください requests.
About Tokyo ramen shops
Many popular Tokyo ramen shops don't take your order by voice at all — you buy a meal ticket first from a 食券機 (しょっけんき), a ticket vending machine by the door. You press the button for your bowl, feed in cash (some now take IC cards), and hand the printed ticket to the staff at the counter. Seats are often a single row facing the kitchen, and the etiquette is to order, eat, and free up your seat quickly, since a line usually forms outside. If you hit a ticket machine and feel lost, the survival phrase is 「これをください」 ("this one, please") while pointing at the button or your ticket.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between にします and をください when ordering?
にします announces your decision ('I'll go with the shōyu ramen' = しょうゆラーメンにします), while をください requests the item from the staff ('a large, please' = 大盛りをください). Both are natural; にします sounds like choosing from the menu, をください like placing the order.
How do I ask for a bigger portion of ramen?
Say 大盛り (おおもり) for a large serving and 普通 (ふつう) for regular. To order it, use 大盛りをください ('a large, please'). Some shops also have 特盛り (とくもり) for extra-large.
Do I order at the counter or from a machine?
It depends on the shop. Many popular Tokyo ramen places use a 食券機 (ticket vending machine) by the entrance: buy a ticket first, then hand it to the staff. Smaller shops take your order at the counter, as in this dialogue.