Fast food in Japan is a culinary adventure that goes far beyond the global giants you might know. It’s a world of incredible variety, efficiency, and uniquely Japanese flavors. From rice burgers and customizable curry to gourmet-quality fried chicken at a convenience store, navigating Japan’s fast food scene using Japanese when ordering fast food is an essential and delicious part of experiencing the country.
Whether you’re grabbing a quick meal at a familiar chain like McDonald’s or exploring a home-grown favorite, knowing a few key Japanese phrases will transform your experience.
Japan’s Unique Fast Food Chains You Won’t Find Anywhere Else 🍔
While you can find McDonald’s and KFC in Japan, the real gems are the domestic chains that offer a unique twist on fast food, making them exciting places to practice your Japanese when ordering fast food. These restaurants have cultivated loyal followings by focusing on Japanese tastes and high-quality ingredients.
MOS Burger (モスバーガー) is famous for its signature Rice Burger (ライスバーガー), which uses grilled rice patties instead of a bun. Their Teriyaki Burger is a classic, showcasing a flavor profile beloved in Japan.
Freshness Burger (フレッシュネスバーガー) prides itself on fresh, organic ingredients and made-to-order meals. It has a slightly more upscale, café-like atmosphere.
CoCo Ichibanya (CoCo壱番屋), often called “CoCo Ichi,” is a paradise for curry lovers. It’s not a burger joint but a fast-service curry house where you can customize everything from the spice level and rice amount to a vast array of toppings.
Unique Foods Vocabulary
テリヤキ (teriyaki) = A sweet soy sauce glaze
カツ (katsu) = Breaded and deep-fried cutlet (e.g., pork, chicken)
カレーライス (karē raisu) = Curry rice
ライスバーガー (raisu bāgā) = Rice burger
美味しい (おいしい, oishii) = Delicious
新鮮 (しんせん, shinsen) = Fresh
甘い (あまい, amai) = Sweet
辛い (からい, karai) = Spicy
How to Order at a Japanese McDonald’s: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ordering at a familiar place like McDonald’s is a great, low-pressure way to practice your Japanese when ordering fast food. The process is very similar to what you’re used to, but with a few key Japanese phrases.
Step 1: The Greeting
When you approach the counter, the staff will greet you with a loud, cheerful:
いらっしゃいませ!
Irasshaimase!
Welcome! (No response needed from you).
Step 2: Placing Your Order
Use the structure “[Item] o [Number] kudasai” (「〇〇を〇つください」). If you want a set menu, add “setto de” (セットで).
てりやきマックバーガーを一つください。
てりやきまっくばーがーをひとつください。
Teriyaki Makku Bāgā o hitotsu kudasai.
One Teriyaki McBurger, please.
チーズバーガーのセットを一つください。
ちーずばーがーのせっとをひとつください。
Chīzubāgā no setto o hitotsu kudasai.
One cheeseburger set, please.
Step 3: Confirming Your Drink
If you order a set, they will ask about your drink choice.
Clerk: セットのドリンクはどうされますか。(Setto no dorinku wa dō saremasu ka?) – What drink would you like for your set?
You: コーラでお願いします。(Kōra de onegaishimasu.) – Coke, please.
Step 4: For Here or To Go?
This is a crucial question, which we’ll cover in detail in its own section!
Step 5: Paying
The cashier will state the total. “お会計は千二百円です。” (O-kaikei wa sen nihyaku en desu.) – “Your total is 1,200 yen.”
Navigating a Japanese Fast Food Menu
Japanese menus are often filled with pictures, which is a huge help! However, knowing how to read key terms will make the process much smoother and is a crucial part of using Japanese when ordering fast food. Many foreign food names are written in Katakana, the script used for borrowed words. Practicing Katakana is one of the best ways to improve your menu-reading skills.
Katakana & Menu Vocabulary
ハンバーガー (hanbāgā) = Hamburger
チーズバーガー (chīzubāgā) = Cheeseburger
ポテト (poteto) = Fries (from “potato”)
ドリンク (dorinku) = Drink
セット (setto) = Set menu / Combo meal
サイズ (saizu) = Size
S / M / L (エス / エム / エル – esu / emu / eru) = Small / Medium / Large
おすすめ (osusume) = Recommendation
Asking Questions
If you’re unsure about an item, you can point and ask:
これは何ですか。
これはなんですか。
Kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this?
If you have an allergy or dietary restriction, you can ask:
これに肉が入っていますか。
これににくがはいっていますか。
Kore ni niku ga haitte imasu ka.
Does this contain meat?
Customizing Your Order: How to Say “No Pickles” in Japanese
Want to make a special request? Knowing a few advanced phrases is a great way to improve your Japanese when ordering fast food. The key phrase is 「〇〇抜きでお願いします」(〇〇 nuki de onegaishimasu), which means “Without 〇〇, please.” For asking for extra, you can use 「〇〇多めで」(〇〇 oome de).
Customization Phrases
ピクルス抜きでお願いします。
ぴくるすぬきでおねがいします。
Pikurusu nuki de onegaishimasu.
Without pickles, please.
玉ねぎ抜きでお願いします。
たまねぎぬきでおねがいします。
Tamanegi nuki de onegaishimasu.
Without onions, please.
ソース多めでお願いします。
そーすおおめでおねがいします。
Sōsu oome de onegaishimasu.
With extra sauce, please.
氷なしでお願いします。
こおりなしでおねがいします。
Kōri nashi de onegaishimasu.
Without ice, please. (Note: なし (nashi) is another common way to say “without”).
“For Here or To Go?” – Essential Phrases
This is one of the most common questions you will be asked, making it a critical piece of vocabulary in Japanese when ordering fast food. The staff needs to know whether to put your food on a tray or in a bag. There are a few ways they might ask this.
Staff’s Question (Polite)
店内でお召し上がりですか。
てんないでおめしあがりですか。
Tennai de omeshiagarimesu ka.
Will you be dining in?
Staff’s Question (Common)
こちらでお召し上がりですか。
こちらでおめしあがりですか。
Kochira de omeshiagarimasu ka.
Will you be eating here?
They might also ask about takeout:
お持ち帰りですか。
おもちかえりですか。
Omochikaeri desu ka.
Is this to go?
Your Answer (For Here)
店内で。(Tennai de.)
Here.
Your Answer (To Go)
持ち帰りで。(Mochikaeri de.)
To go.
Beyond Burgers: A Guide to Japanese “Donburi” Fast Food 🍚
When Japanese people think of fast, cheap, and filling food, they often think of donburi (丼), or rice bowls. Understanding the specific terms for these popular meals is a big part of mastering Japanese when ordering fast food. Chains like Yoshinoya (吉野家), Sukiya (すき家), and Matsuya (松屋) are everywhere and serve as the backbone of quick meals for students and office workers.
The most famous dish is Gyūdon (牛丼), a bowl of rice topped with thinly sliced beef and onion simmered in a sweet and savory broth. Other popular varieties include Oyakodon (親子丼), with chicken and egg, and Katsudon (カツ丼), with a pork cutlet.
Donburi Vocabulary
牛丼 (ぎゅうどん, gyūdon) = Beef bowl
豚丼 (ぶたどん, butadon) = Pork bowl
親子丼 (おやこどん, oyakodon) = Chicken and egg bowl (“parent-and-child bowl”)
並盛 (なみもり, nami-mori) = Regular size
大盛 (おおもり, oo-mori) = Large size
特盛 (とくもり, toku-mori) = Extra large size
味噌汁 (みそしる, miso shiru) = Miso soup
生卵 (なまたまご, nama tamago) = Raw egg (a common topping)
紅生姜 (べにしょうが, beni shōga) = Pickled red ginger
Japanese Convenience Store “Fast Food”
Never underestimate the Japanese convenience store, or konbini (コンビニ). The interactions here are fast and efficient, offering a different style of practice for your Japanese when ordering fast food. Places like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson offer an astonishing range of high-quality fast food. From perfectly formed rice balls (onigiri) with dozens of fillings to crispy fried chicken (kara-age), bento lunch boxes, and wintery oden, the konbini is a food destination in its own right.
Konbini Food & Phrases
おにぎり (onigiri) = Rice ball
弁当 (べんとう, bentō) = Boxed lunch
から揚げ (からあげ, kara-age) = Japanese-style fried chicken nuggets
肉まん (にくまん, nikuman) = Steamed pork bun
おでん (oden) = A hot pot dish with various ingredients in broth (popular in winter)
When you buy a bento or other meal, the clerk will almost always ask:
温めますか。
あたためますか。
Atatamemasu ka.
Shall I heat it up for you?
Your Answer:
はい、お願いします。(Hai, onegaishimasu.) – Yes, please.
いいえ、大丈夫です。(Iie, daijōbu desu.) – No, it’s okay.
Seasonal Specials and Limited-Time Offers
A huge part of Japan’s food culture—including fast food—is the celebration of seasons through limited-time offers, or kikan gentei (期間限定). These special items generate a lot of excitement. Famous examples include McDonald’s autumn Tsukimi Burger (月見バーガー, “moon-viewing burger”) which features an egg, and various sakura (cherry blossom) flavored drinks and sweets in the spring.
Seasonal Vocabulary
期間限定 (きかんげんてい, kikan gentei) = Limited-time offer
季節限定 (きせつげんてい, kisetsu gentei) = Seasonal special
新発売 (しんはつばい, shin hatsubai) = New release / New product
春 (はる, haru) = Spring
夏 (なつ, natsu) = Summer
秋 (あき, aki) = Autumn
冬 (ふゆ, fuyu) = Winter
月見 (つきみ, tsukimi) = Moon-viewing
さくら (sakura) = Cherry blossom
Polite Language and Etiquette at a Fast Food Restaurant
Even in a casual fast-food setting, politeness is key in Japan, and it extends to the cultural nuances of using Japanese when ordering fast food. While you don’t need to use complex formal language (keigo), knowing a few polite phrases and customs will be appreciated.
After you finish your meal, it is customary to return your tray, cups, and trash to a designated return station (返却口, henkyakuguchi). You are expected to sort your trash into different bins for burnable, plastics, and liquids.
Etiquette & Gratitude
When receiving your food, a simple “ありがとうございます” (Arigatō gozaimasu – Thank you) is perfect.
Before eating, it is customary to say:
いただきます。
Itadakimasu.
A phrase said before eating to express gratitude for the food.
After you finish eating, especially as you leave, you can say:
ごちそうさまでした。
Gochisōsama deshita.
A phrase said after eating to thank for the meal. You can say this to yourself or towards the kitchen staff as you leave.
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