Do this now
Follow these steps in order.
- 01
Check the entrance, menu or table for payment instructions.
- 02
Keep any bill slip or folder placed on the table.
- 03
Say “okaikei onegaishimasu” when you are ready to pay.
- 04
Follow staff to the register or wait for table payment as directed.
- 05
Confirm the accepted card, cash or cashless method before paying.
- 06
Collect your receipt, card and change before leaving.
What to know
Payment may be at the table or the register
Current GO TOKYO guidance says payment styles vary: some restaurants settle at the table, while others ask diners to bring the bill to a register near the entrance. Its visitor manners guide gives the same advice and tells guests to ask staff when unsure.
Treat the venue’s workflow as the rule. A familiar restaurant format from another country does not reliably predict where payment happens in Japan.
What to know
The bill slip is often your clue
A server may place a printed slip, small clipboard or bill folder on the table during the meal. Leave it intact and visible until you are ready.
If staff points toward the entrance, take the slip or folder to the register. If a server returns with a payment terminal or explains that payment will be handled at the table, remain seated.
What to know
Ask for the bill before standing up
Say “okaikei onegaishimasu”—the bill, please. GO TOKYO’s izakaya guide uses this phrase for requesting the check at the end of the visit.
If the location is still unclear, ask “okaikei wa doko desu ka?”—where do I pay? Pointing to the bill and then toward the register can resolve the question without a long conversation.
What to know
Prepayment is a separate restaurant flow
Some casual restaurants sell a meal ticket from a machine near the entrance; others take payment at a counter before food is served. In those places, payment is completed as part of ordering rather than after the meal.
Keep the meal ticket, order number or receipt until staff exchanges it for the food. Do not attempt to pay a second time at the exit unless staff identifies an additional charge.
What to know
Confirm which payment methods are accepted
JNTO advises travelers to check accepted methods because a venue may be cashless, cash-only or limited to particular cards. International cards are widely accepted, but acceptance is not universal.
Look for payment logos at the entrance or register and ask before the transaction if uncertain: “kaado wa tsukaemasu ka?” means “Can I use a card?” Keep enough yen available for a venue that requires cash.
What to know
One group bill may not mean separate payments
GO TOKYO notes that an izakaya bill may not be itemized and that groups should be prepared to divide it among themselves. A restaurant is not required to calculate each diner’s share or process many separate transactions.
Agree on the split before approaching a busy register. If separate payment matters, ask “betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka?”—can we pay separately? Accept a request to make one combined payment.
What to know
Use the tray and complete the transaction
At a register, staff may indicate a small payment tray for cash or a card. Place the payment there, then wait for change, the receipt and the return of your card.
Check that you have collected every item before moving away. Do not leave coins on the table as a tip; JNTO states that tipping is not customary in Japanese restaurants.
What to know
Do not leave until payment is confirmed
If the register is temporarily unattended, call a staff member instead of leaving cash on the counter. A reservation card hold or an online booking does not automatically prove that the meal has been paid.
Before exiting, make sure the terminal approved the transaction and staff returned the bill or receipt. A short “gochisousama deshita” is a polite way to thank the team as you leave.
If that does not work
Use the fallback.
- If no bill arrives, say “okaikei onegaishimasu” to a staff member.
- If you cannot find the payment point, ask “okaikei wa doko desu ka?”
- If the register is unattended, wait and call staff rather than leaving money.
- If a card is declined, try another accepted method or pay in yen.
- If separate payment is refused, settle one bill and divide the cost within the group.
- If an amount is unexpected, request an itemized explanation before completing payment.
Before you need it
Save this offline.
- Some restaurants use table payment; others use a register
- Keep the bill slip or folder
- Request the bill: “okaikei onegaishimasu”
- Ask the location: “okaikei wa doko desu ka?”
- Confirm payment approval and collect the receipt before leaving
Primary evidence
Official sources used
Open these pages again before travel. External links lead to the responsible Japanese authority or transport organization.
