What are some differences you have observed between waiters and waitresses in restaurants and cafes in Japan and other countries and also the way in which customers treat them?
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174 Comments
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0
ukguyjp
Customers hardly ever say 'please' or 'thank you' to waiters and waitresses in Japan after they take the order or bring the food to the table. It's just not expected in the culture.
Also, I would say the standard of service in Japan is usually excellent and better on average than other countries.
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Branded
Waiters and Waitresses in Japan are robotic, cold, and indifferent to the customers needs once the food is on the table. Here in the US, I have found the vast majority to be pleasant, personable, and focused on the needs of the customers- constantly bringing water or coffee, checking on the meal and any further requests etc. The main difference is- here in the US restaurant staff are working for that 15% tip !
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nigelboy
"Can I place an order?"-me
"That's not my table."-waiter/waitress.
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Branded
There in Japan:
"Chumon shite eeedesuka" ?
"Suimasen... I-uh don'to speaku Engrishu" waiter/waitress.
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nigelboy
"Here you go."-me handing a $20 bill for a $15 check.
"Do you want change back?"-waiter/waitress
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mikehuntez
nigelboy, I have had vacation in Canada and I'll tell you that service there sucks big time these days and the prices are outrageous. Japan shines oh so much more than western countries, well at least Canada. And I don't think that every wait staff that comes by as soon as we start eating to ask, "Is everything ok?". I'd just like to say, "No it's not because you keep coming buy asking that when I have food in my mouth. Just leave me alone unless it looks like I need your help.". They are so fake thinking that entitles them to their tip which they think should come every time. And I don't want to hear the wait staff talking about personal things in the restaurant. Please go away to talk to your workmates about your weekend or your work related gripes. I don't feel sorry for you at all and will not tip if I have to hear about it. And 10% is enough if they were genuine, prompt and did something not asked of to make my meal more enjoyable.
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Branded
There in Japan:
"here you go" me handing over 10,000 yen for a burger, fries, and a few beers at Outback.
"Domo arigato gozaimashita.... mata kite ne !"- waiter/waitress
"What ? No change"- me mumbling my way back through the crowds, puddles of water on the sidewalk and awful stench of chiba port after a typical summer's eve in Makuhari.
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OssanAmerica
In all my years I've never had to ask a waiter/waitress in Japan if I could place an order. In fact 99% of the time they attend to customers so promptly that I usually ask for a little more time. Basically, with the exception of very high end US restaurants, the service is generally complete crap in American establishments in comparison to places in Japan, where the service tends to be excellent from high end "ryoutei"s down to Macdees. In many restaurants here in the US the waiter/waitress has an attitude of doing you a favor by serving you,which is actually beneath them because they're really actors/actress' and only doing this to pay the rent between auditions. And we won't even get into the difference in "cleanliness". I believe the difference stems from cultural roots where in Japan the notion that "the customer is king" is actually applied, and with most of Japanese history being feudal, service to those above you is integrated into the modern culture and meets little resistance. Your commemt fails as an attempt at humor and is utterly assinine refelecting your lack of exposure to Japanese restaurants in Japan to be able to express any realistic opinion.
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sfjp330
OssanAmerica at 06:28 AM JST - 4th August. Basically, with the exception of very high end US restaurants, the service is generally complete crap in American establishments in comparison to places in Japan, where the service tends to be excellent from high end "ryoutei"s down to Macdees.
Does it really matter? Do you really want the same Japanese services in the U.S. for low to mid level restaurants and fast food? Or would you rather pay fifty percent less in cost? I rather pay less anyday.
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Branded
When presenting the food to a table of more than one-
Here in the US:
"here you go sir- the rib eye. and for you miss- the blue plate special. would you like anything else ? Enjoy your meal"
There in Japan:
"well now, who ordered the tonkatsu" ???
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Branded
As for Ossanamerica's tirade is concerned...
"In all my years I've never had to ask a waiter/waitress in Japan if I could place an order."
Then you've obviously never- and I mean "never"- been to an izakaya, akachojin, or any other food and drink establishment anywhere in Japan. What exactly do you think the customers are shouting "suimasen" at the top of their lungs for ??? Now if I may borrow a phrase...
"utterly assinine refelecting your lack of exposure to Japanese restaurants in Japan to be able to express any realistic opinion."
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Zenny11
I am very happy with the service in Japan as are all the people I know that visited here.
Agree the waiters that attend to you every 30 seconds and ask questions just after taking a bite need to go.
@Branded.
In case you hadn't noticed, fairly common in Japan for one person to place all the orders. ;)
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OssanAmerica
Sure I have. And the groups I've been with never had to yell for attention. Now in your case you probably had to yell for service in a loud jam packed drink and eat fest with insufficent numbers waiters/waitresses to handle the crowd. A fairly common scenario.
"utterly assinine refelecting your lack of exposure to Japanese restaurants in Japan to be able to express any realistic opinion."
Obviously it's your lack of exposure to high end establishmets.
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Branded
zenny11 chimes in-
@Branded. "In case you hadn't noticed, fairly common in Japan for one person to place all the orders."
Maybe in an Izakaya- but not in any of the upscale fine dining establishments in and out of Tokyo that I've been to. In short, if you can speak Japanese- you order for yourself... ahhh, maybe that's your problem zenny- not enough nihongo in the a-ta-ma. :+)
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Branded
ossan-ossan-ossan... yer losing credibility faster than Obama ! It's the norm, par for the course, part of the cultural experience of going out to a Japanese bar, izakaya, nomi-whatever etc... you are expected to yell when you want service. In fact the yelling starts when you walk through the door-"Irrashaimaseeee"- and doesn't stop till the foods arrived- then the staff have suddenly gone quiet- like their job is somehow finished or something. They never check to see if the order is correct or up to your liking- nope, it's off to haul more food to another table. Whats funny is to see the oyajis plop their duffs down in a family restaurant and start the yelling krap. I've seen thousands of em do it from Dennys to Bukiri Donkey ! Want more ? Just head out for a night of food and drink in the marunouchi district of Toyko... totemo urusai desu !!! Music blasting, customers shouting, waiters yelling orders to the kitchen- Oh yeh, a really nice and relaxing night on the town in ol nippon.
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Branded
Zenny11- WTH ?
"Safe your ad-homimen, they just make you look stupid."
Appears you lack more than just nihongo in the atama ! Hope you don't try to communicate like this when any of them CEO's are around. Thank god for picture menus eh ! "Kore okudasai" ! :+)
0
Zenny11
Like I said.
"So sad, So sad."
He don't even know when he been played. :P
0
hotbertaa
A burger, chips and a couple beers in Outback Makuhari would cost ¥2860 if you wanted cheese on your burger add an extra ¥50. Not quite the ¥10000 ... you'd need more than a few beers @ ¥780 to take the bill that high.
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sourpuss
Branded maybe gets the worst service because of his bad attitude. I hope it's that anyway. An attitude is something that can be changed...
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Sarge
In almost all restaurants in Japan, the waitress never refills your coffee cup. They do at Hard Rock Cafe, though.
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Branded
hotberta- "you'd need more than a few beers @ ¥780 to take the bill that high."
Hey- your definition of "a few" is obviously different from mine... the point being- don't you find 780- or basically 8.00 for a krappy namachu a bit over the top ??? I get mugs of hef and IPA in the states for less than $2.50 !
As for this: "Branded maybe gets the worst service because of his bad attitude"
This- coming from a poster named "sourpuss" ??? How prescious is that. But to answer the claim- not sure what the customers attitude has to do with anything. When dealing with the public you have to expect a wide range of characters to pass through your establishment. I hope your not saying that Japanese staff are not as well equipped to handle the customers that do come through their doors- but then again.
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pamelot
To tip, or not to tip, that is the question...
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debittoo
Japan have the best services not only in restaurants, where you will receive the best services, don.t care if it.s the Ritz Hotel or Saizeria, also in shops, i usually feel like i.m some kind of prince XD, they treat me so good. By the way where do you go to eat a burger for 10000 yen? You can buy it for 500 yen in Mcdonals xD. And Branded if you want a good services like America you can do 3 things: 1st: return to America, 2nd: Go to some American Restaurant in Roppongi, 3rd:try to find a better place.
Japan is the best place in the world to live, i only hate rental house system...only that XD.
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Branded
debitoo- Interesting post that obviously needs some details to be believed. What exactly do you mean when you say that Japanese restaurants offer the best services... how about some examples. Is it-
-the shouting of "irashaimase" as you walk through the door ?
-the lack of small talk or any hint of personality throughout the seating or ordering process ?
-the fact they never know who ordered what and must ask ?
-that they never check on your order once it's presented to your table ?
-that you must tell them to fill your water or coffee cup again and again and again ?
-requests for substitutions result in teeth sucking and mouth breathing noises, followed by a quick run into the kitchen to find out if its possible- most times its not !
-being seated as close to the only other guests in the restaurant as possible ?
-or is it simply the nice little oshibori you get to wipe your hands with ?
As a former waiter and bartender in my younger days I can assure you there are plenty of top notch waiters and waitresses in the US- knowledgeable of their wines, daily specials, and the surrounding sights and attractions. If all you want is a guide to your table and someone to bring your food and the check- Japan's yer ticket. However- if you are out on the town for an "experience" and enjoyable or relaxing time... well yer gonna need a plane ticket headed West.
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Papigiulio
Great great service in Japan, not like back home in Holland where they are grumpy and ask: "what is it THIS time?"
I do agree with Branded that the Irashaimase can become very mendokusai if you are browsing the shop and they repeat it every 10 secs. But besides that I never had any complainst about the service and hospitality.
0
marcels
The main differences are!!! YOu don,t have to tip...The waitstaff in Japan are very efficient and seem polite, even when thet are on alow wage without tips...You get complimentary icewater and refiled most of the time, no nagging from waitstaff on trying to upsell from dishes to drinks.. Personalized electric button for when you require assistance...Free wet towel prior to sitting down,.. On the flipside Japanese waitstaff are not very flexible nor are their superiors, try asking for perhaps MR steak or pasta but hold the parmasen... Basically the waitstaff service here in Japan wins handsdown to anywhere else in the world....
0
mikehuntez
I sense a little snobbery in Branded. At least the yelling of welcome to anyone through the door is PROMPT.
And in Canada I did get seated right next to 2 fat slags, one with her fat arm hanging over my wife's seat and she moved it but an inch still with her fat appendage on it right next to my wife's head. All the time talking at the top of her voice with 2 of the staff at Denny's where I expected a cheap meal but ended up paying $37.00+ for 2 plates of homefries with a few soggy vegetables and grains of sausage meat in it. And there were many many other seats open and the twit sat us there. I couldn't talk with my wife because 2 staff and 2 fat slags were yapping. I moved myself further up the tables away from them. Then that horrible meal for that price got absolutely 0 tip from me. Never never in Japan did I get such poor service. Being sat near other customers yes. But I only want to stay away from tabacco in Japan. In Canada I want to stay away from celluite and loud conversations.
So basically I agree with Ossan and the rest and think that you Branded are totally a snob that wants everything your boring way. Sorry they don't serve fried bread in Japan.
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S7ro9kGm3aQ
Yeah, what's going on with that? I always have to ask them to seat me somewhere else.
The most annoying thing for me, especially in so-called 'high-class' or exclusive restaurants is the terrible timing of most waiters/waitresses, who interrupt you mid-sentence to loudly inform you of all the special ingredients in your dish, as well as how to eat it. It makes me mad. Every. Single. Time.
0
whiskeysour
Part 1
Best service restaurants in Japan-
Mos Burger, Royal Host, Small/Large Italian Restaurants, Hamburger Shops, CoCo Curry shops, Curry Indian/ Pakistan Restaurants ( 1 arabic guy at ningyocho/ bakurcho gave me a dirty look once ), Thailand Resturants **with all thailand staff ( always nice and polite), but recently I went there Saturday for lunch at Omori Station, I thought the old lady put to much red pepper in our food, my lady and I had alot of water)I thought it was to much and overdone, plus they laughed when we entered the door which is a big no no and dangerous thing to do when I am hungry ) I'll get my revenge later, I'll report them to Japanese government agency and said i saw alot of (20) dead roaches and 3 mice on the floor while i was eating), **Brazilian Restaurant in Shibuya very nice !!!!! Alot of Samba dance and beautiful girls with fake tah-tahs. Great food and great staff. Mexican Resturants (no mexican staff) noooooo !!!! Great service no complants. Starbucks great service Tully's great service Cold stone Ice cream great service Izakaya's good service yelling "suimasen" is apart of the izakaya culture Sushi conveyer belt restaurants good
0
sandtrapcougar
I agree that Japan
s service is far and above better than that in America despite the fact that Americans have an incentive to give good service (that 15% tip) while the Japanese don`t.As far as refilling your glass goes, I think the waiters here just aren`t as accustomed to filling them up constantly as the Japanese tend to not drink as much as westerners do.
Not only is the service better but the quality of food is also much better!
0
sourpuss
Branded, your posts are evidence enough of your attitude.
The number of people who prefer Japanese service to western service is overwhelming. You are the only one I've ever seen any evidence of who has ever displayed any overall preference for western service over Japanese. Who needs fake, intrusive banter besides you? And why? I believe the answer lies in the attitude your posts display. Indeed, one wonders why a person such as yourself might continue to live in a place he appears to hate so much. Life is short...either enjoy it or change it.
Now, why don't you go out and have a nice sit-down meal somewhere? It should help take your mind off things.
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bass4funk
@Branded, you are totally correct in your observation. Japan DOES NOT have the best service by far! The service is good from being escorted to your seat to the friendliness of the staff and the overall atmosphere, but that's where it ends, everything else is way off the mark. I would like to elaborate a bit more.
-You usually cannot order your food the way you like. (Why not? I am paying for it though)
-Having small conversations with customers (to establish some rapport which is helpful in making customers feel comfortable and at ease)
-Since Japanese waiter/waitresses earn and hourly wage and not receive any tips, why should they ultimately care how you feel, they get paid regardless, which means, NO incentive.
-Not always good at handling customer complaints.
-Not all establishments taking Credit Cards. Huge problem! This is the 21st century and cash is slowly becoming less irrelevant. What and how can many traveling foreigners pay if they cannot use Travelers checks, Credit or Debit cards.
-Not sensitive to religious or dietary customs: Kosher, Halal, Vegan etc.
-No window quality grading system (as in the states) How do we know which restaurant passed the FDA guidelines for safety, health, cleanliness.
I am not saying Japan needs to follow US standards, but to imply that Japan has better service when NOT addressing any of these issues I or Branded have mentioned, cannot possibly or unequivocally say that Japan offers the best service in the world. I too, have worked in a few high level eating establishments in L.A., so I really understand what it takes and what true customer service means and the US by far beats everyone else.
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whiskeysour
Part 2
"Bad service Restaurants in Japan" McDonald's sometimes I go there the cashier always turns over the engrish menu side. Automatically thinking I can speak nihongo !!!! (It's not rocket science people) So I turn it over to the nihongo side and speak ony nihongo. Nande ???? I HAVE TO point out my food all the time to make sure i get the right thing. Usually the staff is always new or new trainee or something. 60% of the time my orders are mistakes. KFC cashier is not familar with the menu mistakes all the time Burger King said, no mayo- I got a mayo burger. I hate mayonnaise !!!! Complained because I said no mayo in front of the manager, manager was watching cashier. Got another free hamburger out of the deal!!!! manager yelled at cashier funny !!!! Bamiyan chinese restaurant the restaurant is nice but customers are ghetto and annoying I'm always sitting next to whiney noisey a hole parents and their a hole kids. Mos Burger smoking area smoke is everywhere Beckers idiot staff Ichikawa JR station is full of the most stupid staff I have ever saw. cabbetsu and lettuce are different. Not the same ne !!!! Hard Rock Cafe Yokohama: USS DEEZ KNUTZ Navy African American male through ice at the Japanese bartender and said no ice during a b-day party for his idiot friend!!!! The restaurant was busy no seats available except the bar. My girlfriend and I sat at the bar ordered food until an idiot was unsatisfied with his drink order. UCMJ states you should eat smurf berries and biscuits in the G.I.HOLE for 5 days.
0
GW
I find service in Jpn is generally good, the kaos of izakaya I enjoy, its easy enough to find quieter places if you want.
The only thing is when eating non-japanese food sometimes the flow of the meal is off, if there are 4 people 2 might get what they ordered with the last 2 being served somewhat later, often salads, main dishes, appetizers will either be all plonked down at once or come in some bizarre order
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bass4funk
@Sourpus. Why is that you want to live in a shell of unreality and self-denial. Japan does NOT have superior service. Having been to 18 countries, the only place that I can honestly say without a doubt that offers great service and treat you like a King of all Kings is being on a cruise ship, particularly Princess, Royal and Norwegian Cruise lines. There you can get anything, anyway and anyhow you like your meal, there is never a word of "No" or "let me ask or check" just "NO Problem" If Japan can do that, I will shut my mouth, if not, and you haven't experienced that kind of service, you cannot say anything. If you like and settle for mediocre, so be it.
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combinibento
Waitresses in Japanese izakayas wear what amounts to ninja-pajamas while in the US the bar maids are generally dressed in flattering, sexy attire.
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whiskeysour
No ice !!!!
American restaurants are good. If you have a problem with the waiter or waitress you can get a discount. If you have a problem with the food you can get s discount or free food. Managers are the best in america.
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sourpuss
bass4funk, so you want these things?
1) sushi with Thai rice because that's how you like it
2) somebody to ask you how your day is, just like mom, except the person is not your mom, or even your friend, because if nobody asks you how your day is you can't relax
3) a system where you have to pay people to have them feel for you, and where people no longer take pride in their job for its own sake, but rather for the tips they can receive for asking you how your day is
4) restaurant owners to bow-down even lower than they already to the customers
5) little neighborhood mom and pop restaurants, whose clientele includes mostly local regulars who pay by cash, to pay more overhead in order to satisfy the odd tourist or foreigner who hasn't adapted to life in Japan
6) Koshur, Halal and vegan Tonkatsu
7) arger copies of the of the restaurant licenses already displayed behind counters
I have a question: Where do you think we're living?
0
Kwaabish
Japan has much beter service in general for almost every service industry compared to the US or Canada. Of course, once you start paying $300+ for dinner for 2, it starts evening out a little bit, but...
Never had any complaints in hotels in Japan. Bell hops take my luggage at the entrance, stay with me through the check in process and carry it all the way up to my room and no tip needed. In the US, the bellhop would carry the luggage from the cab and toss it at the check in, and waits for a tip. End of service.
The best part of Japan is that the service is better in general, and there's no tipping expected. In the US, not only is the service crap and waitresses surly to begin with, but boy does it get ugly if there's not the minimum 15% afterwards...
Others...
Cab service. US has old recycled police cruisers used for cabs with drivers that can't speak English and don't believe in bathing. In Japan, immaculately clean cars with crisp dressed drivers with white gloves who can at least speak the language of the land.
Train service. Clean, efficient, fast and (pretty) timely. In the US, some subways don't even have time schedules since there's no way that the trains are on time.
Airline cabin crews. US carriers have fat, ugly, old and surly crews manning older, dirtier planes. ANA and JAL have cleaner planes crewed by MUCH friendlier attendants. And the cabin crew cleans the lavatories every hour. You'll be lucky to be on a UA flight where at the end of the flight the lavatory doesn't look like a port-a-potty after a rock concert.
The list can go on and on and on....
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whiskeysour
In Japan you can't change the menu or add or subtract things without a treeified look on the nippon waiter/waitress face. Usually they say no !!!! Gomenasai!!!! Blah blah blah
0
Foxie
What bugs me is that you can order only what is on the menu and you cannot get any extras. For example, I like to have some oregano on my pizza, I am even willing to pay for it but they say to me that their pizza comes without oregano and that I cannot have it. At McDonalds, a long time ago, I ordered some milk tea. They told me that I cannot have it but I could have tea with milk. At KFC, I ordered 3 chicken legs...impossible they said, you can only have 2 and one breast. Fine, I ordered 1 leg, paid, went outside, came back in again and ordered again and I did that twice. The next day, I did the same again and a few days later too. They finally realized that it was costing them too many plastic bags. Back in Greece, I can have anything I like and more and nothingis ever a problem.
0
Foxie
What bugs me is that you can order only what is on the menu and you cannot get any extras. For example, I like to have some oregano on my pizza, I am even willing to pay for it but they say to me that their pizza comes without oregano and that I cannot have it. At McDonalds, a long time ago, I ordered some milk tea. They told me that I cannot have it but I could have tea with milk. At KFC, I ordered 3 chicken legs...impossible they said, you can only have 2 and one breast. Fine, I ordered 1 leg, paid, went outside, came back in again and ordered again and I did that twice. The next day, I did the same again and a few days later too. They finally realized that it was costing them too many plastic bags. Back in Greece, I can have anything I like and more and nothingis ever a problem.
0
Eyeblack
I like the service here except the poor timing for delivery of the food. I think people should have their food served at the same time. This seems common sense to me, but is not commom practice at all, but it obviously bothers everyone. Also, hate the smoking. There should never be any smoking, it should be banned without further delay.
0
hokkaidoguy
Why do so many posters feel the need to customize their restaurant order?
Working in kitchens back in the old country, this kind of thing always really irritated the staff - especially the chefs, who spend years training and perfecting their dishes, only to have some clod demand that two or three of the main ingredients be left out. It defeats the purpose of a menu - the general consensus is that those people should just stay home and cook for themselves. Of course, the wait staff are playing for tips - so the orders are never refused.
Here in Japan, the public seems to get it. A menu is a list of carefully thought out and prepared dishes that are available for you to choose from. If there is something you don't like, you are free to order something else. Or use the door.
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LoveUSA
I cannot believe my eyes, so many cry babies complaining of wonderful service. Cook for yourself and eat at home if you are not satisfied.
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papasmurfinjapan
I think for the 750yen/hr they earn, the service is pretty good. Sure if you want to order something not on the menu that is going to cause problems. I don't consider it "bad service", just a cultural difference. Don't think outside the box and you'll be served just fine.
If a waiter/waitress is going to be earning 3-5 times as much as that through tips, I expect the service to be 3-5 times better. Usually it falls well short of that.
0
gaijintraveller
I don't like people shouting at me. Why do Japanese waiters and waitresses have to shout at me when they are standing less than a metre away from me?
I agree with those who complain about a lack of flexibility. One day I was refused iced coffee in a coffee shop one hot day.
"Do you have coffee?"
"Yes."
"Do you have ice?"
"Yes."
"So can I have iced coffee, please?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's October."
"So can I have a cup of coffee and a glass with some ice in it."
"No."
0
mokgohan
Eyeblack- I agree. A few years ago I was eating dinner at a Bikkuri Donkey and there was a young couple at the table next to me. The guy's pasta was served right away and he dug in and if his date was on fire he wouldn't have noticed. He finished well before her food was served and when it finally came, before she even started eating he had the gall to ask her to share with him; not waiting for her response, he proceeded to starting picking from her plate from across the table- classy.
I'm not going to say outright that this type of action is limited or typical of Japanese men but when the question arises "What do Japanese girls see in foreign guys?" I think about situations like this that I've come across and, well...
0
Wakarimasen
Depends on what you mean by restaurant. High end restaurants in Japan are among the best in the world for food and service and design. Personally i don't think of MacD's (or similar)as a "restaurant" nor the counter staff as waiters or waitresses. Frankly even Jonathan's and the like just make it a restaurants - expecting waiting staff there to be excellent and friendly when they get no tip and your entire meal cost in the region of 1,000 yen is a bit too demanding. As for the debate around noise and ordering and cost, that's how things are in Izakaya and similar - if you don't like, splash out and go to more classy joints.
0
SushiSake3
Izakaya staff yell at you even when they don't have mental issues (although some of them probably do :-)
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bass4funk
@Sourpus. To answer your question, I don't have the slightest idea. Japan does have a decent service, but slam-dunk, definitely NOT. When I spend my money, I want the best, why? Because I worked so hard, therefore I have the right. If not, they don't get my business, that is why I usually cook at home, no problem, can't change the system, don't want to change it, but to say that Japan offers the best is so untrue.
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Gurukun
I think that was me... :-)
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Kwaabish
I'd go to a Japanese Denny's any day of the week over a Denny's in LA or Chicago...
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Monkeyz
Shouldn't you be able to get something withheld from your order if you want to? Even at places that supposedly allow you to customize your food (Subway, Burger King) you get problems. I don't know how many times I went to Subway and ordered a sandwich with "no pickles."
"No pickles," the sandwich maker repeated. And then threw some pickles on my sandwich.
And god forbid you have an allergy. Most restaurants would rather just not serve you than face the potential of modifying a dish.
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seaforte03
Go to MacDonalds and order a cheeseburger - but hold the cheese...that should be fun for about 2 seconds...
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sourpuss
Branded:
Because, like you, they all eat at Yoshinoya in Kisarazu and wonder why it's not as good as Masa in New York.
I'll take the word of the Michelin Guide over a JT regular any day.
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Papigiulio
@seaforte: I didnt even have to say that and it came without heh.
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UdaMan
The question, I believe, was about the waiter/waitress-customer interaction... Well, they're not working for tips, so they tend to be more workmanlike and less personable (although extremely cheerful and polite). I have to agree about the food-service timing issue, which I've only seen done properly in higher end restaurants. I suspect this is due to the fact that traditionally in casual Japanese dining you don't get "your own" food -- people just order for the table and everyone shares, so it doesn't really matter when the food comes out. (It is weird when your entree appears before your appetizers, though, at any rate...) The lower-end western-dining establishments -- family restaurants, Italian chains, etc. -- don't seem to have considered that that's not the way their customers are eating it. And the majority of the clientele, being Japanese and not having much to compare it to, don't think much of it (until a noisy foreigner garrulously points out the nonsensical nature of getting your soup after someone else at the table has been served his steak).
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roomtemperature
Seems they let Branded out again. Everyone, enjoy the daily anti-Japan and anti-Canada crap. Branded makes JT so entertaining.
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UdaMan
@ Monkeyz: Are you speaking English or Japanese to them? At Subway they're always careful to ask you if it's OK to put all the vegetables in, & I always get my subs "tamanegi nashi" with no problem (oh, except once, when the place was very busy, and was apologized to profusely when I pointed out the error).
I know it's an American chain, but in Japan I don't expect anyone to really understand English, even "no pickles".
I certainly wouldn't go into Yoshinoya in New York and make requests to the American staff in Japanese and expect them to understand me...
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bass4funk
@Sourpus: The discussion is about the service not the food. We can rant all day long as to how good Japanese food is, but getting back to the service, if you truly deep in your heart think that the Japanese service is superior to any other service in the world, then I guess you are really smoking something good (which would be something I would love to bum off ya!) I usually cook at home and I'm a great cook by the way is because I am picky and I DO NOT like the system and the way I have to accept the food the way they want me to. Again, I understand, this is Japan, doesn't mean I have to buy into this system. I just go out on rare occasions. They can keep their mediocre service. More power to them and to you if you are satisfied with it.
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Branded
"@ Monkeyz: Are you speaking English or Japanese to them? At Subway they're always careful to ask you if it's OK to put all the vegetables in, & I always get my subs "tamanegi nashi" with no problem"
Forget nantoka nantoka "nashi" people ! Try "nuki" as in "nuclear" nu. I guarantee you will never have a problem again !
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Zenny11
I do think Japanese service is better especially at lower-end establishments like Mcd, etc.
High end establishments ALWAYS tend to have better service/better trained staff and you pay for that with their higher prices.
Most of the local mom and pop restaurants tend to have some very good service.
Said that I am NOT a friend of service/questions every 30 seconds(like to enjoy my food in peace) by all means once I have finished ask if I am satisfied.
Same with small-talk chatter from the serving staff if I want to chat with someone(unknown) I go to a bar or pub, at the restaurant I am with family or friends.
Just my view.
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Wakarimasen
Brandedm you are right. The ability to speak in Japanese (or show off your Japanese ability) always gets you great service!!!
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Branded
Looks like Zenny has calmed down a bit:
"Said that I am NOT a friend of service/questions every 30 seconds(like to enjoy my food in peace) by all means once I have finished ask if I am satisfied."
Zenny- nobody is interested in service/questions every 30 seconds- but after you have received your meal, waiting staff should check one more time to see if everything is satisfactory ! This never happens in Japan as I am constantly having to hunt down a waiter or waitress to bring a set of ohashi so I can eat my salad without poking a hole or grinding away at my plate... I have simply adapted to using ohashi with leafy vegetables. The point being- the customer should not be left "hung out to dry" once the food has been placed on the table. The rest of my observations remain valid- throw in the outlandish prices, the noise factor, the crowded environment- and well, going out to eat in Japan is just plain stressful. But hey- to each his own.
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Zenny11
@Branded.
Again I might take you serious once you drop the snide remarks and Ad-homimem.
Did you and Alf-Garnett(and some others here) all take the same course on internet courtesy. You know the rules that were established 40+yrs ago.
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roomtemperature
"......the good ol US of A.."
"Branded makes JT so entertaining."
Pure entertainment indeed!! This is exactly what I mean. Priceless!!
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genkimark
Japan = No tips, excellent service. Everywhere else = the opposite!
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Branded
"Japan = No tips"
True- but you pay more than twice the price for your meals than anywhere else. I get a veggie filled double burger, medium fries, nomihodai drink for less than 380 yen ! Try that at Mcdonalds in Japan ! And a simple beer ? Outlandish prices ! Yep- ya don't have to tip... but you sure take it in the wallet when the bill arrives.
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sinedicendo09
The services by the waiters are good here in Japan, however, I worried about how spotlessly clean are the tables, the seats and the wares that's being used. In the 80's that's true, but these days, even the restaurant itself is in need of maintenance. Paint chipped on the walls, oh I'm talking about regular restaurants. I don't like dark restaurants, that is the excuse not to clean it properly!
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techall
It varies so much from establishment to establishment so it's not really fair to base the question on countries. I've received good and bad service in almost every country I've visited. I can say that in the U.S. if the management receives two complaints about a waiter/waitress, they are out the door. Most wait sfatt in the U.S. are looking for a big tip so they pay a lot of attention to their customers, not so in Japan, no tip so who cares.
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marushka
Great service in Japan, never had the same in Europe. They treat customer so nicely, really adore it. Of course, in kind of “fabric” restaurants waiters are not really talking to customers, just strict necessary communication, but in small restaurants you can talk, make jokes and it is really very pleasant service.
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gaijinfo
ah yes, now that you mention it, I've noticed this to. I've never really seen much attempt for waitresses/waiters to remember who ordered what. They just show up and cheerfully say the name of the dish/drink and expect somebody to shout out "hai!"
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dolphingirl
Well there are definitely many differences.
If you are looking for quick, courteous, clean service with no personal touch and no waiter/ress bothering you with unnecessary questions, then I would say that Japan's service is great! Sometimes this no nonsense kind of service is appreciated. Especially for fast food joints and inexpensive restaurants.
But if you are looking for more friendly, personalized restaurant service, where the waiter/waitress asks you 'how are doing?' and 'how is your meal?', you can actually ask them to add or omit something from the dish, and they will bring entrees to everyone at the same time, then you probably won't be happy with the service in Japan.
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stormqueen
Theres nothing wrong with the service by and large in Japan,much prefer it to waiters bothering me artificially asking me how my meal is for the sake of their tip.
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Ranger_Miffy
I long for the day to come soon when eating in restaurants will be SMOKE FREE and therefore civilized. I would spend a lot more of my hard earned money in restaurants if I knew I would not be threatened with cancer down the line.
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lostrune2
What's their reaction when you ask them to tell you about the food or advice/recommend which food to try?
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skyguym42
The question is not about whether food is cheaper but waitstaff. They don't actually control the food preparation or the coordination of cooking in Japan, so don't expect it. Those are other issues.
I'll take the slightly robotic but fast and polite Japanese waitstaff any day. I don't feel the need to design my own meal (and the occasional time I've wanted something removed, I've said I have an allergy and it was done with no fuss).
I don't go to restaurants to have a fake chat with someone who is only doing it to increase their tip, who will not let me get a word in edgewise as he spiels off the most expensive dishes the restaurant offers (or the ones the chef is pushing because they bought to much shrimp and it's going off). And once he reluctantly takes your order, annoyed that you have not ordered the $15.00 appetizers, will then magically appear every 7 minutes to break into your dinner conversation to ask if everything is ok (or worse yet, "How's that workin' out for you?"), and "wouldn't you like to try this great new wine no one's ever heard of" and "I'll be right back with the dessert menu and a laundry basket for you to put my tip in so I don't scowl at you on the way out".
I do three things that most foreigners here seem not to do: I speak Japanese (quickly) to let them know they don't have to dredge up their high school English, and I SMILE. That works wonders. And although "Thank you" may not be expected here, but it's never gotten me anything but better service. Expectations or no, people respond when you acknowledge them as human beings, which Japanese customers rarely do.
In Japan when I have a pleasant conversation with a waiter or waitress, I know it's not because they expect to be paid for it.
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PeaceWarrior
skyguym42 is right when he says to speak Japanese and to smile. I actually develop good friendships with some of the staff working at restaurants I go to. A little banter, lots of smiles and a friendly demeanor will do wonders. I love it when I go to a restaurant and they know my name and remember what I like to eat. They love it when I ask them about their families and such.
In Japan, there are two main types of waiters/waitresses I think. You have the college students working part-time during the summer and on weekends and then you have the people who work at the restaurant to make a living. It is a little more difficult to get great service from the part-timers because they are usually not as self-assured as a full-time staff. The full-time staff offer the best service, anywhere, you just have to treat them well and they will do the same to you.
In Canada, the service is pretty much always great and polite. For people mentioning how expensive food is here in Japan, Canada and its taxes/tips will easily cost you a lot more than the same food in Japan. It usually adds about 30% to my check when I go back home.
I had some horror stories when in the states but I don't go there anymore. Instead of complaining about it, I am spending my money elsewhere.
High-end restaurants in the US/England/Canada and Japan are about the same from my own experience.
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sam1633
I have always been treated with great respect and the table service could not be better!!
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realist
Service in Japanese restaurants isbetter than in the West in many cases, but I get tired of being served by brainless, robotic-like creatures without any humanity, and who tirelessly repeat the same mindless sentences. Better to have real robots than these creatures without personality.
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Trapped
I'm obviously going to the wrong eateries. I can't recall ever not having to call for the honour of placing my order.
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borscht
First,
Great rationalization but far from true. They don't refill your glass/coffee because they're finished with you once you get your food. You always have to ask for more water.
Main differences:
• US waitpeople know what they are serving so if you ask if the steak dinner comes with soup, they can answer without checking with everyone else in the restaurant.
• Cooks in the US know how to time the meals so that everyone gets their food at approximately the same time so that everyone can enjoy dinner together - not as a series of separate solo dinners.
• If you tell the waitpeople in the US a joke, they laugh.
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limboinjapan
Where to start, well back home they depend on tips so you tend to get very good service because they need that tip so if you have any special request even in a so-called "family restaurant" they tend to try their best to give it to you.
Japanese service is polite but as others have mentioned "robotic" and if you dare make a request not in their routine they tend to get very confused.
When people tell me this is not true, I like to bring them to one of the local chain family restaurants and proceed to order the club house sandwich then I request that they leave off one of the ingredients (like no mayonnaise), that is usually followed by a a shocked and dumbfounded look then by a "I will have to see if we can do that" the waiter or waitress then heads off to the kitchen then returns saying they can do it but they will put the unwanted ingredient on the side because they have to charge me the same price.
I just love doing this with wide eyed Newbies in Japan and watch their reaction its priceless!
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Columhcille
lol Limboinjapan. That's histerical.
Well personally I think that the 'quality of service' overall can be good or bad in any restaurant. It's culturally different service and anyone traveling has to take that for what it's worth. So really, isn't it all about personal preference as to which you'd rather spend your time in?
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nigelboy
"There in Japan:
"here you go" me handing over 10,000 yen for a burger, fries, and a few beers at Outback.
"Domo arigato gozaimashita.... mata kite ne !"- waiter/waitress
"What ? No change"- me mumbling my way back through the crowds, puddles of water on the sidewalk and awful stench of chiba port after a typical summer's eve in Makuhari."
Classic from Branded once again.
Price of burgers-1,250~1,350 yen (including fries)
Hence, you had at least 12 beers to come up with the total. Congrats to Branded for the only person in the world to consume 12 beers at Outback!!
"mata kite ne!!" INDEED!!!!!
http://www.outbacksteakhouse.co.jp/menu/pdf/Menu_C.pdf
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sandtrapcougar
Thank you LoveUSA you hit it on the nail! Japan has great service and for those of you that don't like go back to the USA and I bet you'll be back here before too long. Also, you can't care McDonald's in Japan to a high-end restaurant in America. If you compare McDonald's in Japan with McDonald's in America and a high-end restaurant in Japan and a high-end restaurant in America than you can more accurately compare the two. They both have their positives and negatives but I would much rather prefer to eat out in Japan then in America any day.
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DentShop
Great service consists of 2 parts:
One is being friendly, having good manners and being prompt.
Japan excels here, no question. I even dont mind the bit of attitude occasionally from Obachans with aprons.
The other is being able to solve customer problems. This table is directly under a freezing cold air-vent and it is February - can I move? Can I pay for extra tomato in the salad and no I dont have a reservation but the restaurant is empty and it is an hour until closing time.
This is where Japan falls down. Things that arent in the training manual make a waitress' heart beat faster than a new LV bag. The manager will have to call Tokyo and apologise profusely at the next regional meeting. Then again, I suppose most Japanese customers would not dare ask anything untoward.
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Branded
"Great service consists of 2 parts"
I believe great service consists of three parts-
1) prompt and courteous attention 2) Knowledge of the products and services 3) the ability to meet the individual needs of each and every customer
Japan does well with category #1, starts to slip off at #2, fails miserably at #3- especially during peak hours !
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CHAMADE
Restaurant service in Japan is far and away the very best in the world, in my opinion. After a few visits to a given restaurant, staff automatically give you the little personalized things you've requested before; they remember your name and where you are from, your likes and dislikes.
Japanese guests are extended the honorofics suited to a customer and expect the deference. They can effortlessly turn the tables, so to speak, and provide the very same caliber of attention and service to their own patrons if they are in the F&B business.
Snobbism or elitism don't play a role in providing service here as they may in less confident countries such as France or the US. Rarely do you find snooty wait staff here in Japan, even in such august dining situations as, say, the fabulous Les Saisons in Tokyo's imminently elitist Imperial Hotel. In Japan you don't need to demonstrate any exceptional knowledge of food or wine, or dress smartly, to qualify to be provided with gracious, proper treatment.
As for food quality comparisons, it seems to me, a long term resident in Tokyo, that most lower to middle price range restaurants in Japan are vastly superior to their counterparts in North America, yet for the very top of the line restaurants, although reservations are impossible to get, upper echelon dining in the US is usually a much, much better experience culinary-wise than at similarly pricey places in Japan.
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AlfGarnett
If i ever go anywhere that has waiters or waitresses i expect full knowledge of the menu and to be referred to as Sir, otherwise no bleeding tip. Me Grandson is in Japan and he told me they don`t like doing "spcials" from the menu even in pricey joints. He only asks because he has a nut allergy. He said one place the witer was very obtuse and he felt like thumpimg him. I suppose it is too much to ask for Japanese to have the manners and courtsy of English, i mean its our tradition to behave well in the service industry.
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DentShop
Thats a lot of food all up. If you can through all that and the beers you dont need to worry about the cash, starting worrying about your health ;-)
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nigelboy
Let's go back to your original post regarding this, shall we?
posted by Branded at 06:26 AM JST - 4th August
"here you go" me handing over 10,000 yen for a burger, fries, and a few beers at Outback.
"Domo arigato gozaimashita.... mata kite ne !"- waiter/waitress
"What ? No change"- me mumbling my way back through the crowds, puddles of water on the sidewalk and awful stench of chiba port after a typical summer's eve in Makuhari.
http://www.outbacksteakhouse.co.jp/menu/pdf/Menu_C.pdf
The above is the link to the menu for Outback steak house in Makuhari.
Price of burgers (including fries)are from 1250~1350 yen.
That leaves around 8,750~8,650 yen for a "few" beer.
8,650 divided by 680 yen per beer=12.72 beer.
Do the math based on your original post, please.
Moderator: Back on topic please.
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AlfGarnett
If i wrere to spend over a fiver whilst out i would expect silver service and top quality food. 10,000 Yen sounds like a lot of dosh. Is that a five star place. Hope the service is top class at them prices.
Down my chippy, i get fish, chips, peas and tea for 4.95 on a Tuesady for pensioners speclial, no ftills, just the moany old bag who serves the chips as waitress. At them prices you can`t complain though. THey always says "you pay for what you get" innit! Most probably the same rules everywhere and all that.
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nigelboy
I'll correct your previous example for ya!
"here you go" me handing over 10,000 yen for three appetizers, a side salad, a burger, fries, and half a dozen beers at Outback.
"Domo arigato gozaimashita.... mata kite ne !"- waiter/waitress
"What ? No change"- me mumbling my way back through the crowds, puddles of water on the sidewalk and awful stench of chiba port after a typical summer's eve in Makuhari.
"Otsuri nei no atarimae daro, debu!"-waiter/waitress after Branded leaves.
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perspective
Service in Japan is great as long as you don't exceed the scope or parameters of the programming installed into the waitstaff.
Service in the US is dependent on just how involved the manager is in the everyday operations of the restaurant, and secondly on what section of the country you are in.
Customers from both countries can be real sh*ts. Some people just take great delight in verbally abusing staff or dumping their daily frustrations on people they think are a captive audience because they provide "service". What's amazing is that they think the wait staff doesn't have a memory and return to the restaurant again and again and act like azzes repeatedly; never once does it register that they may be eating some extra ingredients they didn't bargain for.
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Branded
"Otsuri nei no atarimae daro, debu!"-waiter/waitress after Branded leaves.
And I'll let you have the last word with that profound thought from what you believe Japanese waiters/waitresses say about the customers as they walk out the door- I rest my case.
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nigelboy
As if I care what the waitress/waiter thinks of me after I leave the restaurant... As if you believe the same kind of thought process doesn't go through the minds of waitress/waiters across the world for bad tipper, constant complainer, etc.
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MrDarryl
Never had a complaint about any service I have received in Japan. Some tourist locations have more impatient staff, but they have to deal with people who seemingly lose their brains temporarily while on vacation and just waste all sorts of time. Having worked as a server before I have to say the Japanese do a good job and I never have a problem with tipping them. Here in the states it's not too bad either, but I had horrible experiences with bothered servers (almost to the point of rudeness), slow servers who don't apologize for keeping you waiting, and servers who seem to screw up nearly everything you ordered almost to the point of doubling the time spent at said restaurant. It makes the good service you get every now and then seem like a treat. I always tip accordingly. Good jobs get 20% plus the change (if not more...I will tip up to 25% depending on the amount) and bad jobs get under 20% and sometimes below 20% on the pre-taxed price.
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debittoo
Branded...i will be clear..that.s not your country. Don.t try to compare it. -the shouting of "irashaimase" as you walk through the door ? Well it.s "irasshaimase". As you know it means "Welcome", in my opinion that.s not annoying.
-the lack of small talk or any hint of personality throughout the seating or ordering process ? How much do you need to talk with them? are you going to eat or flirt?
-the fact they never know who ordered what and must ask ? What kind of places do you go to eat?
-that they never check on your order once it's presented to your table ? I repeat, where do you go to eat?
-that you must tell them to fill your water or coffee cup again and again and again ? And again, and again, where do you go to eat?
-requests for substitutions result in teeth sucking and mouth breathing noises, followed by a quick run into the kitchen to find out if its possible- most times its not ! It depends of the restaurant but in saizeria or jonathan for example they changed it.
-being seated as close to the only other guests in the restaurant as possible ? Is it a really problem? Focus on your partner and in your conversation.
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debittoo
Bass4funk...
-You usually cannot order your food the way you like. (Why not? I am paying for it though) Where do you eat? If you go to mcdonnals you won.t have that kind of services but in any steak restaurant you can say "well done"..etc and they will do, and they will ask if it.s ok for you...etc.
-Having small conversations with customers (to establish some rapport which is helpful in making customers feel comfortable and at ease) Do you want to flirt with the staff or eat? Japan it.s not Friday.s all time.
-Since Japanese waiter/waitresses earn and hourly wage and not receive any tips, why should they ultimately care how you feel, they get paid regardless, which means, NO incentive. It depends of the waiter/waitress, but think about they.re workers not your family.
-Not always good at handling customer complaints. You.re right about that, have you tried to talk with the manager? they understand your problem more than waiter/waitress will do.
-Not all establishments taking Credit Cards. Huge problem! This is the 21st century and cash is slowly becoming less irrelevant. What and how can many traveling foreigners pay if they cannot use Travelers checks, Credit or Debit cards. Again...where do you go to eat?
-Not sensitive to religious or dietary customs: Kosher, Halal, Vegan etc. All places in US does? i don.t think so.
-No window quality grading system (as in the states) How do we know which restaurant passed the FDA guidelines for safety, health, cleanliness. Do you feel like you.re going to be killed by anybody in Japan?
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KinuyeOshiro
Try eating in the USA lately? Los Angeles, Japanese Restaruant but no Japanese Present, poor service, poor food and high price, and expect to pay big tip. San Francisco, Japanese Restaurant in Japan Town, No Japanese chefs, no Japanese Waitress, come from other coutry south of North Korea. Sushi old, drying and chef screams at customers who complain about poor sushi or smelly food. High price, expect tip, wairtress very rude, yell at us for not eating poor food, leave money on table for bill and hear more yelling for no tip. all true, never go again. Go to Mcdonalds eat food, get sick. but pay cheap price so no can complain. go to tack shop, eat tacos with mystery meat. again get sick but food cheap so no can complain. Love food in my own home, Okinawa has mostly good restaurants but a few not so good but still prefer Japan to USA. New York different, many good restaurants, nice people, nice service, nice prices.
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Tokyoapple
I guess there is always something to gripe about, and while service in restaurants in Japan is fairly decent, I guess my biggest complaint is that the food for the next in line people at your table seems to lag a bit too long in coming out after the first person receives theirs. Why can't they figure this out here? Also, once the servers finish taking care of your order, you often become persona non "esse." Luckily, it's acceptable to yell across the restaurant for your server's attention. A plus?
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bass4funk
@debitto, You usually cannot order your food the way you like. (Why not? I am paying for it though) Where do you eat? If you go to mcdonnals you won.t have that kind of services but in any steak restaurant you can say "well done"..etc and they will do, and they will ask if it.s ok for you...etc. -Has nothing to do where I eat. I am talking in general. As I stated before, whatever I want, how I want it or added or cooked or taken away, JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN!
Having small conversations with customers (to establish some rapport which is helpful in making customers feel comfortable and at ease) Do you want to flirt with the staff or eat? Japan it.s not Friday.s all time. -Has nothing to do with it. Having rapport doesn't equate to small chat, it is about understanding my needs as a PAYING CUSTOMER! BTW, who said anything about flirting? Wise up!
Since Japanese waiter/waitresses earn and hourly wage and not receive any tips, why should they ultimately care how you feel, they get paid regardless, which means, NO incentive. It depends of the waiter/waitress, but think about they.re workers not your family. -Has everything to do with it! Don't care how I or my family feels, I go somewhere else and deal with someone that does! Pure and simple-"my money, my right!"
Not always good at handling customer complaints. You.re right about that, have you tried to talk with the manager? they understand your problem more than waiter/waitress will do. -I usually don't complain, the restaurants that were bad as far as service goes, I just won't go anymore.
Not all establishments taking Credit Cards. Huge problem! This is the 21st century and cash is slowly becoming less irrelevant. What and how can many traveling foreigners pay if they cannot use Travelers checks, Credit or Debit cards. Again...where do you go to eat? -I live in the 5th largest city in Japan and still most of Japan compared to other asian countries like neighboring S. Korea use Credit cards all the time. Yes, Japan is getting better, but still MOST ESTABLISHMENTS ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER PLACES DO NOT TAKE CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS- NOT HELPFUL IF YOU ARE A TRAVELING TOURIST FOR ONE OR FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH CASH!This is not the 50's!
Not sensitive to religious or dietary customs: Kosher, Halal, Vegan etc. All places in US does? i don.t think so. -Correction, in the US, you can without a doubt customize your order or CONTROL SPECIFICALLY how you want to eat, I have a certain diet and I know for a fact in the states, never, ever a problem, but in Japan, if I order a salad and it says "No meat" but it has pieces of ham, that is quite misleading. I can get Non-fat, Kosher, Halal, NO MEAT, etc. I can go on all day. So you are absolutely wrong in your analysis how you can purchase your dietary requirements in the states. Can you get everything the way you want in the US of course not, but Japan doesn't even come remotely or possibly close, "Period!"
No window quality grading system (as in the states) How do we know which restaurant passed the FDA guidelines for safety, health, cleanliness. Do you feel like you.re going to be killed by anybody in Japan?
-**YOU KNOW BY LOOKING AT THE SIGN (WHICH IS DISPLAYED IN THE WINDOW), THE STAMP, SIGNATURE OF THE INSPECTING AGENT. ***Of course I don't believe someone in Japan will kill me, but having eaten in many, many Izakaiya joints or ANY restaurant, I would feel more comfortable to know! Because again, I pay, I have a certain eating style and if they can't accommodate my wishes, no problem, I just will not go there! But never say, Japan has superior service, yes, Japan has very good service, but it is extremely limited and if you are content with that, more power to you, but for me, I'd rather take the US approach. I don't care if the servers want a tip, that is our system, point is, they WILL take care of you and your needs, that is why the incentive system works and works quite well. *
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Zenny11
Not sure about the above post.
Never had probs getting meals adjusted in Japan. My Wife was a non-meat-eater and many of my friends are Muslim, Hindi, Vegetarian or Vegan and no probs. Heck, trying to raise a kid which have all sorts of food likes and dislikes, taught me quickly to ask for food adjustements(even at McD). A Japanese friends kid has 6 food allergies.
Of course since this is not "Kansas" some adjustements need to be done on your side. Stubbornly refusing to do so and stamping your foot saying "You NEED to do it my way" will result in a poor experience, IMO.
Just my View.
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sourpuss
Zenny11, I'll explain:
He wants Koshur, veggie tonkatsu.
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blvtzpk
Chain places - pure robotic routine as everyone has been pre-programmed and must follow 'the manual', but once you get the process, you let it slide. I rarely eat out with any one else, so I have my partner(s) to keep me company. Phony friendliness is worse in my mind than phony politeness. Small places where you can become a regular - my experience is that the politeness does not diminish, and the intimacy increases because you're now a 'regular' and a 'face.' However, smaller places with a robotic form, and never change even though you've been there a few times, and they recognize you - that's a turn off, and make me doubt wanting to there. I always find it amusing watching non-Japanese owners/staff at eating places and watering holes who do the ape the local greetings, approach to customers. I know that this is done because the majority of their clients are Japanese and tend to expect it, but I find it amusing nonetheless. As for customers, I hate boorish customers anywhere. I treat the staff with the dignity a working person deserves, UNLESS that working person has a bad attitude and approach. As for the customers who treat serving staff like their lackeys and underlings - take your power and ego tripping elsewhere.
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Richard_the_First
Service in Japan is normally great but one thing irks me here. If you order two dishes as mains, they will bring the one that is ready first, leaving the other person waiting. It's part of the culture, I accept but they generally don't have awareness. For example you order soup and bread and and get one or the other whilst still waiting for the said other. I often remark about this to my friends and they shrug it off, but I point out that if they went to a sushi restaurant overseas and received their sushi but had to wait for the soy sauce or wasabi to be brought to their table, they would see my point about the oddness.
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seesaw
I love being served in Japan. Waiters/waitresses are so polite and they provide the same standard of service whether you spend 1,000yen or 10,000yen. Back home people are served according to class, financial status and colours....
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tamanegi
Back home waitstaff don't ask me if my Japanese wife can use a knife and fork. Also they don't tremble, mumble and shake when they serve foreigners.
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Zenny11
tamanegi.
Back home(europe) when I go to a chinese or japanese restaurant all we get as an option are chop-sticks, ask for a Fork or Spoon and you get nasty looks from the asian staff.
I always tell the japanese that mention I use chopsticks well(better than my japanese wife and some friends) "Mochiron 8-sai kara tsukattemasu.".
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stormqueen
bass4funk with petty whinges and demands like that,if I owned a restaurant I'd prefer you to walk on by..you're painting yourself as someone who's happy when they're angry.
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Hotbox08
The one big difference in service, is that back home (in the U.S.), it's common for waiters or counter help to ask, "Yeah, what'll you want?", with no smile and in a tone as if you are bothering them for being there. But then again, I lived in that situation over and over, that you end up getting used to it anyway. Here, if a worker doesn't greet customers nicely, or give good service, they would be given a yelling at by the manager in the backroom.
As for the "Irrashaimase", it doesn't bother me, since it just means "Welcome". I only get irritated at stores if they ever try to aggressively push items for me to buy, which I don't want. It happens often back home; so I just say that "I'm only looking". No big deal.
Here, I've only had to complain once when they brought me the wrong drink, and in which case the waiter promptly said "Sumimasen" and brought me my correct order.
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limboinjapan
I think many here have taken this a little to seriously.
Just because some one say one thing is different or even better does not mean everything else is bad.
Here are a few:
It is true that when it comes to customizing your meal Japan is not the best place if you are in a chain restaurant, but your smaller local places will do it just fine. (but not at lunch hour during the rush, same applies in most countries, give the staff a break it a mad house at that time)
It is also true that in Japan outside of larger places credit cards are not taken and that has more to do with BANK FEES then the place being backwards.
Service in Japan is generally very good but it does have certain flexibility problems but they can usually be worked out if you have a brain.
As for complaint about Kosher, Halal, Vegan I say look around, your in Japan not much demand and for that fact I doubt most Japanese would even know what they are, please try and remember, that less then 2% of Japan is made up of foreigners and most of those are form Asia!
I have lived in many countries and in most of Asia unless there is a large Muslim or Hindu population you will not find those choices either.
"Ilashaimase" and "Arigatogozaimasu" are fine but in some places it can be a bit annoying when every staff member in the place repeats it "roboticaly" one after another every time someone enters and leaves. (more annoying are the sensor triggered disingenuous automated ones)
I have had good and bad service all over the world and Japan is no different.
Lighten up and enjoy life if you didn't like the service don't go back, if you did tell them and when you return they will remember you and treat you like a king and that goes for just about every place in the world!
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bicultural
I have no complaints about the service I receive in this country.
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Zenny11
limboinjapan.
Good post.
Guess you visited the Tapas Chain place for the annoying "Irashaimase". ;)
Saying again as as was mentioned multiple times, most places will customise your meals but you need to speak Japanese(fairly well) and many japanese won't understand terms like kosher/halaal/vegan as they use different ones for those here. The concepts do exist but pls use the local lingo.
As for refilling water glasses, etc they do it but of course only do the rounds when they get a breather from serving.
Again chain restaurants, etc places are the worst for customer service/friendliness(same everywhere).
Remember one place in Nakano, me and my wife hung out there(broadway, etc)got hungry so we hit the backroads for some chow.
Went into one place(very local) and ordered some Karake dish and my wife had some ramen. Hers was standard size, I got more chicken than 2 people can eat(because I am a foreigner, we all got bottom less pits). Had to apologize for not being able to finish the double portion(paid standard price).
Similar when I was working in Monzen-Nakacho and Kayabacho, the service at the mom&pop places ROCKS.
Don't judge local serving standards by chains/franchises.
HTH.
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morriconelover
I love how the service is in most places in Japan that i have been to. I prefer to yell out the SUMIMASEN than having a waiter in my face from time to time. I am from Denmark where its often uncommon to have small restaurants, and something like counterseats are rare except for a few cafes or if youre in a bar. I love sitting at a counter in a japanese place, and as someone else pointed out, then its much nicer to go to places where the staff isnt like robots, but are more personal and will treat you like a friend and not just give you the standard treatment. I admit it can be a bit annoying sometimes not to get the main dishes at the same time, but it also sometimes depend on what type of place youre eating in. In Kyoto, if you go into a small local place, depending on what you order, there is actually an etiquette for how orders should be served depending on youre ordering sashimi, fried food, or something completely third. It has something to do with how the tastes should follow and compliment eachother. But for other restaurants it might just be that they are just expected to bring the first finished dish out as soon as possible. Japan is full of local franchise places, and some of them are wonderful franchises while others may look shabby and with lazy service. About the standard of food hygiene in Japan. The system in Japan is quite different from how things work in the US and in scandinavia. In the US and scandinavia, the inspection of food production is not as strict, but there is an extensive system of controlling the health regulations at all restaurants. In Japan they have an extremely strict system of food production, and the import/export is heavily regulated. My girlfriend works in company that deals with these issues, and what she tells me about rules and regulations enforced is mindblowing to how relaxed it is in europe. So because everything is so strict with food production, then there is little control with the eateries/restaurants themselves, but this in turn mean that even though a restaurant looks dirty and greasy, it can still maintain a level where the food is safe. Of course both systems can have a lot of flaws. but in generel my stomach has a lot less problems eating out in Japan than compared to in europe.
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furuigakko
In Japan, service industry people are robots. Situation A, dictates reply D, situation B, dictates reply C. Situation X, what?!? no canned reply? What am I to do? Service is decent if you don't do outside the box.
Example one: My friend came to visit and he is lactose intolerant, we go to Excelsior Coffee 'cause we could not locate a Starbucks or Tully's. He asked me to order a soy latte, I am thinking no problem. They have soy mocha on the menu board. So I go and order a soy latte, guess what? It's not on a menu board. I ask the counter girl if they can make a soy mocha, she confirmed yes. So why can you not make a soy latte? Calls out the manager, scratches his head and confirms they can make a soy latte. WTF is the difference btw a soy latte and a soy mocha?
Example two: We go to Baskin Robbins 31, I order a Banana Royale. I like strawberry with my ice cream and not the standard fudge that comes with a Banana Royale. Ask the staff to switch it out, guess what? It can not be done because the Banana Royale comes with fudge. But you do have strawberry topping, right, I ask. Again, manager comes out! Guess what topping I am stuck with?
Example three: I will pay anyone 10,000 JPY on J-Today if they can score tartar sauce to compliment their fries. My friends took me up on it thinking they can make a quick 10,000 JPY. I told them, if you can't score tartar sauce you don't owe me a dime. Each and everyone of them confidant they can score and each and everyone of them got turned away.
Never been to Burger King in Japan, but can you really get it your way?
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alphawolf
In Japan I never had a problem in restaurants when requesting the music being turned down. Sometimes it is too loud. I also haven't had a problem when requesting that the Air Conditioner be turned on or cooler. Never had to the staff get mad at me for asking.
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ambrosia
I'm with Branded on this. It's hard to say the service in Japan is bad but in my opinion it's far from being the best and I'd even hesitate to call it good. IRS true that waiters in Japan are generally polite and I certainly appreciate that but that's about the only really positive thing I can say about them. Once the food us on your table the service is basically done. don't like waiters constantly hassling me either but a polite "thank you, we're good and will call you over if we need anything." usually does the trick in American restaurants. At the very least I expect a waiter to know what dish was ordered by whom, especially at a table of two and for a waiter to ask at least once if you need anything after they've served the food. Taking away the dinner dishes after taking a dessert order would be nice too. You shouldn't have to ask for them to do that. Personally I could care less how sincere the waiter us as long as my needs are met in an efficient manner. The problem as I see it in Japan is that you very often havevone person taking the order and another bringing it out and there's seemingly no communication between the two. I'm finding it particularly amusing how people are defending what some find to be flaws in Japanese restaurant service as part of their culture while at the same time bashing the same in America. If you can defend the shouting and bringing orders out one at a time as "how it's done here" then stop being ridiculous and accept that familiarity and tipping are part if American service. It's kind of hard to be right or wrong on this since it's a matter of opinion and preference. I'm not a big fan of Japanese restaurant service and have lived here long enough and been to enough types of restaurants to have a damn good idea of how I feel about it.
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ambrosia
Sorry for the typing errors. IRS should be "it's" and a couple of the us's should be "is"
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bass4funk
@Stormqueen:bass4funk with petty whinges and demands like that,if I owned a restaurant I'd prefer you to walk on by..you're painting yourself as someone who's happy when they're angry.
I probably, especially if you served crappy service. You don't get it. Has nothing to do with me being angry or not, but it has everything to do with me having the right to spend my hard and I mean, really hard-earned money the way I please and if you have read my other previous posts, I am just stating the fact that Japan does NOT have the best service. Good, but not THE best. I want my food prepared the way I like it and not the way, the restaurant tells me I should have it. Again, I do not go out that much. I am not trying to change their system, but I have the right to be any kind of way I want to be. If they give me the food for FREE, I can't say anything, but if I am paying for it, I have the right to be picky! My money, my body, my right. So I usually cook at home, lucky for me. I used to work in the restaurant business for 6 years, so I can do a lot and I am happy until I visit the states where I know I can food done the way I want it.
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SpanishEyez37
The best service I had was at a Mom and Pop tempura restaurant in Sakuragicho station. I was a newbie ,just pointed to the food sculptures in the glass case. The staff were so nice to me and tried to speak English to me. I need to stop by there again :)
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Zenny11
Like I said service in mom&pop places is different from chains/franchises. Same all over.
Said that there was one place(US franchise) that I took a lot of visitors too and they all said it blew the overseas branches away both in service and food quality.
The place is Sizzler in Musashino(haven't been there recently). Their salad-bar is great.
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scap
Although the service is a bit robotic and inflexible*, it is the best in the world in my opinion--and I have eaten in restaurants around the world. Comparing the three countries I have eaten in the most, Japan,China, and the U.S.A., Japan is head and shoulders above the other two. In China they often almost throw the food on the table and never smile. The U.S. service is similar, plus you have to pay a 15% tip for it, which forces the waitresses to fein friendliness. In all aspects, service in Japan is in comparable. *Example: One man went to McDonalds to get 15 hamburgers for a group. Following the manual, the waitress asked, "Eat in or take out?"
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XXXXX
not many complaints, basically they're very good with customers in general. Provided it's on the manual. More or less.
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ppokkiya
I've cashiered in Japanese and American restaurants before. I think that no matter what kind of restaurant you work in, it's important to always put on a good face to make the customer feel welcome and comfortable...even if you really want to smack them across the face with a menu.
Japanese customers are usually much easier to serve than my other customers. I've rarely dealt with a Japanese customer that has irritated me. Many of my American, Chinese, and Korean customers on the other hand...Well, here's some examples...
I've had money tossed at me. Used toothpicks and trash have been dropped into my hands when I hold them out for taking money. I've gotten dirty looks when I greet some customers and thank them. People even yell at me for not knowing what I'm doing if the place I work at does not sell what they are looking for. One guy furiously and demanded that I give him a refund for his spicy tuna roll because it tasted like fish.
Now if I can put up with that crap and more and still smile, I expect to be treated nice when I go out with others. I can be very sympathetic when a nice server is taking on a whole room by herself and she's late getting my food out. She's busy, they're understaffed, and it's not her fault. This is what I often see when I go to other Japanese restaurants around me. It's great service with a kind smile, no matter how busy or slow they are.
On several occasions, I've seen American waiters just be plain rude and stiff even if they aren't a bit busy. It's like I'm a problem for just being there giving them and their restaurant money. Well...If they're like that, they don't see much of my money in their tip.
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XXXXX
'in' the manual...
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debittoo
I don.t understand you guys...you.re in japan but you hate many things...maybe you should to live in your "lovely and perfect place where you were born". Anyway it.s an opinion and we have freedom to say it, so it.s ok for me but my opinion it.s totally different from yours. I love Japan, and there are expensive, cheaper, good/bad services, but it.s really cheap, they.re so nice, they help me all time...I prefer Japan to my own country Spain.
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jam_sandwich
Wow, nothig gets people fired up like... comparing restuarant services? WTF? Seriously? I agree with other posters too, the service I had at a Japanese restaurant was pretty robotic. Even if I am a foriegner, and they've only seen me once, don't be cold with me. In Canada, I usually feel quite welcome in most establishments. Minus what mikehuntez says about the cellulite, maybe I live in a thin city? Non-smoking in the whole restaurant is also better, as much as I enjoy breathing in your arsenic, you douchebags! In Japan, even though I had my child with me, and requested non-smoking, they stuck us right next to the smoking section, and it wasn't even busy. Jerks. Let me sum up some problems I think you're all having in making comparison:
Japanese service: polite, prompt but cold and rigid North American service: friendly, casual,but tips and not so prompt.
Tips are a double-edged sword, I personally don't pay if the server is rude or terrible. It's not illegal not to pay right?
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nigelboy
Go to any franchise restaurant anywhere and you'll get your robotic there.
"Hi, my name is xxxxx. I will be your server today. Would you like to start off with a drink or a appetitzer?"
"Hi, welcome to (insert franchise restaurant). Our special is blah blah blah. Would you like to start off with a drink?"
"Hi, welcome to (insert franchise restaurant). Would you like to try our (insert appetizer sampler of the month)"
And of course,
the endless "Want me to warm up that coffee for ya??"
or
"You guys have room for dessert?"
or when they bring the check.
"Take your time." (As he/she drops off the check with his/her name on it with a handwritten "Thank you!! :)" )
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MrDarryl
'Robotic' or scripted service is always better than crappy service. I get sick of NY restaurants not paying attention to details, but still expecting decent tips. They need a manual to learn what to do, but it seems like they don't get that in their training. Japan is much better in the service sector.
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Bssupreme
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UdaMan
I think the haters here just need to try some different restaurants. Outback? Ditch the chains and find a local restaurant that does a good job. There are any number of websites devoted to restaurant reviews, where you can even find a good range of reviews of restaurants in Japan in English.
Either that or some people are just chronically unhappy and will find something to bitch about no matter what.
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Rico808
Seriously, some people are just whiners and shouldn't go to restaurants at all if they're SO concerned about spending that blood money.
I'm not picky at all and have never made a special request anywhere that I can remember. So it's really tough for me gauge how these are handled. However aside from that, I've had a great time eating in Japan so far. I think the service is prompt and to the point. A smile is great, and I've had plenty of those here as well. I hate the smalltalk from a creepy waiter/waitress. I'm already with another person when eating out, so I'd like to focus my conversation there and not with someone hovering over the table. Also, I like how I know how much I'm paying and I don't have to scan the bill for added charges. I think tipping should be done away with. I find it to be much more of a negative than a service motivator.
I once had a waitress return to my table to ask why I hadn't tipped her as she had expected. That deserved a menu in the face.
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lostrune2
People complain about waiter/waitress smalltalk? I never had that unless I initiated it first; otherwise they leave ya alone. Sometimes ya just wanna chat with some cute ones, heheh....
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SuperLib
That's probably how I'd describe it. Japan is more polite, the US is friendlier. Japan has a certain level of service that they never seem to fall under, whereas in the US you can sometimes get service so bad you never go back or service so good it's the selling point to the entire restaurant. Straight and narrow vs. roll the dice....
The service at lower end restaurants in JP is absolutely amazing, tho. Cultural thing. But even at Denny's in the US it's nice to have an older, friendlier waitress stop by to warm your coffee enough that it never goes cold. And it doesn't cost you 500 yen a cup.
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Klein2
Here is a generalization that works for me:
Japan has consistent service that is polite and usually efficient anywhere you go. Anywhere. Fast food is usually by the book. Family restaurants are pleasant and clean. Mid to high level restaurants approach an art form. No arguments, no questions. The customer is right. I have never been refused anything. I have never been embarrassed by a waitperson.
In any other country, you either get what you pay for or, more often than not, you don't. I happen to know the employee and operations manuals of one fast food chain almost by heart, and anywhere in the world I go, I have a look to see how screwed up things are. They usually are. In countries like that, you have to search to find good places, and it is a minefield of snobbery and false promises. Tipping does not do any good because people are not proud of what they do anyway.
I can see the charm of the American Diner, but that is just a memory. Do they even exist anymore? I am just betting that if you hopped on a Harley and took off down the highway and tried to pick one out, you would fail 9 times out of 10. And if you could find one, it would not be "pancakes and grits" but "fennel and omelettes". Someday I will go looking for an authentic diner. That would be a good quest.
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Zenny11
Example:
Once me and a friend were in Akiba and needed lunch so we pulled into a ramen/tempura shop. Standard place(fancy trimmed though) buy ticket from vending machine, sit down and hand ticket over.
Tourist foreigner comes in, sits down and sees the small menu on the table orders from it in english. Never realising the proper procedure or that there is a larger menu.
Young lady that served him did so with a smile and never hinting about the correct procedure, etc. Waitressing staff here went above and beyond of what is expected. Most likely not first occurence either(being akiba).
Don't think I can think of many other countries where they would do the same.
Everytime I had a complaint(rare) I got the dish for Free.
Just my experience.
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Klein2
Nigelboy and anyone else who has never worked as a waitperson probably does not get it. It is a tough job that is hard to get right.
One waitperson handling five tables is about usual, but it takes a demigod to handle ten tables. If they have a handset, count on the professional of today not even bothering to remember which kid gets the orange juice and which gets the lemonade. Back in the day you could count on a waitress to remember anything... anything... and have a right arm like Brett Favre.
That robotic drone script that Nigelboy shows has key items that vary daily or nearly daily. Then figure that a shift might last from lunch through dinner. I am just betting that the average person posting here could not be a GOOD waitperson. Even with a handset, there are still queueing problems that arise with some dishes, and you can't trust the cooking staff or management to take care of that.
Check it out. If you have five tables with four diners each, and each has some drink and a course with three options. Then that is 100 items in short term memory matched to respective diners if they are going to do it right. I have seen healthy people in a quiet environment remember a string of random words up to about 40 in sequence. Then everyone starts to break down.
Add in daily specials, weekly, seasonal, new menus, loud kids, rude customers, and that weird guy on table 15 who always orders "the usual" but tips really big, and you have... an extremely good memory that probably comes out sounding pretty stale sometimes.
If she knows the robotic spiel cold, she has probably said it 100 times before you ever came in, and if she is saying it for the first time, she will make a mistake or two. Apparently diners will roll their eyes either way.
Anybody who is 20 kg overweight and having trouble remembering things should be a waitperson at a family restaurant for two months. It would be a great experience in a boot camp sort of way.
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Zenny11
Adding to what Klein2 said.
Most places in Japan use those handhelds where the order is punched in(they don't register who ordered what).
A friend of mine back home decided to become a professional waiter. It took him 3yrs of schooling to learn setting the table, carrying the food, remembering all the dishes/orders, etc.
Granted this is for 3-star+ restaurants. Shorter courses for lower ranked waitressing jobs.
Not an easy profession, I couldn't do it.
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Zenny11
Forgot one thing.
Many places here only got 1 Cook that includes places like Saizeriya. They simply read what dish to prepare on a PC-Monitor and push dishes out as fast as they can.
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smithinjapan
I'm sorry, but I'll take waiters (both genders) here any day over people back home. Last time I went home I was greeted LITERALLY, with a 'what do you want', when I walked in the door of a small town restaurant, then the waiter chewing my ear off for 10 minutes about how tired she was that day. Not leave a tip? Hell no! I'm sure she would have chased me down the street and attacked me if I didn't.
Sure, in Japan I admit, having worked in the restaurant industry a number of years, that it's awkward to shout 'excuse me' to get a waiter to come to your table, but after years of being here, and going home periodically, I've found I prefer it to people who constantly come around and interrupt what you're doing.
And again... the whole tipping thing... for the birds.
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kamonochoumei
I took a group of Japanese college students to restaurant in a tourist spot in Vancouver. The waiter, who was carrying a plate in each hand, dumped a whole plate of spaghetti on them. Several of the Japanese students who work in restaurants said they're not allowed to carry more than one plate at a time.
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LouReed
The waiters/waitresses in Japan are sooo much better that the States plus I do not have to pay an additional 15-20% for them to do their job. The tipping policies in the US are one of the biggest scams businesses ever levied on the American consumer.
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USARonin
Lou... then don't tip.
If a tip is automatically included in any check, then don't patronize the joint.
I fails to see any problem.
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timtak
In the UK the waiting staff deign to serve you if you are nice. If you are not nice, the will throw the food at you. In Japan you can pretty much ignore the waiting staff if you want to.
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borscht
I worked as a cook many decades ago and some of my co-workers were part-time cooks going to high school full-time. Even they figured out the cooking times for food and could get the entire meal out in one swoop rather than piecemeal like in Japan. Also, on that PC monitor is a code for the waitstaff - you can figure out which foods go together.
In other news, all our whining isn't going to change the way Japanese restaurants or 'Merican restaurants do business.
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zentraedi
The thing I notice the most is lots of Japanese customers stuck in the "全国一律" mindset. "Table check? I've never heard of such a thing! We don't do that in Japan" OK, maybe not at the ramen shop in your inaka, but head to a nice french or italian place in the city.
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Zenny11
zentraedi.
We all already agreed that you can't compare a McD, Ramen-Shop, etc to a high-class restaurant as the staff has very different training.
Same for all-over the globe. Said that what percentage of the world can afford to eat in high-class restaurants on a regular basis?
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proudnippon
waiters and waitresses are slimmer in Japan, and far more pleasing to the eye
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tranel
"Waiters and Waitresses in Japan are robotic, cold, and indifferent to the customers needs once the food is on the table. Here in the US, I have found the vast majority to be pleasant, personable, and focused on the needs of the customers- constantly bringing water or coffee, checking on the meal and any further requests etc."
Excuse me? Swap the countries and you're closer to the truth in my opinion.
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kokorocloud
I don't understand all this ridiculous generalizing. I've had excellent service in both the U.S. AND Japan. Good grief. I would agree that on the whole, Japanese service is basically always excellent, even when I walk in the door and everyone looks terrified for five minutes because none of them speak english. But once I order, everything's fine. In the U.S., I've had crappy service, and don't even get me started on fast food places... Yuck. But still, there are some excellent restaurants with excellent staff. It's just a different atmosphere.
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kirakira25
I think service here is like service everywhere - hit and miss, and it is kind of inflexible but on the whole not bad. How they are treated on the other hand - I always HATE the way my husband is so snooty with the waiting staff, never saying please or thank you and generally treating them like crap. Who the hell does he think he is? I wouldn`t blame them if they spat in his kare udon.
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dolphingirl
kirakira: I know what you mean. Husband is the same way. Just the other day we went to a movie and he gave the counter staff a bit of a hard time cause they were a little slow to serve us and then put butter on our popcorn when he had asked for salt. No big deal. I smiled and said thank you anyway. Why not try to be nice to the people you meet throughout your day, right?
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ensnaturae2
Japan and France very similar, respect - for food, customer and server - prevails. No bad experiences to report, in either one. Brits abroad tend to have lousy manners, wherever they are, in my experience. They throw things at each other, make a mess, and drink too much. And Folks from USA often make too much noise, ime.
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onewrldoneppl
in japan, fast & efficient service is the rule, and not the exception. in other countries, servers can be seen standing around chatting with each other. often ignoring customers. they whine and moan when you don't tip them well, even though their customer service skills are horrible. they resent having to clear/clean tables, as though it were beneath their dignity. japanese servers do not expect to be tipped, but know that they will be severely reprimanded (by their managers) for making (even minor) mistakes.
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elbudamexicano
I HATE DIRTY TABLES!! Here in Japan, it almost takes a miracle of GOD to get an idiot waiter, waitress to CLEAN your table, you know, when yo go out to any restaurant, you are paying not just for FOOD but also for the SERVICE and to me this means, take away the nasty, dirty dishes on my table to make room for more FOOD!! This is one thing I hate about the Japanese style dinning out eating experience. Robotic? Depends, if you get a real cute waitress, they want to try our their English etc..yeah, the good old BACHELOR DAYS, does not work when you take out the entire family!
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Zenny11
@elbudmexicano.
If you don't like dirty dishes, etc on tables you will have a hard time in many countries. Example: in Greece tables DON'T get emptied till you leave, part of their custom in a way you can show people what you can afford when eating out.
Also in Japan communal dining and communal dishes are common(again ditto for many other countries).
Just part of being in a foreign culture. Thanks got for it the world would be boring if everywhere was the same and all things were done the same, same language, etc.
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WhatMeWorry
If you know what you want before sitting down, Japan is good. The waiter/waitress will be over immediately, take your order, repeat it back to you and be off. However, if you have questions about the menu or how the food is prepared, forget it. I would rather dine in a good restaurant in the U.S. (not fine dining, just good) AND pay a tip for the knowledgeable service, quality of fare, availability of a full bar with more than one beer on tap (and perhaps quality locally handcrafted beer to boot) and relaxing, well-lit and decorated atmosphere.
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Zenny11
WhatWeWorry.
As was said many times, many of the teens, oba-chans, etc in japan are part-timers that are paid to take an order and deliver it when ready(same as overseas).
Full-time waiters will be better informed(here and overseas).
More about the establishment and how it is run than the serving staff.
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zkna0
I guess OssanAmerica thinks that the only restaurants in America are in Los Angeles with part-time waitresses trying to get acting jobs.
I have news for you. For the 0.0001% truth of your statement, you dod NOT get rude service from the waitress who is an actress. She knows darned well EVERYONE is connected in that town, and being rude would be career suicide. She'd also get fired and replaced by someone else. Then she'd have to go home to Kansas because she can't afford the $1900 rent on a 1/2-bedroom apartment she shares with 3 friends.
Japan is #1 with waitstaff but not everywhere. Small places YES. Denny's, 500 Yen Bar, no. America is #2 if you exclude any JP negative... You want to see rude? France. They are Union, it is a serious profession, and the cooks have to be waiters before they advance in ranks. Their tip is already added to the bill (tourists dont know what "PB" means, its the 10% or 15% added to the bill for the waiter to keep).
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cleo
Being vegetarian, I always have questions about the menu or how the food is prepared. In a low-end famiresu, questions invariably cause a slightly panicked, deer-in-the-headlights reaction. In a high-end restaurant it can send the waiter into ecstasies as he fulminates on which items on the menu are safe, or what the chef can do to make them safe. Middle-of-the-road places can go either way, and which way they go determines whether they get our custom a second time. Our favourite local restaurant is middle-of-the-road, and the waitress is always ready and willing to discuss the menu and offer suggestions. And whenever I order something that's been altered from the original menu item, she always comes round to check if it's OK. Zat's why it's our favourite restaurant. That, and of course the food is yummy.
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Zenny11
Zat's? The burger place didn't think it made it out your way yet. ;)
Myself don't expect much from a low-end place, granted many of teh small old-style eateries will happily explain and adjust meals(again Japanese needed).
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dontpanic
Used to go to a restaurant in Londons Chinatown. The food was great but what kept us going back time and again was the bellylaugh we'd get from how fantastically rude the waiting staff were. I miss that.
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