How to use chain restaurants

Ordering at Family Restaurants

At family restaurants (for example, Gusto or Saizeriya), some let you order from a tablet at the table or a button on the wall, while others use a call button to summon staff. Plans with a drink bar usually mean you fill your own glass at a self-serve station. Some shops now use small robots to bring food to the table.

Ticket-Machine and Counter Shops

Chains serving gyudon (beef bowls) or curry rice often use either a ticket machine at the entrance or a counter where you order directly. See how to read a ticket machine for how those work.

Burger and Coffee Chains

Burger and coffee chains usually ask about size and whether you want a set meal, and many let you order ahead through a smartphone app as well as at the counter.

Conveyor-Belt Sushi Chains

Conveyor-belt sushi chains often combine plates you take straight from the belt with a touchscreen for ordering dishes brought to your seat. The bill is usually worked out at the register by counting plates or scanning a slip.

Late-Night and 24-Hour Shops

Some gyudon and ramen chains stay open late or around the clock, so they can be useful early in the morning or late at night.

Paying

Payment is often taken at the register in cash or by card, though self-checkout registers and tablet payment at the table are becoming more common too.

Where Chains Fit In

Because chains tend to work the same way across the country, they can be a useful place to practice before trying a smaller, independent shop.

Related Foods

For dishes chains often serve, see donburi, ramen, and yoshoku.