Restaurant entrances often display a sign or notice about the shop's current status. Knowing what they mean makes it easier to tell whether you can walk in.
Signs about whether a shop is open
- 営業中 (eigyō-chū) — "Open." The shop is currently open and taking customers.
- 準備中 (junbi-chū) — "Preparing." The shop is closed for prep or cleanup and can't seat you yet.
- 本日休業 (honjitsu kyūgyō) — "Closed today." A one-off closure for that day only.
- 定休日 (teikyūbi) — "Regular closing day." The weekday(s) the shop is closed every week.
- 臨時休業 (rinji kyūgyō) — "Temporarily closed." An unscheduled closure.
- 年中無休 (nenjū mukyū) — "Open year-round." The shop has no regular closing day.
Signs about crowding or private bookings
- 貸切 (kashikiri) — "Reserved / private booking." The whole shop, or that time slot, is often booked by a group, so other customers can't get in.
- 満席 (manseki) — "Full." All seats are taken; you may need to wait or try elsewhere.
- 売切 / 品切れ (urikire / shinagire) — "Sold out." Ingredients have run out, either ending service for the day or taking one dish off the menu.
- 完売 (kanbai) — "Sold out," usually for a limited-quantity item that's gone.
Last order (L.O.)
"ラストオーダー" (rasuto ōdā) or "L.O." marks the last time you can place an order that day. Many shops set it 30 to 60 minutes before closing, and food and drink sometimes have separate cutoff times. If you're not sure, it's worth checking when you sit down.
A few more
- 中休み (nakayasumi) — "Midday break." A gap between lunch and dinner service when the shop closes briefly.
- のれん (noren) — The fabric curtain hung at the entrance. It's often out when the shop is open and taken in once the day's service ends, though this isn't a fixed rule everywhere.
Related foods
If payment is on your mind, see Cash-only shops. Shops where you buy a ticket first are covered in How to read a ticket machine.