Many ramen and noodle shops ask you to buy a ticket from a machine before you sit down.
Button layout
When in doubt, the top-left or top row often has the shop's most popular items — though this varies a lot by shop, so it's not a hard rule.
How to use one
- Insert your money first
- Press the button for the item, and take your ticket
- Take any change
- Hand the ticket to a staff member
If you're stuck
Many machines now have photos, and staff are often happy to help if you just show them you're unsure.
Related food
For this scene
More guides
- How to read a vertical menu
- What staff say, and how to respond
- Words you'll see on a menu
- Words about taste and cooking
- What to know if you have dietary restrictions
- All-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink customs
- How to use chain restaurants
- A culture of eating raw
- How Japanese seasoning tends to taste
- Next up — Paying: Cash-only shops are common