どうぞお召し上がりください
dōzo omeshitsugari kudasai
The Japanese phrase for "please enjoy your meal" is どうぞお召し上がりください (dōzo omeshitsugari kudasai).
This phrase is typically used by servers in restaurants or hosts when presenting food to guests to signal that they may begin eating.
Which one should you use?
You can also use the formal phrase どうぞ召し上がってください. If you wish to specifically suggest that someone should take their time to savor the meal, use ごゆっくり召し上がって下さい. Additionally, お食事をお楽しみください can also be used to mean "please enjoy your meal".
How do you pronounce it?
dōzo omeshitsugari kudasai
When do people say it?
In Japan, it is customary to express gratitude through a slight bow before and after the meal.
Did you know?
- The word 'meshiagari' (part of the phrase) is a highly formal verb that can also be used to describe 'drinking'. In Japanese, the same polite verb covers both eating and drinking, unlike English which distinguishes the two actions.
- In high-end Japanese dining, a server may use 召し上がる but will never use it to describe their own actions, as that would be an unthinkable social error.
- While 'please enjoy your meal' is a polite way to offer food, Japanese people typically do not say this to one another before eating. Instead, the person who is about to eat says いただきます (itadakimasu) to express gratitude for the food and the cook.
Examples in context
- どうぞお召し上がりください。Dōzo omeshiagari kudasai.Please enjoy your meal.
- 温かいうちに、どうぞお召し上がりください。Atatakai uchi ni, dōzo omeshiagari kudasai.Please enjoy your meal while it is hot.
- こちらが本日のランチです。どうぞお召し上がりください。Kochira ga honjitsu no ranchi desu. Dōzo omeshiagari kudasai.This is today's lunch. Please enjoy your meal.
Example conversation
A waitress serves a dish to a man at a restaurant.
- 美咲 Misakiお待たせいたしました。どうぞお召し上がりください。Omatase itashimashita. Dōzo omeshiagari kudasai.Thank you for waiting. Please enjoy your meal.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。いただきます。Arigatō gozaimasu. Itadakimasu.Thank you. Let's eat.
- 美咲 Misakiお味はいかがでしょうか？O-aji wa ikaga deshō ka?How is the taste?
- 大翔 Hirotoとても美味しいです。Totemo oishii desu.It is very delicious.
