Saizeriya Japan Guide for Tourists: How to Order, Menu Prices & Payment Tips

Quick Facts

What it is

Saizeriya, operated by Saizeriya Co., Ltd., is Japan's most famous budget-friendly Italian family restaurant chain with over 1,000 locations nationwide across commercial complexes and roadside areas. Renowned for its astonishingly low prices and high value, the restaurant serves Italian staples like baked doria, pasta, pizza, and house wine starting at just ¥100. Customers order either by scanning a table QR code on their smartphone or by jotting down item codes on a paper slip, paying at the register after finishing their meal. It offers a relaxed, casual dining experience with no reservations or memberships required, making it a favorite for solo travelers, students, and budget-conscious families.

How to order

Ordering at Saizeriya is simple, with most modernized branches offering smartphone ordering alongside the traditional written slip:

1. Walk in and get seated: No reservation is needed. Enter the lobby and wait for the host to seat you at an open table or booth.
2. Review the menu and check your table's ordering method: Open the picture menu on your table. Each dish has an alphanumeric menu code (e.g., 'DG01'). Many locations now provide a table QR code to scan with your smartphone camera to open the digital order screen; other locations provide a paper ordering slip and a ballpoint pen.
3. Submit your order: If using your smartphone, tap the items and submit your digital cart. If using the paper slip, write down the menu code and quantity for each item, then press the table call bell button (yobidashi botan) to hand the slip to a server.
4. Help yourself to the self-service condiment and water station: While waiting for your food, walk over to the central self-service counter. Pick up your cutlery (forks, spoons, knives), paper napkins, glasses of cold water, and complimentary condiments like authentic Italian extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, and Gran Moravia grated cheese.
5. Take your bill slip to the register after dining: When dishes are delivered, staff will leave an itemized bill slip on your table. When you finish eating (no tipping is required in Japan), bring this slip to the front cashier counter by the exit to pay.

What to order first

All menu items below are verified on the Saizeriya Official Website and the Official Dining Guide:

• Milano-fu Doria (Milanese Meat Doria): Saizeriya's undisputed signature dish—a baked rice gratin topped with creamy white béchamel sauce and rich meat bolognese sauce; priced around ¥300 tax-included (as of September 13, 2026; subject to periodic revision).
• House Wine (Glass or Decanter): Direct-imported Italian wine available in red or white; a single glass costs around ¥100 tax-included, and 250ml/500ml decanters cost around ¥200–¥400 (as of September 13, 2026).
• Spaghetti & Pasta Selections: Generous plates of pasta including Peperoncino (aglio olio), Meat Sauce Bolognese, Carbonara, and Squid Ink Pasta, priced around the ¥400–¥500 range tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
• Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza: Personal-sized thin-crust Italian pizza topped with melted buffalo mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, priced around the ¥400s range tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
• Escargots a la Bourguignonne & Small Appetizers: Baked snails in sizzling garlic herb butter, grilled spicy chicken wings (Arosticini), and mozzarella cheese salads.

Payment & practical info

Payment methods and in-store amenities vary slightly by store location (especially inside department stores vs. standalone highway restaurants):

• Accepted Payment Methods: Most standalone stores accept cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, etc., with contactless tap-to-pay supported), and transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, etc.).
• CRITICAL Cashless Note (No PayPay/QR Codes): Smartphone QR code payment apps such as PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-barai, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are generally NOT accepted at Saizeriya restaurants nationwide (with rare exceptions for branches inside specific shopping malls). Always carry a credit card or Japanese yen cash.
• Tax-Free Status: Not eligible for tax-free shopping. Restaurant dining is a service consumed locally in Japan and does not qualify for duty-free exemptions.
• Wi-Fi & Power Outlets: Generally not provided in standard standalone branches. Locations inside major shopping centers or train station malls may have access to public mall Wi-Fi.

Good to know / Common mistakes

• Assuming you can pay with PayPay or WeChat Pay: Many travelers rely heavily on mobile QR code apps in Japan, but Saizeriya does not support barcode/QR code payments at standard branches. Make sure you have a physical credit card or cash ready.
• Waiting for servers to bring water and forks: Water, napkins, forks, and spoons are strictly self-service at Saizeriya. Head to the condiment bar to gather your own cutlery after ordering.
• Missing out on free premium olive oil and cheese: The self-service station features authentic imported Italian extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese that you can take to your table free of charge.
• Attempting to tip the staff: Tipping is never accepted at Saizeriya. Simply pay the exact amount shown on your printed check at the register.

Sources

• Saizeriya Official Website: https://www.saizeriya.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-09-13)
• Saizeriya Official Store Locator: https://shop.saizeriya.co.jp/sz_restaurant/ (Verified: 2026-09-13)
• Saizeriya Official Dining Guide ("How to Use Saizeriya"): https://www.saizeriya.co.jp/how-to-use-saizeriya/ (Verified: 2026-09-13)