As a lot of restaurants have seats for one person, Japan is the perfect destination to visit if you’re an introvert. After I finished my internship, I visited an Ichiran Ramen restaurant in Tokyo, where talking to employees is not necessary. In this article, I’ll explain to you how to order Japan’s most famous noodle dish..
Ichiran Ramen is a famous chain restaurant in Japan, where you can order through a machine. The chain specializes in tonkotsu ramen, a classic pork-bone soup with thin, fresh noodles and an original spicy red sauce.
In 1960, Ichiran was born under the name “Futuba Ramen” in Fukuaka (Southern Japan).. It started off as a food stall. Later on, they became so successful that they changed the franchise to Ichiran Ramen. As of today, the chain has over 80 branches worldwide.
This is how you order:
Step 1: Choosing your meal
Select English as the language. Order through a self-checkout-machine, by choosing what ramen you want. Ichiran has two options available but usually there are many to choose from. You can add extras like sliced pork, more rice, kikurage mushroom or matcha desserts.
Step 2: Pay
If you have chosen what you want to eat, you can pay easily by cash or credit card. The machine shows you where to insert your card, bill or coins. After you paid, you will get a ticket with your order and a receipt. You can press the bell at the counter to ask for assistance. A waiter will take you to your seat.
Step 3: Personalize your noodles
Once you sit down, you notice there are screens between all seats for extra privacy. There is also a curtain between you and the chefs, which will only roll up when they take your ticket and when they give you your food. On every table there is a sheet of paper, where you can personalize your noodles and select the thickness and spiciness. Still unsure what to do? On the right side of the table, there are wooden cards with phrases, like “I don’t know the ordering process”.
Step 4: Enjoy the food!
Itadakimasu! It’s time to enjoy your delicious ramen. If you’re thirsty, feel free to help yourself by grabbing a glass of water on the left side of your table. Let us know what your favorite ramen is.
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