Country menu guides
What does 税込 (zeikomi) mean on a Japanese menu?
税込 (zeikomi) means "tax included": the price already contains Japan's consumption tax. 税抜 (zeinuki) and 税別 (zeibetsu) mean the price is before tax. Since April 2021, prices shown to consumers must include the tax, so the figure you need is the 税込 one. Eating in is taxed at 10%.
- On the menu
- 税込 / 税抜 / 税別zeikomi / zeinuki / zeibetsu
- Meaning
- Tax included. 税抜 / 税別 mean before tax (tax excluded).
- Typical amount
- Consumption tax is 10% when you eat in; takeaway food is taxed at the reduced rate of 8%.
The rule since 2021
Japan's total-price display rule (総額表示) requires businesses to include consumption tax in any price they show consumers in advance, whether on a menu, a sign or a flyer. It has applied since 1 April 2021. Menus may still show the pre-tax price as well, as long as the tax-inclusive total is shown. You may still come across older menus with only 税抜 prices.
Eat in or take away: why there are two prices
Food you eat in the restaurant is taxed at 10%. Takeaway food (お持ち帰り, omochikaeri, or テイクアウト) is taxed at the reduced rate of 8%; alcoholic drinks are always taxed at 10%. That's why fast-food and gyūdon chains ask 店内でお召し上がりですか？ ("Eating in?") and why some menus list two prices. Service charges (サービス料) and the otoshi are separate from the tax.
What to do
- Read the 税込 figure as the real price.
- If you see only 税抜, multiply by 1.1 for eating in.
- Tax-free shopping for visitors covers goods you take home, not restaurant meals.
MenuGuide converts menu prices to your currency, so you can compare the yen total with what you're used to at home. More on menus in how to read a menu in Japan.
Frequently asked questions
Does 税込 mean tax included?
Yes. 税込 (zeikomi) means the price includes Japan's consumption tax, so it's the amount you pay. Its opposite is 税抜 (zeinuki) or 税別 (zeibetsu), meaning before tax. Since April 2021, menus and price tags must show the tax-inclusive price, though many also print the pre-tax figure, sometimes larger than the total.
How do I calculate the price with tax in Japan?
Multiply a 税抜 (pre-tax) price by 1.1 when you eat in, because consumption tax on restaurant meals is 10%. A ¥1,000 pre-tax dish costs ¥1,100. Takeaway food is taxed at 8%, so the same dish to go costs ¥1,080. A service charge, if there is one, is added separately.
Why is takeaway cheaper than eating in at Japanese restaurants?
Because takeaway food is taxed at the reduced rate of 8%, while food eaten in the restaurant is taxed at 10%. Many chains therefore ask whether you're eating in (店内, tennai) or taking out (お持ち帰り, omochikaeri) and charge accordingly. Some menus list both prices side by side.
Can tourists get the tax back on restaurant meals in Japan?
No. Japan's tax-free system for visitors covers goods bought to take out of the country, at shops registered for it. Meals and drinks consumed in restaurants are services enjoyed in Japan, so the consumption tax on them is not refunded. Check the 税込 price on the menu: that's what you'll pay.
