Why doesn't the restaurant list one price and give Japanese citizens a 15% discount? In Hawaii, some restaurants give Kamaaina (local) and military discounts. That way, it seems like you are rewarding a group rather than punishing another group.
Thanks for your updates about Japan! I lived in Japan for four years before returning to the states. Last summer I was in Japan and hope to return for a short visit next summer, so I appreciate being able to see what's going on. The shrinking yen concerns me, even thought it might be good for tourists in the short term. I love watching your videos and being kept informed of the goings on. Thanks.
Love your videos! I am excited to visited Japan next February! As a Japanese American, I know my first trip will be memorable. I watch all your videos and have a HUGE list of things I want to experience. I hope in the future, you will consider offering private tours!
If you go to a restaurant and the staff immediately gives you the english menu, ask for the japanese menu. Then compare the prices of the japanese menu with the english menu. If the english menu prices are higher than the japanese menu prices, leave immediately, take a picture from that restaurant and share that information online. Such restaurants must be avoided by all means. But luckily, such restaurants are very rare in Japan. Mainly they are in some overtourism places.
I would never patronize such a place. I've seen predatory practices in Paris at a very small handful of establishments and when noted, made a point of ensuring they are noted on reviews. The exchange rate doesn't make us less human to one another.
Weak Yen = rip off tourists. These businesses should be named and shamed. I'll definitely be asking for a Japanese menu when I go or buy everything at a convenience store 🏪
In Hawai`i, some places have kama`aina (local) discounts. We (Hawai`i resident) just need to ask if they have that discount. If not, then, oh well. So everyone is charged the same and sometimes a local resident may get a discount, sometimes not.
I'd rather have the restaurant be upfront about it. Rather than not, let tourists know that their bill is inflated. Knowing that fact, it will be up to the tourist to either accept that or choose to go elsewhere. BTW most if not all tourists based areas have discounts for locals. In Hawaii, they call it a Kamaaina discount. Inflation is really wreaking havoc on local residents. Have more empathy for the hosts in their locale.
Regarding the 2 tiered tourist pricing, to everyone saying "just eat at another restaurant", I believe that is exactly what the owner wants. It's a way to reduce foreigners in his/her establishment without saying as much outright. I don't believe it is about the money at all.
The way the prices are increasing so fast, it's like Istanbul with their Lira dropping so fast, the bread sellers couldn't even tell customers how much the bread is going to cost tomorrow.
I saw in Korea near an American base they put tipping jars. It makes it optional if tourists want to give more by choice. I understand tipping isn't culturally done but it is an option.
I also think it's wrong. It is clear for countries that have a strong currency that it is cheaper to travel to Japan, but this is not the reality for all countries. (I don't know if I was clear, English is not my native language)
Even all my favorite bars have raised their prices 100-200yen per drink. Making the average about 900yen vs just 700 yen a few weeks ago. The increasing price is sad times if you live here.
Perhaps it would be better if they instituted more of a repeat customer discount like discount cards or even coupons in local newspapers or junk mail where people who are locals would be able to get discounts easier than tourists who are passing through. There are all kinds of discounts happening here in the US that visitors would have a difficult time accessing. One more thing, I thought the owner was also concerned that the restaurant would become a tourist trap if prices were so high since most Japanese would not be able to afford it with the weak yen and so he also wanted to have the locals who supported restaurants during the pandemic lockdown when tourists were not allowed in to still enjoy the restaurant especially if lockdowns happen again in the future. If it’s an all you can eat, there is no extra thing you can buy since everyone is able to eat everything.
Do all restaurants that have an English menu option mark up the prices for foreign tourists then? If so, should I just ask for the Japanese menu and learn how to order in Japanese?
Kamaaina discounts for food generally apply to restaurants in Waikiki. Most eateries at Styx, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center offers Kamaaina discounts. You just have to find them by asking.
Honestly, I think there are some things that are reasonable to charge tourists for. Folks are coming in record numbers. It takes a toll on infrastructure, crops, travel, etc. I see nothing wrong with instituting some separate pricing for tourists, but at a restaurant it seems weird to do it this way. They could give residents a discount instead so there is only one menu price for everyone.
Weekday lunch is US$7 more for travellers. Very unfair. I didn't know how much extra they were overcharging. I think I'm not going to Japan, after considering how poorly managed the airports are, racial profiling by Japanese police, extra taxes per person per night for hotels, many foreigners, high hotel prices, small hotel rooms, risk of food poisoning (them cutting costs. Pieces of rat in bread, cockroach in Onigiri) & new Covid variant.
Very interesting this reminds me of being charged double as a visitor in Singapore to enter a garden, but the way I look at this example is perhaps the owner needs to raise the prices so he thinks well I can't raise my prices to those that have supported and helped build my business over the years , even though covid, meanwhile the foreigners are gone in a heartbeat, his loyalty is to his locals first , and rightly so , anyway that's how I see it but I do remember how I felt at that garden in Singapore, made me feel unwanted but I shouldn't take it personally as there is more to it , the reasons behind it , great video Alex and Matilda do you guys think you'll check out that new theme park section? Looks good
It's a common practice pretty much everywhere. Usually because foreign people are harder to deal with and honestly the mark up is not that much more than the original price.
I was in Japan for a whole month in 2002 and I only went to a restaurant twice as most Japanese waiters not speaking English were a problem for me and then I got food supplies in supermarkets instead. After 22 years I am returning to Japan next October and all vloggers working in Japan suggest there is a tourist boom in Japan right now and that the whole country seems to be turning into a huge tourist trap. Supermarkets will be again the places to buy foods and drinks so as not to be ripped off by greedy restaurant owners who don't even seem to be fluent in English yet.
