Here's a guide of generally How to Order Ramen! This is by no means a replacement for proper learning of japanese or a fluent speaker accompanying you. But if you're like me and get easily nervous or scared of new things this can put your mind at ease! More under the cut~ (warning, VERY LONG WINDED, only for those who are easily made nervous by new experiences and need some reassurance)
So firstly, not all ramen places are the same, some even have english speaking staff with menus that take your order before hand equipped with english translations or photos. At these places it's pretty straight forward, if there's no machine, let them know what you want (speech or pointing) and they'll have your order ready with your ticket when you get your bowl or when you're finishing up. You will pay at the end at the cashier like most restaurants in japan :)
Now places with RAMEN MACHINES tho are a bit different, we don't have these things in the US :O! It might be scary trying to figure out how the process works, if you're easily rattled I'll try to make it easier because I couldn't find a guide either when I went :( (Some more foreigner friendly places have machines with photos or english but every place i went to was all japanese haha, i had a very specific list of places to go to...though a lot of staff was used to foreigners when asking questions... >_>)
Generally the flow works like this with caveats I will list under!
Get in line!
Get to the machine and use machine, this is where you pay and pick your ramen.
Receive a ticket and your change from the machine
Sit down and give your ticket to the chef / usually behind the counter attached to the kitchen
Wait for your food
Eat and leave, you already paid!
Now here it is in a bit more detail!
1. Each place is a bit different, try to see how people in front of you act. Generally there's 3 kinds of situations.
A. The shop has seating so you can just use the machine and proceed to step 3.
B. The shop is full, wait for an attendant to tell you when you can use the machine because they see a space open up, proceed to step 3.
C. The shop is full, but there is no attendant so people just use the machine as they fill up the shop. You may stand in line again with your ticket, or the chef will as for your ticket as soon as you get it to prepare the food.
2. HOW TO USE THE MACHINE LOL
Firstly, decide what you want in your head before hand if you can, when you know put the money in BEFORE you press anything. Make sure you put enough money, most places will not let you select at all unless you have enough. The money intake is usually near the top of the machine OR directly under the buttons. Change is never above money insert as you can imagine.
Now if you can't read any Japanese at ALL, fear not, most places make it easy by putting their signature dish on the top row. Bomb ass ramen places usually specialize in only one type so you aren't often if ever choosing between shoyu/shio/miso/tonkatsu, if they're good, they're very good at one thing. Generally the cheapest option on the top row (anywhere form 700-1000yen) is your basic ramen. This can vary from place to place, but will usually include menma, bean sprouts, nori, some negi/green onions, a bit of meat, and any other shop specific topping. This is usually enough for most people, especially those with smaller stomachs.
BUT if you want, the more expensive options will usually mean extra toppings. I'm not a fluent reader so I just highlighted some common ones :), Ajitama (味玉 or sometimes あじたま） is a popular one, usually 100 yen for a really awesome flavored soft boiled egg you'd be hard pressed to find done well in the US (shame on places in the US that give you fucking half an egg now i know better omg). (肉増し)More meat is also popular, which is usually put down as chaashuu（チャーシュー) at most places though at kikanbou it's not really chaashuu so it's more meat literally. Also 辛い/ 辛 means spicy. Kikanbou has everything spicy so it's not an option, but some places that do "regular" ramen let you do spicy so the option will be that. Or the spice will be a topping you can add yourself at your seat.
Generally popular combos are listed on the first or second row so for example an ajitama ramen here is 900 as the menu item to the right of the basic.This way you only press one button! But if you wanted TWO ajitama you could also press the topping button, but i've never needed to as the combos i want are there on top XD.
OKAY now that you've pressed your ticket, the machine will generally spit out the ticket unless you have enough money left over then it waits for a topping choice or more orders. If you're done, press the end button. Usually blinking, usually with おつり (change) on it. Always set apart from the ramen buttons so you can't confuse it. If you had any money let, your change will spit out near the bottom of the machine.
The machine is now ready for the next customer, and you will take your ticket. Depending on the caveats listed above there will be different times to hand it over, but generally if the chef does not ask you to hand it over immediately you can wait till you sit down. When you sit they expect you to give them the ticket so hand it over. At this point depending on the restaurant they MAY have questions such as how you like your noodles or in the case of kikanbou, how you like your spices since that's their specialty. Most ramen review sites will mention this. For kikanbou, medium spice for both types is futsuu-futsuu while spicer is mashi-mashi, and demon is onimashi-onimashi (don't do it guys don't), feel free to mix and match. I'm not listing the lesser spices because don't go to kikanbou if you don't like spicy food :|...
Anyway if you're sitting down and have successfully handed your ticket you're basically done! All that's left is waiting for your order, slurping it down and leaving! If you want, give the chef a hearty gouchisousama deshita as you walk out! Do try not to dally, especially during lunch hours. Ramen is kind of a quick lunch food, many office workers are depending on the line moving at it's normal pace, do not take this time to talk to your friends or text incessantly. Please be respectful and mindful of how things work, observe your peers and eat lots :)!
p.s. i think the ramen machine is very interesting as it eliminates the need for full time waiting staff especially since most ramen joints are tiny. The chefs are the only staff and they only need to give and take your bowls. Very smart. Almost all places have your own water pitcher and cups so you aren't waited upon, even larger establishments with attendants to manage the machine usage and wipe tables do not wait upon you because it's generally necessary.
A selection of food I’ve had in Tokyo thus far (3.5 days). Not everything as tumblr only allows 10 pictures but :). You can check out all of the photos on Twitter!
Also my toes have gone numb from walking i’m moderately scared :’)
