How do you say "thanks for the meal" in Japanese?

Name: The Word You Say Leaving a Japanese Restaurant (Not Arigatō)
Uploaded: 2026-06-27T01:11:59Z
Duration: 25 s
Description: Learn to say ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita) — thanks for the meal. A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

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The Word You Say Leaving a Japanese Restaurant (Not Arigatō)

To say thanks for the meal in Japanese, say ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita).

Everyone learns 'itadakimasu' before eating — but the word you say walking OUT is the one that makes staff smile.

ごちそうさまでした gochisōsama deshita thanks for the meal

Intermediate Everyday Connection #learnjapanese #japantravel #japanesephrases #japaneseculture #japaneatout

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In this video

ご飯の後、「ありがとう」じゃないの知ってた？ Gohan no ato, “arigatō” janai no shitteta? After a meal, the word isn't 'arigatō' — did you know?
食べ終わったら「ごちそうさまでした」って言うんだ。 Tabeowattara “gochisōsama deshita” tte iu-n da. When you finish, you say 'gochisōsama deshita'.
お店を出る時にこれを言うと、店員さんが笑顔になるよ。 Omise o deru toki ni kore o iu to, ten'in-san ga egao ni naru yo. Say it leaving the shop and the staff light up.
始まりは「いただきます」、終わりは「ごちそうさまでした」。 Hajimari wa “itadakimasu”, owari wa “gochisōsama deshita”. Start: itadakimasu. End: gochisōsama deshita.
日本の食べ方、もっと知りたい？フォローしてね。 Nihon no tabekata, motto shiritai? Forō shite ne. Want more on eating in Japan? Follow.

Why this phrase

The bookend to itadakimasu: ごちそうさまでした, said when you finish or leave, thanks everyone in the chain who made the meal. Pairs as a callback to the itadakimasu video.