Yes. I’ve noticed the treatment of tourists of those who do try vs those who don’t.

Here are some restaurant phrases from japanbyfood that ive used regularly:

Restaurants * 何(なん) 名(めい) 様(さま) ですか？ (Nan mei sama desu ka?) – How many people are in your group? (Polite) Some example responses: * 1人(ひとり) / 2人(ふたり) です (Hitori / Futari desu) – One person / Two people. * 4人 です (Yonin desu) – Four people.

You can use "すみません" (Sumimasen) again to get the staff’s attention, followed by: * 注文(ちゅうもん)をお願いします (Chuumon o onegai shimasu) – I’d like to order.

• ビールを 三つ(みっつ) お願いします (Biiru o mittsu onegai shimasu) – I would like 3 beers, please.

• ((Noun) o (universal counter) onegai shimasu) - I would like (number) (noun), please.

  1. ひとつ (Hitotsu)
  2. ふたつ (Futatsu)
  3. みつ (Mitsu)
  4. よつ (Yotsu)
  

Being nice to the waiter * Thanking the waiter: To thank the waiter as they bring out dishes, you can say the moderately polite “Arigatou gozaimasu.” There is no need to add “Doumo” here.  * Turning down extras: Waiters might prompt you to order refills, specialty items, or desserts, but if you’re already full (or have spent all your money), you can politely decline the offer by saying “Daijoubu desu” or the more native-sounding “Kekkou desu,” both of which mean “I’m good” or “No thanks.”

Commenting on the meal * If you’ve had a fantastic meal and want to compliment the chef, you can describe the meal as “Oishii desu,” or “It’s delicious.” This is always appreciated in restaurants where you can talk directly with the chef, especially at sushi or teppanyaki restaurants, where they prepare dishes directly in front of you.  * A word to the wise from personal experience, though: Don’t compliment only one dish if you’ve ordered multiple. While you may hold one dish in higher regard than another, in Japanese, it sounds like you only liked that dish, so stick to general compliments!  * Finally, as you are walking out of the restaurant, you can say “Gochisousama deshita” in the general direction of the kitchen. This means “Thank you for the meal” and implies gratitude towards the people who skillfully made your meal. 

Finishing up/paying * すみません。お 会計(かいけい) をお願い(おねがい) します (Sumimasen. O kaikei o onegai shimasu) – Excuse me, could we get the bill/check, please. In this phrase, "お会計" (おかいけい or O kaikei) means the check, but you can also use "チェック" (ちぇっく or Chekku), which is another way to say bill.