Useful Information for Foreign Tourists in Sapporo: If you enter a restaurant with a ticket-vending machine…

How to order with a meal ticket.

At restaurants with a ticket vending machine located near the entrance, you will have to purchase a meal ticket before taking a seat in the restaurant. These ticket vending machines are especially common at places such as ramen shops, as well as at restaurants located in service areas along highways. After inserting the proper amount of money into the machine and pressing the button for your order, a meal ticket will be dispensed in the lower compartment of the machine. Once you have received your ticket, hand your meal ticket to a staff member to complete your order. At self-service restaurants such as those found at ski areas, place your ticket and a food tray on the counter in front of the kitchen where the kitchen staff will serve what you ordered. The menu items on the vending machines are often written only in Japanese, so you may have to reference photos of the menu items. If there are no pictures, feel free to ask the staff for assistance.