Multilingual Menus: How Much English, Japanese and Chinese Do You Need?

Does a restaurant need an English menu, or should it prepare Japanese and Chinese versions too? Owners in areas such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, Dongdaemun, Itaewon, Seongsu and Sinchon often need to decide where to begin.

Our recommendation is to start with an accurate English menu, then add Japanese or Chinese according to the business's actual customers. You do not have to translate everything into every language at once.

In our work on menus and business profiles, we focus on whether a customer has the information needed to order: what the dish is, what it costs and any relevant ingredients or conditions.

Why prepare a multilingual menu?

In its April 2026 announcement, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported roughly 4.76 million inbound visitors in the first quarter, a record for that period. That was an early, dated announcement, not a current estimate for this English edition. Growing visitor numbers give restaurants a reason to review how they explain their business.

A customer researching a visit may look at Maps, photographs, reviews and menu information. If the dish, price, heat level or ingredients are unclear, they may choose somewhere easier to assess.

A useful menu helps a visitor decide whether the restaurant suits their plans before they arrive, as well as helping them order inside.

Start with an accurate English menu

English is our suggested starting point for a menu intended to serve visitors using different languages. It is not every visitor's preferred language, so use actual customer questions and demand to decide what to add.

Describe the type of food and its main ingredients alongside the dish name. For example, where they match the recipe:

Kimchi stew with pork and tofu.
Marinated grilled beef.
Grilled pork belly.
Spicy seafood noodle soup.
Rice bowl with assorted vegetables.

A short description gives a first-time customer more information than a name alone. These are examples, not standard recipes; confirm the actual stock, sauces and ingredients.

When should you consider Japanese?

Consider Japanese when Japanese-speaking customers form an important part of your audience. The original article highlighted Myeongdong, Hongdae, Seongsu, Dongdaemun, Haeundae in Busan and Jeju as areas worth assessing. Your own customer mix should guide the decision.

Pair a recognizable dish name with an explanation. The following original Japanese examples illustrate the approach:

キムチチゲ: キムチと豚肉の辛い鍋料理 — Kimchi jjigae: a spicy hot-pot dish with kimchi and pork.
サムギョプサル: 豚バラ肉の焼肉 — Samgyeopsal: grilled pork belly.
プルコギ: 甘辛く味付けした牛肉料理 — Bulgogi: beef with a sweet-and-savory seasoning.

Make prices, set contents, portion sizes, minimum orders and last-order times clear too. Those details are useful to customers in any language; do not infer an individual's needs from nationality alone.

Choose between Simplified and Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese is generally appropriate for a mainland Chinese audience; Traditional Chinese is generally appropriate for Taiwan and Hong Kong audiences. Choose the version your customers can use, rather than assuming every restaurant needs both immediately.

The original article suggested assessing Chinese-language needs in areas such as Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, Jeju and Busan's tourist districts. As with English and Japanese, describe the actual ingredients and preparation. These Simplified Chinese examples retain the original approach:

泡菜汤: 含猪肉和豆腐的辣味汤 — Kimchi soup: a spicy soup containing pork and tofu.
五花肉: 烤猪五花肉 — Pork belly: grilled pork belly.
海鲜煎饼: 含海鲜的韩式煎饼 — Seafood pancake: a Korean-style pancake containing seafood.

Make pork, seafood, heat level and relevant allergens clear when present. An example description is not a full ingredient declaration, and a dish name alone cannot establish dietary suitability.

You can build the language versions in stages

If time and budget are limited, agree on priorities:

First, complete an accurate English menu.
Next, add Japanese or Chinese descriptions for around five signature items where useful.
Expand using actual customer questions, requested languages and relevant review feedback.
Update the online menu and Maps photographs alongside the in-store versions.

Use the signature items as a starting selection while you prepare the full menu. Make the full prices, order conditions and ingredient information available for anything the customer may order.

Organize the information before adding languages

Prepare these details in the source menu so each version can communicate them accurately:

Signature dishes.
Photographs of the actual dishes.
Prices.
Portion sizes.
Minimum-order requirements.
Heat levels.
Pork, beef and seafood ingredients where present.
Relevant allergenic ingredients.
Takeaway availability.
Last orders and break times.

Natural wording matters, but the customer also needs complete ordering information. The restaurant should confirm recipes and preparation details before the translator chooses the labels.

Keep the online menu and in-store menu consistent

Make the translated menu available where customers research the restaurant before visiting. Check the menu photographs, links, opening hours and prices visitors can find online.

Google's menu editor allows eligible food and drink businesses to add items, descriptions and prices. Available tools vary by profile and provider. Check the result after updating it.

Upload a current menu photograph.
Remove or replace outdated photographs you control; flag inaccurate customer uploads rather than assuming you can delete them yourself.
Match signature-dish photographs with the correct names.
Reply to relevant foreign-language reviews.
Confirm opening hours and breaks.

If only an old Korean menu appears online, a visitor may struggle to understand the current offer even when the restaurant has a good translated menu inside.

Language priorities by area: starting suggestions

Myeongdong and Dongdaemun

Consider English, Japanese and Chinese, according to actual customers. Make prices, sets and payment options clear alongside the food descriptions.

Hongdae, Seongsu and Itaewon

Start with English and add Japanese or Chinese where the audience warrants it. Photographs and reviews can also help customers assess cafés, bars and other local businesses.

Sinchon and university areas

Begin with clear English information, and consider Chinese if it serves the actual student audience. Explain prices, set options and takeaway arrangements.

Tourist areas in Busan and Jeju

Assess English and Japanese, then Chinese according to the customers the business receives. Be particularly clear about the actual seafood, meat and allergen information. These area suggestions are not measured language shares for an individual restaurant.

A practical sequence for owners

Select around five signature items as a starting point.
Gather photographs, prices, ingredients, heat levels and portion sizes.
Write descriptive English names or explanations.
Add Japanese or Chinese according to the actual audience.
Align the in-store menu and online photographs.
Reply accurately and briefly to relevant reviews in the customer's language where possible.

This turns the translation work into information customers can use when choosing and ordering.

What BlinkAd recommends

Choose the languages your customers need and keep the menu details consistent. Adding several translations does not solve missing prices, unclear portions or incomplete ingredients.

An accurate English starting version, supported by photographs, order conditions and a current online menu, gives you something useful to build on. Expand where the business's actual audience needs more support.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need English, Japanese and Chinese from the start?

Not necessarily. We suggest an accurate English starting version, then adding languages according to the restaurant's actual audience and resources.

Should we use Simplified or Traditional Chinese?

Generally, Simplified for mainland Chinese readers and Traditional for Taiwan or Hong Kong readers. If the audience is unclear, try a small selection in both and ask whether customers can use it.

Which businesses should consider Japanese?

Those receiving Japanese-speaking customers. The districts above are places to assess, not a substitute for checking the restaurant's own audience. Signature-dish descriptions can be a useful first step.

Should the translated menu appear on Google Maps too?

Where the available profile tools allow it, provide accurate menu photographs or links. The information a customer sees online should agree with the current in-store menu.

Need help deciding which language to prepare?

If you are unsure how far to take an English, Japanese or Chinese menu, contact BlinkAd. We can review the actual customer audience, menu information and profile presentation with you.

Sources

Google: the menu editor.
Google: representing your business accurately.
The ministry's April 2026 first-quarter tourism announcement (Korean). The early-release figure is historical context.

English edition checked October 31, 2026; original article May 26, 2026. The five-item starting selection and area priorities are editorial recommendations. Japanese and Chinese examples are intentionally shown with English explanations and must match the restaurant's actual recipes.

BlinkAd is a Google and AI marketing agency helping businesses reach international customers through search, visits and inquiries.