Ordering a coffee Part 2 (Advanced): Options such as type of milk, depending on dietary preferences or allergies.

🇯🇵 When staff open with あいにく, the next words are almost always "we don't have it" or "we can't". It softens the no, so you can already start thinking of a second choice.

💬 切らしております is the polite staff version of 切らしています, meaning they've run out. It's worth recognizing because it's the standard way you'll be told something is sold out.

💬 Say it (ōtsu miruku). The English "oats" becomes (ōtsu), and "milk" picks up an extra (u) sound: (miruku).

🇯🇵 Staff often answer this way when your first choice isn't available. They don't say "we don't have that" outright. They offer what they can do instead.

💬 Ending with just 〜で is a light, everyday way to order: ホットで "hot, please". It's short for 〜でお願いします, which you can say instead for a little more politeness.

🇯🇵 Here ピッチャー means the metal jug baristas use to steam milk. Cross-contact from a shared jug is a real allergy risk, so it's worth asking about.

💬 Change a request verb to its て form and add いただけますか for a polite "could you…?": 待っていただけますか "could you wait?"

🇯🇵 Japanese staff generally take allergy requests seriously. Asking this calmly and politely is normal, not fussy.

🇯🇵 かしこまりました is very polite customer-service language, so you'll hear staff say it to you, but you normally wouldn't say it back. A customer would usually answer with はい or ありがとうございます.

🇯🇵 Opening a request with 念のため makes it sound like a sensible precaution, not a complaint. It softens extra requests nicely.

💬 済み (zumi) after an action word means "already done": 支払い済み "already paid", 確認済み "already checked".

🇯🇵 Saying 助かります when staff agree to a special request sounds warmer than a plain thank-you. It shows you appreciate the extra effort.

💬 M is said as (emu). The sizes go (esu), (emu), (eru), though some chains use their own size names instead.

💬 へ here is said (e), not (he). Put it before の to describe a change toward something: ホットへの変更 "changing to hot".

💬 かかります is used for cost and for time: 10分かかります "it takes 10 minutes". 55円 is said (gojūgo-en).

🇯🇵 Many Japanese cafés charge a small extra fee for plant milks. Staff will usually tell you up front, as here.

💬 605円 is said (roppyaku go-en): 6 plus 100 becomes (roppyaku), not (roku-hyaku).

🇯🇵 〜になります is the standard register phrase for announcing the price. You'll usually put cash on the small tray at the counter, not hand it over directly.

💬 で marks how you pay. Swap in other methods, like 現金で "in cash".

🇯🇵 In many chain cafés you pay at one spot and pick up at the next. Staff will point you to お隣のカウンター to wait for your drink.

💬 少々 (shōshō) is a polite way to say "a little", softer than ちょっと.