A New Trend in Japan: Smartphone Tipping in Restaurants
In Japan, a fresh wave is sweeping through the restaurant industry: customers can now use their smartphones to send tips directly to employees or the establishment itself. This innovative system is not only modernizing dining experiences but also boosting staff motivation by making their efforts more visible.
(Mainichi Shinbun)
Meet Dainii: The Company Behind the Change
This tipping feature comes from Dainii, a Tokyo-based company specializing in multilingual customer service and cashless payment solutions for restaurants. It’s seamlessly integrated into their mobile ordering system, which is already in use at around 3,000 stores nationwide. With this technology, dining out is becoming more convenient—and rewarding—for both customers and staff.
How It Works: Mobile Ordering Meets Tipping
The mobile ordering system is simple yet powerful. Customers scan a QR code at the restaurant with their smartphones to place orders. This data is automatically stored in the cloud, giving restaurants a treasure trove of customer insights to analyze and improve their services.
Within this system, Dainii offers two tipping options:
- “Oshieru” (Launched in 2020)
Customers can browse a list of staff profiles and send tips to individuals they feel deserve recognition—think of it like a digital “thank you” donation for great service. - “Tip” (Introduced in June This Year)
Customers can tip the store directly, setting an amount up to 25% of their dining bill. This option rewards the entire team for a great experience.
Currently, about 13% of stores using Dainii’s mobile ordering system have adopted these tipping features, and that number is steadily climbing. In the prefectures of Aichi, Gifu, and Mie, around 250 stores are already on board.
Real Voices from the Field
The impact is tangible. A 21-year-old manager at an izakaya (a Japanese pub) in Nagoya’s Nakamura Ward, who uses “Oshieru,” shared:
“It makes the staff’s hard work visible, which really boosts their motivation—especially for part-timers.”
Meanwhile, a customer at a yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant in Naka Ward, where the “Tip” feature is available, said:
“If the service is satisfying, I’d definitely consider sending a tip.”
Why It Matters: Tackling a Labor Shortage
Japan’s restaurant industry is facing a tough reality. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the job-to-applicant ratio in May 2025 was 1.05 across all occupations. But for restaurant roles, it’s a different story: 2.40 for cooking-related jobs and 2.63 for customer service positions. With many restaurants relying heavily on part-time workers, hiring and retaining staff is a growing challenge.
This is where the tipping system shines. Some part-timers using “Oshieru” have received up to 70,000 yen (around $450) in tips in a single month. One woman working at a Nagoya restaurant reflected:
“Getting tips showed me my service went beyond what customers expected—it really motivated me to keep going.”
A Solution to a Bigger Problem?
This smartphone tipping system is more than just a perk—it’s gaining attention as a potential fix for the restaurant industry’s labor shortage. By offering a direct way for customers to reward great service, it not only lifts staff morale but also makes restaurant jobs more appealing in a competitive market.
