Inquire

Japan’s Go to Eat Campaign and How to Save Money on Eating-Out

Since the 22nd of July (2020), the Japanese government has been running and promoting its “Go To Campaign”. There are 4 different variations of the “Go To Campaign”. In this article we will be covering the Go to Eat Campaign, how you can apply for…

Share

Since the 22nd of July (2020), the Japanese government has been running and promoting its “Go To Campaign”. There are 4 different variations of the “Go To Campaign”.

In this article we will be covering the Go to Eat Campaign, how you can apply for it, and how much of a discount you are eligible to receive from it.

Note: Go to Eat Online has ended on most of the booking websites. Meal Vouchers are still available however it all depends on the region.

What is the “Go to Eat” campaign?

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has started a public offering of businesses related to the “Go To Eat Campaign” to support restaurants and agriculture, forestry, and fishermen who supply ingredients during the covid-19 pandemic.

There are two versions of the Go To Eat campaign:

  1. You will receive points for up to 1,000 yen per person when making an online reservation at a restaurant.
  2. You can purchase a 25% discounted meal voucher that can be used at registered restaurants.

The meal vouchers were issued in each prefecture starting from September, valid until the end of January 2021. The online points were valid until the end of March 2021.

How to Apply for the “Go to Eat” Campaign

1. Online Reservation (ended in most booking websites)

For lunch reservations you received 500 points, and for dinner reservations 1,000 points. The maximum number of points that could be given per reservation was 10,000 points (10 people).

2. Meal vouchers

Meal vouchers were distributed within each prefecture, with a 25% premium added. For 10,000 yen, you could purchase a meal voucher for 12,500 yen, up to 20,000 yen (voucher worth 25,000 yen) at a time, though maximums varied by region.

The Campaign may end earlier

If the Japanese government’s budget for the Go To Eat Campaign was depleted, the campaign would end before January 31, 2021.

Home Delivery and Take-away (Take-out)

In addition to restaurant food and drinks, the vouchers could be used for “home delivery” and “take-away”, though not at dedicated delivery-only businesses like pizza delivery chains — only at restaurants or cafes that also offer dine-in service.