Polite to Host
Cultural · Dining
ごちそうさまでした。とても美味しかったです。 — Thank you for the wonderful meal. It was absolutely delicious. (Cultural · Dining, Polite to Host, JLPT N5)
You
ごちそうさまでした。とても美味しかったです。
ごちそうさまでした。とてもおいしかったです。
Thank you for the wonderful meal. It was absolutely delicious.
Romaji: Gochisousama deshita. Totemo oishikatta desu. / Reply Romaji: Maa, yokatta. Mata douzo.
Reply
まあ、よかった。またどうぞ。
まあ、よかった。またどうぞ。
Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Please come again.
Gesture & etiquette
Say this to the host or cook with a slight bow. At a restaurant, saying it to the staff as you leave is genuinely appreciated — it marks you as a culturally aware, polite diner.
Gochisousama deshita closes the meal as itadakimasu opens it. The word gochisosu literally means feast (running around to gather all the ingredients), expressing gratitude for all the effort behind the meal. Leaving without saying it is seen as dismissive of the host's work.