Dietary request cards for Japan, Korea and Thailand
You cannot read the menu, and you need staff to understand you without a long conversation.
A dietary card does one job: it lets staff see in a few seconds what you cannot eat and gives them a quick way to answer. It does not certify anything. Use it to start a conversation that stays short, then judge the answer by the claim state.
How the card is built
Each card has three parts, so staff do not have to read a paragraph.
- A pictogram line: a crossed-out pig, a crossed-out bottle and a crossed-out jar of lard. Draw them by hand or paste three simple icons above the text.
- A short statement: who you are and what you cannot eat.
- A yes or no answer line: two words the staff member circles or points to, so no English is needed.
Add your own limits before printing. If you also avoid gelatin, animal rennet or certain broths, say so on the card. Our dietary enquiry brief generator helps you decide what to include.
Japanese card
| Line | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | 私はイスラム教徒です。豚肉、豚のだし、ラード、ゼラチン、アルコール（酒、みりん、料理酒）は食べられません。 | I am Muslim. I cannot eat pork, pork stock, lard, gelatin or alcohol (sake, mirin, cooking sake). |
| Question | この料理に入っていますか。 | Is it in this dish? |
| Answer line | 入っています / 入っていません | It is in it / It is not in it |
Say it as: Watashi wa Isuramu-kyoto desu. Kono ryori ni haitte imasu ka. JNTO warns that cooking sake and mirin are used in Japanese dishes, and that some miso contains alcohol unless labelled additive-free1, which is why the card names them. See also preparing meal requests for a Japan itinerary.
Korean card
| Line | Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | 저는 무슬림입니다. 돼지고기, 돼지 육수, 라드, 젤라틴, 술(미림, 맛술 포함)은 먹을 수 없습니다. | I am Muslim. I cannot eat pork, pork stock, lard, gelatin or alcohol (including mirin and cooking wine). |
| Question | 이 음식에 들어 있나요? | Is it in this food? |
| Answer line | 있습니다 / 없습니다 | It is in it / It is not in it |
Say it as: Jeoneun museullim-imnida. I eumsige deureo innayo. The guide to Korea halal certification explains which certificates you can actually ask to see.
Thai card
| Line | Thai | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | ฉันเป็นมุสลิม ฉันกินหมู น้ำมันหมู ซุปหมู เจลาติน และแอลกอฮอล์ไม่ได้ | I am Muslim. I cannot eat pork, lard, pork stock, gelatin or alcohol. |
| Question | อาหารจานนี้มีส่วนผสมเหล่านี้ไหม | Does this dish contain these? |
| Answer line | มี / ไม่มี | It has / It does not have |
Men replace ฉัน with ผม (phom). Say it as: Chan pen musalim. Ahan jan ni mi suan phasom lao ni mai. For Thailand’s certificates, see Thailand halal certification explained.
How to use the card at the counter
- Hand it over before you sit, not after you order.
- Point to one line at a time and wait for the answer line.
- Ask about sauce and stock, because those are where pork and alcohol hide.
- Keep it neutral. You are asking for information, not accusing anyone.
What does a card not prove?
A yes on the answer line is still the restaurant’s word. It does not tell you whether the grill is shared, whether the oil is shared or whether the supplier is certified. For those, use the five claim states and how to ask in a restaurant with no shared language. The rest of the checks are in our halal food hub.
Tell us which cities you are visiting and which foods you avoid, and we will help you adapt the card to your own line before you print it.
Common questions
Does showing a card make a restaurant halal?
No. A card is a request. It helps staff understand what you cannot eat, but their answer is still a claim, not a certificate. If they say yes and cannot explain how the kitchen separates pork or alcohol, treat the dish as unknown.
Should I print the card or show it on my phone?
Do both if you can. A printed card can be handed over and left on the counter, and a phone copy works when the printer fails. Keep one copy of each language in your wallet and one saved as a screenshot.
What if the staff answer yes to everything?
A fast yes to every line usually means the card was not read. Point to one item at a time and wait for the yes or no on the answer line. If the staff cannot say what is in the sauce, choose something else.
Sources
- JNTO warns that cooking sake and mirin are used in many Japanese dishes, and some miso contains alcohol unless labelled additive-free (mu-ten-ka). JNTO (japan.travel), Muslim travelers
Keep planning
Tell us which cities you are visiting and which foods you avoid, and we will help you adapt the card to your own line before you print it.