Something You Might Find Interesting
Sep
6
For instance, restaurant sign says "Drink Service" … It means, drinks are free provided you buy a meal. You can also say "Can you do this as a service?" That means, what you are asking is "Can you do this for free."
Why is that?
Well, in Japanese culture. good service is something you expect and is included in the price. Also, service often does not include physical item (labor is not an item in Japanese culture), and people do not pay for something you cannot see or touch.
This may be one of the reasons why you don't tip in Japan. So, be careful when you use the service in Japan. They may interpret it as something you give for free.