食べ放題 means all-you-can-eat: a restaurant or event arrangement where you pay a fixed price and may eat as much as you want, usually within certain rules or a time limit.
- 食べる means “to eat.”
- 放題 means “as much as one wants” or “unlimited.”
- It is commonly used for restaurant buffets, barbecue, sushi, desserts, and similar promotions. A related expression is 飲み放題, meaning “all-you-can-drink.”
The term developed from the Japanese pattern ～放題, used to express doing something freely or without a set limit. Depending on the restaurant, 食べ放題 may still exclude premium items, leftovers, drinks, or service charges.
Examples:
- この店は焼肉が食べ放題です。
This restaurant has all-you-can-eat yakiniku.
- 週末に友達と食べ放題へ行きました。
I went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant with friends on the weekend.
- 食べ放題の時間は九十分です。
The all-you-can-eat time limit is 90 minutes.
- デザートも食べ放題に含まれていますか。
Are desserts included in the all-you-can-eat deal?
- 食べ放題だからといって、食べ過ぎないでね。
Just because it is all-you-can-eat, do not overeat.
