Izakaya Otoshi (mandatory appetizers)

TL;DR In Japan, restaurants often serve an unsolicited appetizer called “otoshi” after seating customers. While towels and tea are complimentary, otoshi is a small dish of food that customers are required to pay for, serving as a substitute for service charges. The cost of otoshi, which is usually not mentioned until the bill, is generally considered a small additional expense, typically around 500 yen, and is often split among a group.