Progressivity of initial service encounters: Accounts from a Japanese <i>izakaya</i>

Traditional izakayas (“pubs”) are spaces where people socially consume food and alcohol. Although ubiquitous in Japan, izakayas are slowly disappearing due to changing economic factors. Researchers have begun to document the sociolinguistic activities in these spaces; however, further examination of interactants’ behaviours is needed. Thus, in this study, we sociopragmatically investigated the progressivity of initial service encounters that routinely occur within the drama series Shin'ya Shokudō (“Midnight Diner”) from macro, meso, and micro perspectives. Speciflcally, we examined how interactants enter the establishment and perform direct requests and how interpersonal talk progresses. Results show that interactants perform service encounters in routine-like ways, using a variety of polite and casual expressions. Overall, the study highlights the formulaic nature of these izakaya performances, which are not typically observable in other contexts. Furthermore, the study supports previous research that shows how transactional and interpersonal talk are imbued in some service encounter contexts.