Cafe & Sweets · Practical guide
PRONTO Japan Guide for Tourists: Daytime Café, Nighttime "Kissakaba" & How to Order
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Dining / Hybrid Café & Retro Evening Pub (Kissakaba) (PRONTO Official Website) |
| Store Count | Approximately 250–300 stores across Japan inside major train terminals (Tokyo Station, Shinagawa), airports (Narita, Haneda), and business districts (Store Locator) |
| Ordering Style | Daytime (Café): Order and pay upfront at counter; take drinks immediately; pick up pasta with number stand; Evening (Kissakaba, from 17:30): Table service; order verbally or via table QR smartphone order; pay at register after dining |
| Membership Required? | No reservation, membership, or ID required (PRONTO app offers PRONTO Money and points, but walk-ins do not require registration) |
| Approximate Price Range | Café: Coffee around ¥300–¥400, pasta around ¥750–¥950, morning sets around ¥450–¥600; Kissakaba: Beer and highballs around ¥450–¥650, cocktails in the ¥500s, pub tapas around ¥400–¥800; all tax-included (as of September 19, 2026; subject to revision) |
| Payment Methods | Cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay), transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, QUICPay, Rakuten Edy), and QR code payments (PayPay, d-barai, Rakuten Pay, au PAY, LINE Pay, Merpay, Alipay, WeChat Pay) |
| Multilingual Support | Varies by location; counter menus and evening menus feature English titles; mobile QR ordering interfaces support multilingual switching |
What it is
PRONTO, operated by Pronto Corporation (part of the Suntory Group), is Japan's most famous dual-personality dining chain with roughly 250 to 300 locations nationwide, situated prominently inside major international airports (Narita, Haneda) and shinkansen hubs. During daytime hours, PRONTO operates as a sleek, self-service European-style café serving freshly brewed coffee, morning breakfast sets, and chewy fresh pasta. However, at 17:30 every evening, glowing neon lanterns turn on, noren curtains drop, and PRONTO metamorphoses into "Kissakaba" (キッサカバ)—a nostalgic Showa-era retro drinking tavern serving classic octopus-cut sausages, old-school Napolitan spaghetti, colorful cream soda sours, and draft highballs. With free Wi-Fi, abundant charging outlets, and transparent pricing, it is a versatile travel sanctuary from morning to midnight.
How to order
Because PRONTO completely switches concepts at 17:30, your ordering process depends on the time of day:
Option A: Daytime Café Hours (Opening until 17:30)
- Order at the counter: Walk up to the register, check the English menu, and order your coffee, pastry, or hot pasta set.
- Pay upfront: Pay by credit card, transit IC card, QR app, or cash.
- Collect drinks and find a seat: Take your coffee and cold drinks immediately on a tray. If you ordered cooked pasta, staff will give you a numbered table stand.
- Take an outlet seat: Find a seat—counter tables frequently feature AC power outlets and USB ports. Staff will deliver hot pasta to your table.
- Self-return your tray: Return your tray and cups to the return window (Henkyakuguchi) when finished.
Option B: Evening "Kissakaba" Bar Hours (17:30 to Closing)
- Enter and take a table: Wait at the entrance for staff to welcome you into the retro pub atmosphere and seat you at a dining table.
- Order via smartphone QR or verbally: Scan the tabletop QR code with your smartphone to view the multilingual menu, or order verbally from staff.
- Enjoy table delivery: Draft beers, highballs, and hot drinking snacks are brought directly to your table by servers.
- Pay at the register after your evening: When ready to leave (no tipping is required in Japan), take your table check slip to the register counter to pay.
What to order first
All signature selections below are verified on the PRONTO Official Website and row reference data (prices tax-included as of September 19, 2026):
- *Daytime Fresh-Dough Pasta (Nama-Pasta)*: Tender, chewy fresh pasta dishes including eggplant and bacon tomato sauce or creamy carbonara (around ¥750–¥950 tax-included as of September 19, 2026).
- Morning Breakfast Sets (Opening to 11:00 AM): Affordable morning sets featuring warm buttered toast, boiled egg, salad, and hot coffee (around ¥450–¥600 as of September 19, 2026).
- *Kissakaba Octopus Sausages (Tako-san Wiener)*: The quintessential Japanese retro bar snack—small red sausages cut into cute 8-legged octopus shapes and flash-fried (around ¥400–¥600 range as of September 19, 2026).
- Old-School Napolitan Spaghetti (喫茶店の王道ナポリタン): Classic retro sweet-ketchup spaghetti tossed with sausage and peppers on a sizzling hot iron plate.
- Adult Cream Soda Sours & Suntory Highballs: Alcoholic adult versions of retro melon cream sodas topped with ice cream, alongside ice-cold Suntory Kaku highballs (around ¥450–¥650 as of September 19, 2026).
Payment & practical info
Facilities, hours, and payment systems across PRONTO branches:
- Accepted Payment Methods: Accepts cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay), transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, QUICPay, Rakuten Edy), and QR code apps (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-barai, au PAY, LINE Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay).
- Free Wi-Fi & Device Charging Haven: PRONTO provides chainwide free `PRONTO FREE Wi-Fi`. Furthermore, PRONTO is renowned among business travelers and digital nomads for providing AC power outlets and USB ports at almost every counter and center table seat.
- Evening Seating Charges: Most PRONTO Kissakaba branches do not charge cover fees, though select city locations may serve a nominal ¥150–¥300 evening bar snack (otoshi) when ordering alcohol.
- Tax-Free Status: Not eligible for tax-free shopping (café and dining services are excluded from tax exemption).
Good to know / Common mistakes
- Not knowing the 17:30 concept switch: If you walk in at 17:00 it feels like a quiet coffee shop; at 17:30, the lights dim, neon signs light up, and the music shifts to a bustling retro Japanese pub!
- Searching for charging sockets elsewhere: If your phone battery is dying at a major train station or airport, head straight to PRONTO—counter seats are almost always equipped with charging plugs.
- Expecting counter self-service at night: During evening Kissakaba hours, you sit down and order at the table rather than ordering at the front cashier.
- Tipping staff: Tipping is never accepted in Japan.
FAQ
Q1: What is the difference between PRONTO and Kissakaba? They are the same restaurant! PRONTO operates as a bright, self-service coffee and pasta café from morning until 17:30. At 17:30, it automatically converts into "Kissakaba"—a Showa-style retro Japanese drinking tavern serving cocktails, beer, and nostalgic pub food.
Q2: How much does a visit to PRONTO cost? During daytime café hours, a coffee and pasta lunch costs around ¥1,000 to ¥1,300. During evening Kissakaba hours, having two drinks and two bar snacks costs roughly ¥1,800 to ¥2,500 tax-included as of September 19, 2026.
Q3: Can I charge my phone and laptop at PRONTO? Yes! PRONTO is one of Japan's most digital-friendly chains, offering free `PRONTO FREE Wi-Fi` and electrical power sockets at numerous counter and center table seats.
Sources
- PRONTO Official Website: https://www.pronto.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-09-19)
- PRONTO Official Store Locator: https://shop.pronto.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-09-19)