A foreign student was eating with Korean friends and asked, "Why does everyone say something before eating? The restaurant made the food, after all." If you break this one phrase down bit by bit, you can see the reason. ## "잘" carries a feeling of gratitude "잘 먹겠습니다" can be broken down into "잘 + 먹다 + 겠 + 습니다." Here, "잘" means you will eat deliciously and with appreciation. In the old days in Korea, a single bowl of rice was not easy to come by. The gratitude toward the people who farmed the rice and the people who prepared the meal remained in the greeting. ## "겠" signals that you haven't eaten yet "겠" is used when talking about something you are going to do. That's why this phrase is always said before eating. It feels like making a promise: "I'll eat now." After finishing the meal, you say "잘 먹었습니다." The two phrases are a pair. ## Who Are You Saying It To? At home, you say it to the person who prepared the meal. You don't have to say it to restaurant staff. But when someone pays for the meal, be sure to say it to that person. Buying someone a meal is the same as preparing a meal for them. Many people also say it quietly when eating alone. It's a greeting to the food, and to everyone who worked hard to bring this food to the table. Here's a tip you can use right away. With friends, you can say "I'll eat well." With someone older than you or someone you've just met, "잘 먹겠습니다" is the safe choice. And if you add "잘 먹었습니다" after being treated to a meal, your gratitude really comes across.