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A
classic tale of “circular logic” and how
it transformed the fast-food industry in Japan
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Not all great ideas in fast food
come from America. Japan has its famous instant ramen
and also soba noodle shops where office workers have
been seen to order, eat and leave in under two minutes
(now that's a quick bite), but the Japan
grand prize goes to a fast-food invention that dates
from 1958. Kaiten sushi, literally “revolving
sushi,” is frequently translated with the industrial-sounding,
but descriptive name of “conveyer belt sushi,”
because, that is exactly what it is.
Back when McDonald's was still a 200-restaurant
chain, a sushi shop owner in Osaka sought and found
a faster way to serve more customers at a lower price.
At a kaiten sushi shop, customers sit around
a circular counter on top of which passes an endless
stream of sushi delicacies on small, single serving
plates—each priced around one-third less than
traditional sushi. Enjoying all the green tea they
care to drink, customers lift the plates from the
belt, consume the contents and stack the empties beside
them. When they've had their fill, the cashier
counts the plates (colored to denote different prices)
and computes the bill on the spot.
Kaiten sushi is not the place to
impress clients, but a friendly and convenient spot
to meet with colleagues and old friends when you have
20 minutes to spare. It is also a fun and inexpensive
place for the family after a Saturday of shopping,
when the occasion calls for an entertaining meal on
a budget. In Japan, at least, kaiten sushi
is the ultimate moveable feast.
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