49-inch oval belt can be taken home.
The New York Times reports that the Kappa Sushi, a major sushi outlet in Japan, is letting customers rent the conveyor belt along with the meal.
A prolonged state of emergency over COVID in Japan prompted Kappa Sushi to give sushi fans the option to have the full experience at home.
For around USD 30, customers can pick up a 49-inch oval belt, about the size of a Scalextric set. The conveyor belt can hold up to 15 dishes at a time, whirring into action when connected to a household power outlet.
The company operates more than 300 sushi bars across Japan, but the rental scheme is available in five for now. About 75 customers have signed up so far.
Kappa chain spokeswoman Momoko Okamura said the company came up with the idea in 2019, before the pandemic. “Most customers are families with small children, who feel reluctant to eat out and feel safer eating at home,” she told the publication.
“They want to have a bit of fun at home, or when they have some events at kindergartens or school. We also target corporate customers but the service is popular among families,” she said.
