One restaurant in Nagoya, Japan, gained popularity after servers slapped customers in the face while serving their food. The slap only happens when customers pay an extra fee for the experience.
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In a video making its rounds on social media, the Shachichoko-ya tavern requires customers to pay 100 yen ($.90) per slap before the servers land their slaps. It first opened in 2012 but risked shutting down due to slow business, as the Daily Mail reported. But the restaurant started picking up once the owners developed the gimmick of having staff slap customers.
There was one instance where the restaurant charged customers up to 500 yen to be slapped by the staff member of their choice.“Shachihokoya, located in Nagoya’s number one nightlife quarter Nishiki Sanchome, is an izakaya (Japanese tavern) that is highly popular not only among locals but also tourists. The first thing that will surprise you as you enter are the costumes of the staff! The male staff called “Shachihoko Boys” are dressed in a tight golden full-body suit with a head mask of a taiyaki (fish-shaped baked dessert) resembling Nagoya’s symbol shachihoko (mythical carp-dragon) on their heads, while the female staff called “Nagoya-jo” (Nagoya lady) wear a golden kimono and set the mood of the store!,” said restaurant guide Ikidane.
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“Aside from this unique performance, the diverse food menu that contains many Nagoya specialties is also an attractive point of this store.”
Japan is known for its innovative and often quirky culture, which also extends to its restaurants. Many restaurants in Japan use gimmicks to attract customers and create a unique dining experience. Some of these gimmicks are purely for entertainment value, while others are also intended to enhance the flavor of the food. One popular gimmick is robot restaurants. These restaurants are staffed by robots that take orders, cook food, and even perform shows. The Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is one of the most famous examples of this type of restaurant.
Some restaurants use gimmicks to enhance the flavor of the food. For example, the Yakiniku Tanaka restaurant chain uses a special grill that is designed to cook meat at the perfect temperature. The Gyoen Tamatebako restaurant in Tokyo serves its sushi in small, jewel-like boxes.
