Conveyor belt sushi

Conveyor belt sushi (Japanese: 回転寿司, Hepburn: kaiten-zushi), literally "rotation sushi", also called sushi-go-round (くるくる寿司, kuru kuru sushi), is a form of sushi restaurant common in Japan. In Australia, it is also known as a sushi train.

Kaiten-zushi is a sushi restaurant where the plates with the sushi are placed on a rotating conveyor belt or moat that winds through the restaurant and moves past every table, counter and seat. Customers may place special orders, but most simply pick their selections from a steady stream of fresh sushi moving along the conveyor belt. The final bill is based on the number and type of plates of the consumed sushi. Some restaurants use a fancier presentation such as miniature wooden "sushi boats" traveling small canals or miniature locomotive cars.

The most remarkable feature of conveyor belt sushi is the stream of plates winding through the restaurant. The selection is usually not limited to sushi; it may also include drinks, fruits, desserts, soups, and other foods.

Some restaurants have RFID tags or other systems in place to remove sushi that has rotated for too long.

If customers cannot find their desired sushi, they can make special orders. Sometimes speaker phones are available for this purpose above the conveyor belt. If a small quantity of sushi is ordered, it is placed on the conveyor belt but marked so other customers know that this dish was ordered by someone. Usually, the plate with the sushi sits on a labeled cylindrical stand to indicate that this is a special order. For large orders the sushi may also be brought to the customer by the attendants. Some restaurants in Japan also have touch screen displays for ordering specific dishes which might be delivered on a separate conveyor belt or by waiters.

Condiments and tools are usually found near the seats, for example pickled ginger, chopsticks, soy sauce, and small dishes for the soy sauce. Wasabi may be either at the seat or on the conveyor belt. Self-served tea and ice water is usually complimentary, with cups stacked on a shelf above the conveyor belt and teabags or green tea powder in a storage container on the table. There is also a hot water faucet at the tables to make tea. On the shelves are usually wet paper towels and plastic boxes to store sushi for take-out customers.

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Wikipedia