By TOMOHIKO KANEKO/ Staff Writer
February 1, 2023 at 18:56 JST
A Sushiro sign at one of its outlets in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, on Nov. 4, 2022 (Tomohiko Kaneko)
The conveyor belt sushi chain Sushiro said it has filed a complaint with Gifu police against a man who posted a viral video of a potentially harmful prank he pulled at one of its restaurants.
In the video posted on social media, the young man licks the rims of teacups and the mouth of a soy sauce bottle shared with other customers in a restaurant in Gifu.
He is also seen putting his saliva on a dish of sushi before it was served to another customer.
The chain’s operator, Akindo Sushiro Co., said it filed a damage report with police on Jan. 31.
While the man and his guardian have apologized in person, the company said that is not enough to deter it from taking legal action and that it will pursue both criminal and civil cases.
The operator said all the teacups in the outlet were washed clean and the soy sauce bottles were replaced before it opened its doors to customers on Jan. 30.
The chain also said it is taking measures to prevent a similar occurrence.
It is now asking customers to pick up tableware and sauce bottles from a specific area in the restaurant instead of placing them at the counter and on tables at the outlet in question, as well as at neighboring outlets.
It is also installing transparent plastic panels between the tables and the conveyor belt that carries the dishes to customers there and at other suburban restaurants.
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