Local and foreign diners alike are literally lining up around the block of a themed restaurant in Nagoya, Japan to get their face slapped by servers in kimonos. The restaurant, Shachihoko-ya, opened in 2012 but struggled for the first few years — until staff came up with an unusual marketing gimmick that turned into a widespread attraction for all, young and old, male and female. Patrons of the south coast hotspot reportedly pay CA$2.75 to be repeatedly slapped across the face by their gold kimono-clad waitress before it’s time to sit down for dinner, according to the Daily Mail. The fee for this is merely a baseline charge — if customers want a backhanded smack they have to pay extra. If they want to be hit so hard their cheeks turn red, it costs CA$4.60. The wait staff, females wearing their gold kimonos, males wearing costumes inspired by the restaurant’s logo, including golden body suits and headpieces shaped like fish, line up in front of the customer, bow, and then waitresses take turns swinging at the eagerly waiting customers. Sometimes people are knocked clean out of their chairs. Afterwards, everybody claps and laughs. Since its waitstaff started slapping guests across the face, business has been booming for Shachihoko-ya. It has had to substantially increase its number of waitresses, per local media reports.
Local and foreign diners alike are literally lining up around the block of a themed restaurant in Nagoya, Japan to get their face slapped by servers in kimonos. The restaurant, Shachihoko-ya, opened in 2012 but struggled for the first few years — until staff came up with an unusual marketing gimmick that turned into a widespread attraction for all, young and old, male and female. Patrons of the south coast hotspot reportedly pay CA$2.75 to be repeatedly slapped across the face by their gold kimono-clad waitress before it’s time to sit down for dinner, according to the Daily Mail. The fee for this is merely a baseline charge — if customers want a backhanded smack they have to pay extra. If they want to be hit so hard their cheeks turn red, it costs CA$4.60. The wait staff, females wearing their gold kimonos, males wearing costumes inspired by the restaurant’s logo, including golden body suits and headpieces shaped like fish, line up in front of the customer, bow, and then waitresses take turns swinging at the eagerly waiting customers. Sometimes people are knocked clean out of their chairs. Afterwards, everybody claps and laughs. Since its waitstaff started slapping guests across the face, business has been booming for Shachihoko-ya. It has had to substantially increase its number of waitresses, per local media reports.
