is a Japanese
conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain
A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate many retail markets, dining markets, and service categories in many pa ...
. It is the second largest sushi restaurant chain in Japan, behind
Sushiro and ahead of
Hama Sushi. Its headquarters are in
Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. It has 543 locations in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, 56 in Taiwan, and 69 in the United States.
History
Kura Sushi opened its first international location in Taiwan in December 2014 near
Songjiang Nanjing metro station in
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
.
Kura has implemented various methods of automation to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. For instance, the use of conveyor belts that carry sushi to diners reduces the need for waiters. Additionally, at some of Kura Sushi's locations, a robot called "KuraB the Kurabot" delivers foods, beverages, and other items to customers.
Kura Sushi has also featured decorations and menu items based on characters from
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battle ...
,
Hello Kitty,
One Piece
''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explores the Grand Line in search of the myt ...
,
Pikmin, and
Peanuts
''Peanuts'' (briefly subtitled ''featuring Good ol' Charlie Brown'') is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run ext ...
. By inserting a certain number of plates into a receptacle, customers can trigger custom animations or win prizes during their dining experience.
Response to COVID-19
During the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The first American case was reported on January 20, and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services Secreta ...
, the company received $6 million in forgivable loans intended for small businesses from the U.S. government through the
Paycheck Protection Program.
The funds were distributed as part of the government's $2.2 trillion
CARES Act and intended to benefit workers at employers with fewer than 500 employees that are unable to obtain credit elsewhere.
[ The loan was returned immediately after criticized.
]
See also
* List of sushi restaurants
References
External links
Kura USAKura Japan
Restaurant chains in Japan
Sushi restaurants in Japan
Restaurant chains in Taiwan
Companies listed on the Nasdaq
Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Companies listed on the Taipei Exchange
Conveyor belt sushi restaurants
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