If you've ever been inside a factory, you'll know that conveyor belts are a key part of most assembly lines. Whether it's car parts, food items, toys, or beauty products, conveyor systems help to seamlessly transport materials from one stage of production to another with ease. They prevent workers from getting in each other's way, while allowing each to focus on tasks without distraction.
To Yoshiaki Shiraishi, an entrepreneur and former sushi chef, conveyor belts made perfect sense—but not for sushi factories, for sushi restaurants. In the late 1950s, after visiting a brewery that used conveyor belts to bottle beer, Shiraishi opened the first sushi conveyor belt shop in Osaka, Japan. The system, called kaitenzushi, was simple: Chefs would plate up sushi before placing it on a conveyor belt that ran through the restaurant.
Customers selected their plates from the conveyor belt themselves, reducing the need for high amounts of staff. The system was efficient, cost effective, and an undeniable hit. Shiraishi's creation has since inspired thousands of copycats.
In 2021, the Japanese conveyor belt sushi market was valued at ¥700 billion (which is around $3.6 billion USD). The system is also popular outside of Japan.
The U.S., for example, is home to more than 200 conveyor belt sushi restaurants.
Conveyor belt restaurants offer a fun, easy dining experience, but there are a few things to consider before you sit down to eat. Here are some of our top conveyor belt sushi dos and d.
