February 3, 2023

Sushi tero — sushi terrorism... contaminating the food at the kaitenzushi — conveyor-belt restaurant.

From "Licking things at sushi train restaurants, the latest viral Japanese trend" (WaPo):
Such scenes would elicit disgust anywhere. But they have set off a national wave of revulsion in Japan, known for its exacting standards of both hygiene and politeness. This week, Sushiro, a conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain where one of the most-viewed recent videos was filmed, took the rare step of submitting a complaint to the police about a boy who licked unused cups and soy sauce bottles and touched other people’s sushi after licking his fingers.... 
The boy, whose age was not disclosed, and his parents apologized to the restaurant. But the restaurant claimed it has suffered reputational and financial damage; its stock fell by 5 percent, or nearly $125 million, after those videos went viral.... 
[T]he latest videos on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram have garnered huge social media interest....

Well, now, everyone is going to have to garner their food somewhere else.

This method of service depends on shared virtue and the virtue is gone. Social media destroyed it. A human being will now need to bring the food to the table. But there must also be video of waiters (and cooks) contaminating the food with bodily fluids.

Truly, how can you eat in a restaurant anywhere? Must we sit home — covid-style — until the robots take over? The robots will be virtuous. The conveyor belt is an incomplete robot, crudely throwing everyone's food at everyone. 

10 comments:

Enigma said...

If you have any concern about food poisoning or catching common viruses...do not eat at buffet-style restaurants. I first learned this, unfortunately and uncomfortably, as a teenager. I learned it again when eating at a buffet many years later.

The trouble is that some people (especially children) tend to place tongs on top of food trays. They fail to grasp that the handle of the tongs touched their hands and thereby will transmit viruses and bacteria to the entire plate of food. Licking is perhaps cleaner than many people's hands, as they wipe their butts and scratch their junk and pick up trash with their hands.

Some cruise ships have hand sanitizer stations at the entrances and have done away with self-service entirely. They have staff to serve you from behind the glass. Point and pass your plate.

Quaestor said...

"Truly, how can you eat in a restaurant anywhere?"

How? Trustworthiness, that's how. Trustworthiness derives from humility, therefore arrogance abets untrustworthiness. Any restaurant in Ft. Worth is trustworthy. Any restaurant in Austin is not.

Old and slow said...

Life is not a clean and sanitary thing. It is dirty and messy. Get used to it or go full on Howard Hughes. Oh yeah, also wash your hands.

Josephbleau said...

Reminds me of Jessie Jackson’s story about peeing in the soup of white people while working at a restaurant.

BIII Zhang said...

One look at the overhead wiring in any Japanese neighborhood puts lie to the claim that the Japanese have "exacting standards."

The Japanese USED to have exacting standards. Hundreds to thousands of years ago when those Shinto temples were built.

They can't even string up electricity properly nowadays. They have vending machines that make and serve fresh-made pizza. How can that possibly be hygienic?

Ann Althouse said...

"Reminds me of Jessie Jackson’s story...."

Reminds me of Brad Pitt pissing in the soup in "Fight Club."

Joe Smith said...

'Life is not a clean and sanitary thing. It is dirty and messy.'

You've obviously never been to Japan...

Old and slow said...

"Blogger Joe Smith said...
'Life is not a clean and sanitary thing. It is dirty and messy.'

You've obviously never been to Japan..."

I have not, but no matter how carefully they may paper over the less tidy aspects of humanity, I stand by my statement. Life is not a clean and sanitary thing. Full stop.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Didn't get it from Ripley's...
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/janitor-accused-of-peeing-in-water-bottles-and-giving-13-women-an-std/ar-AA16V4rN
"The alleged victim claims the water she kept on her desk smelled and tasted funny and eventually realized it was urine."

Wilbur said...

Old and Slow is correct.