One of Japan’s largest restaurant chains, Sukiya, has announced the temporary closure of several of its outlets for deep cleaning following reports of pests being found in customer meals.
The chain, renowned for its beef-on-rice dishes, confirmed the closures after a customer discovered an insect in their food. Last weekend, Sukiya also acknowledged a previous incident in January, where a rat was found in a bowl of miso soup.
Sukiya, which operates nearly 2,000 restaurants across Japan, stated that most of its locations would be closed from March 31 to April 4 for intensive cleaning. The closures are aimed at preventing both external pests and internal infestations within its establishments.
In a statement, Sukiya apologized for the “great inconvenience and concern” caused by the incidents.
The discovery of the rat had sparked rumors on social media for weeks before Sukiya officially confirmed that it had been found “before it was eaten.” The miso soup incident occurred at the company’s Tottori branch, which was subsequently closed for cleaning. Sukiya also took steps to seal cracks in the building to prevent contamination.
Following the insect discovery on Friday, which was reportedly a cockroach or part of one, Sukiya took further action to shut down its outlets for more thorough checks. The customer who found the insect in Tokyo was given a refund, and the restaurant’s manager personally apologized.
Sukiya, part of the Zensho Holdings group, which owns several popular restaurant chains in Japan, saw its stock price drop following the rat incident last week. While the share price recovered later, the latest developments may prompt continued scrutiny from investors.
The chain has assured the public that it is implementing additional measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future, including regular inspections for gaps and better storage practices for waste.
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