No chairs at stand-up steakhouse

Record ID: 348978

  • Title: No chairs at stand-up steakhouse
  • Date: 27th February 2017
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF IKINARI STEAK RESTAURANT SIDE VIEW OF EXTERIOR CUSTOMERS ENTERING IKINARI STEAK RESTAURANT ON OPENING DAY SERVER DELIVERS FOOD TO TABLE WHERE TWO CUSTOMERS STAND AT THE COUNTER MENU CUSTOMER JACOB NAVOK AND HIS WIFE CHIHIRO WALK FROM TABLE TO THE ORDER STATION BUTCHER SLICES SIRLOIN AND PLACES ON SCALE TO WEIGH IT
  • Embargoed: 13th March 2017 21:44
  • Keywords: Ikinari Steak chairs standing up butcher ribeye sirloin filet Kunio Ichinose Nasdaq
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA
  • City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
  • Reuters ID: LVA00165FNO0P
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The carnivores who stood in line to get into this steakhouse will keep standing when they get in. No chairs at Ikinari Steak, which debuted in New York City last week. Customers eat standing up. That way, Ikinari can sell more steaks and make more money by serving more customers. And it hopes to get them in and out in 30 minutes.
    No appetizers like creamed spinach on the one-page menu of this Japanese steakhouse chain; no desserts or coffee either. No incentives to stick around.
    Customers like Jacob Navok and his wife Chihiro go first to the butcher station, order from one of three cuts - ribeye, sirlion and fillet - then choose how many ounces they want. The scale tells them this 5 ounce sirlion will cost $19.
    "It's morning. I didn't want too big of a cut so it's something a little bit less. I'm very happy with that," said Jacob Novak.
    Eli Kies got a chuck eye steak, salad, soup and rice. The cost was $20 (USD).
    "I think it's a really good experience because I can burn calories as I eat, right. I'm standing up. Keep good posture. And eating some protein, so not bad," Kies said.
    To make money, the restaurant must pull in 200 customers a day. Founder Kunio Ichinose plans to create a stand-up culture.
    "When I wanted to open in New York, people said, "Hey, American people don't want to eat steak when they're standing.' I know that. He knows that. It's obvious. It was the same in Japan and there wasn't a culture. Now, there's a culture. So he thinks it'll be successful," he said.
    Ichinose has ambitious plans. He intends to open 10 locations in New York this year. And he aims to list his company on the Nasdaq in three years. That's no bull.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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