Conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi USA is bringing even more technology to its already high-tech restaurants.
Soon, guests will be able to order drinks from self-service tablets and have them delivered by robots, all while filling up on seafood rolls and sides from the chain’s signature revolving bar. They'll also have the option to pay the bill from their phones.
The new technology is coming to all 37 of Kura’s U.S. restaurants, the company said in a press release. It’s intended to improve the dining experience and allow employees to spend more time with guests.
The robots, dubbed Kur-B the KuraBot, will also bring a “wow factor” to the restaurant, according to Kura. When a guest places a drink order, staff will load the items onto Kur-B and program it to deliver them to the customer’s table along with condiments like wasabi and soy sauce.
Before the new ordering process, guests would place drink orders directly with the server and use tablets to enter food orders. Now they can do all of their ordering from the tablet and can check out on their phone.
“We are continually looking for new developments to enrich the guest experience and are elated to be able to bring these new elements to our eater-tainment restaurants,” said Hideto Sugimoto, director of system and menu development at Kura Sushi USA, in a statement.
Publicly traded Kura Sushi USA, the U.S. operation of Japan-based Kura, has been on a tear coming out of the pandemic as customers flocked to experiential concepts. Same-store sales in the quarter ended Feb. 28 were up 183% year over year, and its stock is up 18% over the past 12 months.
Despite the strong sales, its restaurant-level operating margins have slipped this year, from 19.5% at the end of 2021 to 17.8% by March, according to SEC filings.
It’s a familiar story for sit-down chains, some of which, like Kura, are turning to automation to help improve their bottom lines. Many are adding technology like robots and mobile ordering and payment to soften the blow of smaller staffs and rising costs.
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