Sushi the Way Henry Ford Would Have Wanted

Located at the base of the historic Chrysler building, Sakae Sushi looks to become a symbol of sushi throughout Manhattan. That goal is not so farfetched—the Singaporean chain of sushi restaurants is already popular in six other countries, bringing with it the concept of quality sushi at an affordable price, as well as its signature kaiten sushi, or sushi conveyor belt. Between conveyor belts and interactive menus, it’s the sushi of a future generation.

As the 97-foot conveyor belt makes it way through the Midtown restaurant, it allows all to look directly at their food before they make a choice. This opens up many new doors—there’s no longer the fear of ordering something you might not be able to pronounce. When you sit down, you are handed a menu full of different sushi categories and pictures of every item. Even sushi connoisseurs might be shocked at the variety of sushi available. The menu includes typical Japanese salad or tuna maki rolls, as well as hand cut, temaki, nigiri, or inari rolls.

As plates pass by each table, people often wonder out loud about the possible quality of sushi off a conveyor belt, but at Sakae, freshness and quality are only enhanced by technology and convenience. Monitored by a chef in the back, the kind of sushi on the belt changes every hour, which keeps the quality consistent and reliable.

Given the high quality of the sushi at Sakae, the low price might be somewhat surprising. Plates are color coded by price: pink plates are $3.90, red plates are $6.90, and all other colors are $1.90. By pricing its sushi so affordably, Sakae tries to draw in a diverse crowd. With a second location opening in the New York University area soon, they hope that students will become a steady customer base. There is even talk of a location near Columbia’s campus.

The menu doesn’t stop at sushi, either. There are many tofu, tempura, and ramen dishes, though you won’t find them on the conveyor belt. Instead, you can order them using Sakae’s signature interactive menu. At each table there is a touch screen that allows you see pictures of the sushi and numerous other Japanese entrees. Within minutes of placing and confirming an order, a waiter arrives with your food.

The sleek atmosphere suits anything from a business lunch to a quick dinner, and the high quality and large variety of the food quickly fosters loyalty. Though they have only been open a few weeks, business has already taken off. Fully aware of their addictive effect, Sakae Sushi offers 24-hour takeout of its sushi. Price and quality aside, there’s a constant curiosity to try everything they offer—even their Japanese style breakfast.

Sakae Sushi is no doubt a glance into the future of restaurants. Many come in and play with the interactive menu for a good 15 minutes before thinking about ordering, while others try to send messages down the conveyor belt. Sakae seems to be grabbing hold of New Yorkers at the speed of their sushi robot—1,500 rice balls an hour!