Cashless restaurant opens in Tokyo

The operating company of family restaurant chain Royal Host opened the new diner on a trial basis in central Tokyo on Monday.

Customers order their meals using a tablet computer at their table.

For the check, staff bring over a special device, and customers pay using a credit card or one of 14 accepted forms of electronic money. This eliminates the need for a cash register.

A sign at the entrance reads: “Cash not accepted.”

The new system enables staff to quickly tally day-to-day sales records.

The operating company hopes the system will help to deal with a severe labor shortage in the industry.

The company says it will consider expanding the system to other restaurants depending on the trial’s popularity and feedback from its customers.

A woman in her 30s said that taking out small change while holding her daughter is a hassle, and that electronic money is convenient.

Akito Nonomura, an executive at the company, Royal Holdings, says he wants to sort out any problems with the system.

Source and image: NHK