Mainland diners seek out eating outlets which block the prying eyes of strangers; offer complete isolation to enjoy ‘private moments’
The conveyor belt sushi chain opened its first mainland shop in Guangzhou in southern China’s Guangdong province in 2021.
Its popularity boomed when the brand opened its first shop in Beijing in 2024. It was reported that there was a queue of up to 1,500 tables.
When Sushiro entered Shanghai in December 2025, there were already 700 groups of people waiting before its first opening. Some reportedly queued for 14 hours and spots in the queue were scalped for up to 300 yuan (US$45).
Some people said online that they would even pay for a special trip to Sushiro while travelling abroad, just to save the trouble of queuing.
The brand had 171 outlets in the Greater China area by the end of 2025.
What distinguishes Sushiro from other conveyor belt sushi restaurants was its playful ordering system.
