food

Tokyo curry restaurant refuses to serve any customer with a strong tobacco odor

15 Comments

In Tokyo’s Chuo Ward lies a restaurant that refuses service to anyone who smells like cigarette smoke. That does not only apply to smokers either. If you’re piggy-backing the scent of a friend who smokes or just happened to be in a smokey bar prior to visiting, then no curry for you.

In front of Kyobashiya Curry customers are greeted with a large poster laying down the law of the land.

“Those smelling of tobacco will not be able to enter.”

The finer print also explains that while the rule is primarily for smokers, it also applies to anyone with any aggressive smell such as cologne. Also, if someone enters without a smell but ducks out for a cigarette part-way through and then re-enters, they and every member of their party must pay a 3,000 yen nuisance fee.

It’s a rather brash message by Japanese standards, but manager Tomoyo Yukino is convinced it is for the greater good. In order for his customers to enjoy his curry to the fullest, they must be able to savor the aroma of curry spices in their purest form.

Yukino says he has to refuse 30 or more people a month. While some would-be customers comply without incident, Yukino certainly does get yelled at a lot. Still, it’s a price he’s willing to pay to preserve the atmosphere of his restaurant.

It doesn’t seem to be hurting business either, despite the draconian restrictions. On restaurant review site Retty it’s received a five-star average rating, on Facebook it has 4.4 stars on average, and on Tabelog it’s gotten a more modest but still upstanding 3.5 stars out of five.

Here’s what some commenters had to say:

“It’s a good place to go if you’re a masochist.” “I think it gives people a heightened expectation of what the food is going to taste like.” “It’s reasonable. He has a right to choose his customers.” “That’s a good restaurant. Too bad I can’t go because it’s too far away.” “They have the freedom to do what they want. But…I don’t know if it will last.”

It is an interesting strategy. On one hand, as a comment suggested, it does seem to play up the quality Kyobashiya’s food in people’s minds, which really could backfire on them in the end. On the other hand, in the highly competitive world of curry restaurants, they certainly have found a way to stand out from the herd.

Restaurant information Kyobashiya Curry / 京橋屋カレー 2F Sennari Building, 3-4-3 Kyobashi, Chuo, Tokyo 東京中央区京橋3−4−3千成ビル2F Open Mon to Fri (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Monday-Friday), noon to 3:00 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)

Sources: Nifty via My Game News Flash, Tabelog, Retty, Facebook/Kyobashi Curry

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15 Comments
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That's funny. Id rather smell tobacco than Curry.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

FizzBit thanks for that I now have my morning laugh.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I wish more places would take this on.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

it also applies to anyone with any aggressive smell such as cologne

Many a times, someone comes to sit next to me on the trains (usually but not always a woman) who reeks of perfume. I don't have a problem with small amounts of the stuff, but when they go overboard, I'm literally gagging and have to move away. It ain't sexy - it's downright off-putting.

I wish they had this rule at one of my favourite noodle shops - love the food and prices, but unfortunately you get lots of construction labourers, oyaji businessmen and young ladies as customers. Hell, even the waiter was smoking once while on duty, right at the cash register.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

That's funny. Id rather smell tobacco than Curry.

I second that. Curry reeks.

I wish they had this rule at one of my favourite noodle shops

I know what you mean . . .the ramen, chyashu, garlic, curry and tobacco smoke all mixed-up in a tiny whole-n-the-wall shop is just str8-up nasty.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Very slippery slope: sweat will be next, then bad breath, then minorities, then racial groups

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Strong tobacco smells ???? All I can think of is 3rd hand smoking. I do not know what's worst, 3rd hand smoke or people putting on gallons of perfume. Both really makes me feel very uncomfortable. Well, I suppose perfume that you can smell from a mile away is better then tobacco smell. At least it does not pose any health issue. The worst is strong perfume is like a tear gas that makes you tear up and hard to breath.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If anyone has ever been on a train during rush hour and stood next to a smoker with noxious breath, clothes, hair then you must agree that these people are disgusting. Not having a shower in the morning, tufts of hair sticking up, sweating, farting also make it a hard take on why this country has a reputation of being clean.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

^ The worst is mix that with perfume. No matter how much perfume they put it, they still smell like ash tray. Then, there is BO that makes you want to puke.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Also, if someone enters without a smell but ducks out for a cigarette part-way through and then re-enters, they and every member of their party must pay a 3,000 yen nuisance fee."

I disagree with this policy. Those offenders should just be kicked out of the restaurant whether or not they've finished their food, and they just have to pay for what they ordered.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Hell, even the waiter was smoking once while on duty, right at the cash register.

Did you see any cockroaches? Japan is very modern, yet it can be very 3rd world. Especially in those stinky, smokey, hole-in-the-wall ramen / curry shops. Some sub-standard izakayas are guilty of this too.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I disagree with this policy. Those offenders should just be kicked out of the restaurant whether or not they've finished their food,

But those offenders did agree to the policy; the read the rules before they sat down.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Mary Hinge, smokers are generally unaware of how bad they smell. They don't even get how bad an ashtray smells as all their senses have been killed off by smoke. I won't hire smokers in my company anymore. Anyone who comes in reeking of cigarettes can go and work somewhere else. I don't want to have to smell them in my office or have their noxious odors inflicted on my clientele.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The finer print also explains that while the rule is primarily for smokers, it also applies to anyone with any aggressive smell such as cologne.

This basic knowledge, odor, whatever the source, ruins the work of the chef.

The acrid stench of cigarettes and, worst, cologne of men and women are an unnecessary intrusion.

Good on Kyobashiya Curry.

Having a steak, perfectly done, the chef's creation still crackling, was met with the horrendous cologne of an obviously oblivious patron just seated.

Without a pause, the apology from server was followed by a reseating.

The nauseous odor, some seem senseless to, is preventable.

How anyone can spend so much to smell so bad and then expect smiles from a ruined meal? Ghastly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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