Bodybuilder delivery helps sushi business in Japan

A sushi restaurant in Japan has come up with a novel idea to help its business. It is using bodybuilders to deliver sushi to people's homes and workplaces. The restaurant is located in central Japan and is owned by 41-year-old Masanori Sugiura. He is the third-generation owner of the 60-year-old Imazushi restaurant. As well as being a sushi chef, Mr Sugiura is a bodybuilder. He ranked third in a world bodybuilding championship earlier this year. He wanted to increase sales in his restaurant after the number of customers dropped because of coronavirus. Sugiura called his service "Delivery Macho". Customers need to order a minimum of 7,000 yen ($66) of sushi to get their food delivered by a bodybuilder.

The Delivery Macho service is proving to be popular with customers. Even though the restaurant is in central Japan, Mr Sugiura says he has delivered sushi to places as far away as Tokyo and Osaka. Tokyo is around 350km from the restaurant. The service has also been trending on Twitter. Satisfied customers have posed for photos with the bodybuilding delivery men, who take their shirt off and pose for photos at the doorstep. The delivery men stay socially distanced. This has helped to increase orders for the restaurant. Mr Sugiura said the service has also helped to employ people out of work. He recruited his friends from fitness gyms to work as sushi delivery staff.