Kura Sushi

Kura Sushi, Inc. (くら寿司) is a Japanese sushi restaurant chain. It is the second largest sushi restaurant chain in Japan, behind Sushiro and ahead of Hama Sushi. Its headquarters are in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.

It has 543 locations in Japan, 56 in Taiwan, and 61 in the United States. While it is a conveyor belt sushi chain, it relies on a high level of automation allowing the average location to function with fifteen to twenty staff members. At Kura Sushi's locations, a robot known as "KuraB the Kurabot" delivers foods, beverages, and other objects, however sometimes employees will simply supply the beverages themselves.

History
Kura Sushi launched its first location in Taiwan in December 2014 near Songjiang Nanjing metro station in Taipei.

Kura Sushi has featured decorations and menu items based on characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Hello Kitty. By inserting a certain number of plates into a receptacle, customers can trigger custom animations or win prizes during their dining experience.

Response to COVID-19
During the coronavirus pandemic, the company received $6 million in forgivable loans intended for small businesses from the Paycheck Protection Program. The funds were distributed as part of the government's $2.2 trillion CARES Act and intended to benefit workers at employers with fewer than 500 employees that are unable to obtain credit elsewhere. The loan was returned immediately after criticized.