Japanese fast-food giant Sukiya has announced the temporary closure of nearly 2,000 locations across the country after a rat was reportedly found in a customer’s soup earlier this year.
The company is taking the issue seriously and implementing precautionary measures to prevent further contamination.
The incident dates back to January when a customer allegedly discovered a rat in a bowl of miso soup.
However, Sukiya only confirmed the matter on Saturday, referring to it as a case of "foreign object contamination" without explicitly acknowledging it as a rodent.
In a separate case, another pest was found in a meal served at a different location on Friday. Following the discovery, the store manager personally apologised to the affected customer and provided a refund.
The outlet was immediately shut down for pest extermination, with an investigation launched to determine the cause of contamination.
Sukiya has decided to suspend operations at all its locations from March 31 to April 4, except for select outlets inside shopping malls.
The company issued an apology to customers for the inconvenience and pledged to take strict measures to ensure hygiene and safety.
Sukiya is one of Japan’s largest fast-food chains, specialising in Gyudon (beef-on-rice bowls) and other traditional dishes such as miso soup, salads, and tuna bowls.
A subsidiary of Zensho Holdings, the chain operates 1,970 restaurants across Japan and has around 650 international outlets in countries like China, Singapore, and Mexico.
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