Until recently, the Japanese restaurant chain offered a special service: slaps. But then an incident occurred.
Was a slap on the face listed on the menu in Japan? Yes, as reported by South China Morning Post, a slap was a dish that could be ordered for a few euros at the restaurant chain Yotteba
in Japan, called Binta. And it really meant a slap with an open hand to the face. It is not a poetic description for a farewell dessert.
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Slap for farewell
Why would anyone pay for a slap? We can only speculate about the personal reasons of the individual. But the motivation for the offer was, according to the South China Morning Post, to provide customers with a clear head for their trip home. The chain also serves alcohol with their dishes and is particularly known for its cheap beer and chicken wings.
A slap cost 500 yen, which is approximately 3 euros. Those who paid an additional 100 yen (60 euro cents) could even choose the person who delivered the slap. A compilation of some recorded slaps can be found on X by user Bangkok Lad.
Stop after injury
Why was the offer discontinued? As a spokesperson for the chain explained to the South China Morning Post, Binta has now been removed from the menu. Reasons cited include the desire for a “change of image.” Moreover, Binta had not been particularly popular anyway. However, the decision was made after a customer complained about an injury caused by such a slap.
According to company statements, the offer was on the menu for about two years.
According to the report from the South China Morning Post, Yotteba
was not the only chain that slapped its customers upon request and for a fee. Shachihoko-ya offered something similar. However, the service was stopped at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and was not resumed.
How did someone even come up with the idea? Binta likely dates back to the Meiji era (1868-1912), according to the South China Morning Post. At that time, police officers took punishment literally into their own hands: they slapped offenders on the side of the head for infractions.
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