Kinshosushi Apologizes After Mouse Seen on Conveyor Belt

Kinshosushi today apologized after a customer reported seeing a mouse running along a conveyor belt beside ready-to-eat dishes at one of its outlets in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, yesterday, triggering widespread concern online.

A diner shared a video on social media showing a mouse scurrying across the revolving sushi belt while plates of sushi sat nearby for customers. Footage posted on Douyin by a user known as Xiaotu Zhouji captured the moment, with a caption joking that they had "run into Ratatouille in real life."

Another diner, using the username "No. 89757" on Xiaohongshu, said they were finishing their meal when they heard screams from other customers and saw the conveyor belt stop operating soon afterward. The user said staff did not offer a clear explanation at the time. After returning home, the diner found multiple posts from others who claimed they had also seen a mouse in the restaurant during the same period and had received free meals or refunds. Attempts to reach the outlet by phone reportedly went unanswered.

The company later issued a public apology on social media, saying the mouse had "suddenly entered the store from outside," according to a review of surveillance footage.

Kinshosushi said it had engaged a pest control firm to conduct a full inspection and disinfection of the premises. All food ingredients from that day were discarded, and diners present at the time were exempted from payment.

On top of the refund, each customer will receive cash compensation equal to 10 times the amount spent, with a minimum of 1,000 yuan (US$145) per order, as a gesture of apology.

The outlet has been suspended and will undergo cleaning, pest control and safety checks. The company added that it had reported the incident to local market supervision authorities and provided relevant surveillance video.

Established in 2018 in Shanghai, Kinshosushi operates more than 20 stores nationwide. The conveyor-belt sushi chain is known for drawing long queues, with one Shanghai-based netizen saying they had waited up to five hours to secure a table.