Hanamaru Kid Coupon

A popular udon noodle shop in Japan, “Hanamaru Udon,” is offering a 50 yen discount for each “live child” that customers bring to their stores starting on October 7. With talks of Tokyo hiking the consumption tax, parents can rest easier knowing their kids can be exchanged for delicious udon.

To get the discount, there are two easy-to-follow steps for parents hoping to use their offspring as a coupon:

  • Bring your children, 12 years and younger, with you to Hanamaru Udon.
  • Show the child to the employee at the register and say “Please use my child as a coupon.”

That is it! There is no explicit limit on the number of kids, but the small print warns “the discount cannot exceed the total bill.”

Claiming to be the first in the world to offer a “live child” discount, the restaurant also welcomes parents who come alone. If customers show a picture of themselves with a child, the restaurant will give them a 20 yen discount.

Although clearly a clever marketing ploy to get customers to come in with their families and spend more money, some on the Internet have been cynical about the chain turning their children into a commodity. However, with a mere 50 yen discount per head, it is hard to imagine this will jump-start a dystopian future of “rent-a-child” enterprises ran by noodle junkies.

▼ Then again, that is some good looking udon.

Hanamaru Udon

Source: Hanamaru Udon
Images: Hanamaru Udon

[ Read in Japanese ]