02-08-2019, 10:12 AM
The problem isn't that Kinkaku is AYCE, it's that when it became AYCE sushi it also stopped being an izakaya. (For those unfamiliar, think Japanese tapas with an emphasis on drinks).
When they first opened they had aspirations to be a proper izakaya - they even had a yakitori grill for a few days apparently, before they realized it was too much work for their small crew. They were beaten down by the number of people walking into their restaurant and assuming that "Japanese restaurant" = sushi = All You Can Eat. So they pivoted to AYCE sushi and that seems to be working well for them in the Kitchener space.
But with a smaller space in a more upscale environment, they could make another attempt at an izakaya and make more money per cover.
When they first opened they had aspirations to be a proper izakaya - they even had a yakitori grill for a few days apparently, before they realized it was too much work for their small crew. They were beaten down by the number of people walking into their restaurant and assuming that "Japanese restaurant" = sushi = All You Can Eat. So they pivoted to AYCE sushi and that seems to be working well for them in the Kitchener space.
But with a smaller space in a more upscale environment, they could make another attempt at an izakaya and make more money per cover.