YO! Sushi, the wildly popular fast-casual restaurant, which operates 89 branches worldwide, recently opened two new restaurants in Short Hills, New Jersey, and Tampa, Florida, bringing the current number of locations in the U.S. to four.
The YO! Sushi in The Mall at Short Hills is the second branch to open in New Jersey, following the opening of the Paramus location in September. Similarly the Tampa YO! Sushi, located in the International Plaza, is the second branch to open in
Florida this year. YO! Sushi opened its first Florida branch in Sarasota this past spring. The conveyor belt sushi chain plans to continue its U.S. expansion locations in the Woodbury Commons in Central Valley, New York, by the end of the year, and another opening in Boston, Massachusetts, in early 2016.
“The clientele at both of our new locations are health-conscious, time-pressed, and in search of a great quality dining destination—in short, YO! Sushi,” says Alison Vickers, business and international development director.
In 1997, YO! Sushi opened their first conveyor belt–style, fast-casual sushi restaurant in London to critical acclaim. The interactive—and super fun—style of eating is perfect for busy shoppers who are in a rush, but still want to have an enjoyable dining experience. YO! Sushi makes dining easy: Guests simply take a seat at the bar or in a booth and grab the neon plates from the conveyor belt as they pass by their table. The plates range in price from $3 to $7 with each color corresponding to a price.
On the conveyor belt, guest can chose from a variety of freshly prepared sashimi, rolls, salads, and mouthwatering desserts. Guests can also opt for a more traditional dining experience by ordering off the hot menu, which includes favorites such as popcorn shrimp, chicken katsu, and salmon firecracker rice. With such a lively atmosphere and so many fresh, affordable options, YO! Sushi has something for the entire family.
In the wake of this rapid expansion, YO! Sushi has expanded the menu to included dishes exclusive to their U.S restaurants, ramping up the crunch and spice factor. Some of the new menu items with a more American flare include:
Dynamite Salmon Roll – Spicy salmon, avocado, and crunchy tempura crumb, topped with sriracha mayo and chives.
Tuna Tartar & Crispy Wontons – Spicy tuna with scallions, chili oil, sriracha mayo, guacamole, and fried wontons.
Miso Chicken Steamed Bun – Japanese fried chicken paired with pickled cucumber, red radish, mixed greens, miso mayo, and scallions, inside a fluffy Oishii bun.