Please pass the water

When the U.K.-based Yo! Sushi opened its first U.S. outpost in Washington, DC’s Union Station, it replicated its “hands off” customer service template. Sushi and other Japanese items are delivered to seated customers via a conveyor belt and the check is calculated by color-coded dishes. “One of our key drivers is putting the guest in charge of the whole experience,” says Darren Wightman, managing partner. So when it came to water service, the designers installed taps right on the tabletop. Wightman admits that the tight location made the plumbing a bit complicated. The filtration system is installed in the ceiling above the kitchen and drains were necessary at each table. But the self-serve taps intensify the whole Yo! Sushi experience. “Guests can help themselves to a drink of filtered water right away and they’re off to the races.”