【Reading】ふり

【English Name】Furi

In the trade, customers who walk directly into a restaurant without a reservation are called "furi." The term, widely established mainly in the sushi industry, is used in forms such as "furi no kyaku" or "furi-kyaku" and is useful for distinguishing them from reserved customers or regulars.

The word derives from the action of "furari to tachiyoru" (dropping by casually), expressing the figure of someone with no particular ties to a given establishment visiting at whim. It is a kind of code word (fucho) exchanged behind the scenes among chefs and serving staff, and by tacit understanding it is not spoken in front of customers.

Small counter-based sushi restaurants tend to welcome furi customers warmly, whereas at high-end establishments or popular reservation-only shops, customers may be turned away if there are no open seats. From the restaurant's perspective, a customer who first drops by at whim holds the potential to grow into a regular, and it is not unusual for an artisan to put full effort into that very first plate.