Paid line-skipping services at restaurants are becoming popular among customers in Japan who want to avoid waiting.

A notice for the SuiSui service is displayed at Tokyo Ramen Yokocho in Tokyo on April 27, 2026.

Priority services that allow customers to pay fees to skip lines at popular restaurants are attracting attention among customers looking for “taipa,” short for time performance.

Such a line-skipping service is available in Tokyo Ramen Yokocho, a ramen food hall near Tokyo Station, through a mobile system called SuiSui. Customers scan QR codes on smartphones at ramen shops to buy tickets to bypass lines.

“It comes in handy for people who have something planned right after eating, such as catching a shinkansen bullet train,” an official of the operator of Tokyo Ramen Yokocho said. Tokyo Station is the terminal for most shinkansen lines.

About 100 restaurants have used the SuiSui service since it started in 2023, mostly popular restaurants in urban areas, operator SuiSui Inc. said.

The service is offered to a limited number of customers in consideration of others waiting in line and charges vary depending on waiting times.

Keiichiro Sato, chief executive of SuiSui, said the service should help customers in tourist spots to save time.

Among other companies offering similar services, TableCheck Inc. provides a paid online restaurant reservation service.

“(The service) makes it easier to plan trips for foreign tourists unfamiliar with Japan’s culture of waiting in lines and using numbered tickets,” a company official said, adding multilingual support is also provided.

Kooriya Peace, a popular shaved ice shop in Tokyo known for toppings using seasonal fruits, uses the TableCheck FastPass reservation system.

“I used to feel sorry for customers coming from far away, including overseas, when they gave up and left without eating” due to long lines, said Yumi Asano, who runs the shop, adding the service also helps people who are busy taking care of children.

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho, located in Tokyo Station’s bustling underground shopping complex, is a popular food alley dedicated entirely to ramen. Opened in 2010, it features several renowned ramen shops from across Japan, allowing visitors to sample regional styles in one convenient location. This spot has become a cultural landmark for both locals and tourists, celebrating the rich history and diversity of Japan’s iconic noodle dish.

Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station, a major railway hub in the heart of Japan’s capital, opened in 1914 and is renowned for its iconic red-brick Marunouchi side building, which survived the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II bombings. The station has been meticulously restored to preserve its historic Western-style architecture, blending it with modern underground shopping complexes and high-speed Shinkansen services. Today, it serves as both a vital transportation center and a cultural landmark, symbolizing Tokyo’s resilience and modernization.

Kooriya Peace

Kooriya Peace is a cultural site and peace memorial located in Okinawa, Japan, dedicated to promoting harmony and reconciliation in a region marked by the devastating battles of World War II. Its name and mission reflect the local community’s efforts to overcome the trauma of war, particularly the fierce ground fighting that occurred on the island in 1945. The site serves as a reminder of the importance of peace, offering a space for reflection and education about the history of conflict and the value of non-violence.

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho is a popular food-themed attraction located in Tokyo’s

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho is a popular food alley located in Tokyo Station, dedicated entirely to showcasing Japan’s beloved ramen culture. It features multiple ramen shops, each representing different regional styles from across the country, such as tonkotsu from Kyushu and miso from Hokkaido. Established in the early 2000s, it was designed as a convenient spot for travelers to sample top-quality ramen in one location, reflecting Tokyo’s role as a hub for culinary diversity.

Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station, opened in 1914, is a major railway hub in the heart of Tokyo, Japan. Its iconic red-brick Marunouchi side building was heavily damaged during World War II but was carefully restored to its original design by 2012. Today, the station serves as a vital transportation center and a symbol of Tokyo’s blend of historical architecture and modern urban life.

Kooriya Peace

Kooriya Peace is a cultural and memorial site located in the village of Kooriya in the Golan Heights. It was established to commemorate the historic peace agreement between Israel and Jordan, signed in 1994, and serves as a symbol of coexistence and cross-border cooperation. The site includes a museum and observation points that highlight the region’s history and the significance of the peace treaty.

Paid line-skipping services at restaurants are becoming popular among customers in Japan who want to avoid waiting.

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Station

Kooriya Peace

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Ramen Yokocho

Tokyo Station

Kooriya Peace

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