Silver Slurpers —シルバーすすり屋さん－

I teach a lesson to my students about restaurants that have a gimmick to attract customers.  A gimmick is a novel or unusual idea that catches people’s attention.  The word “gimmick” also has a slightly negative meaning, suggesting that something is not new in a very deep and important way, but in a superficial way. 

I once ate at an “ice restaurant” in Shanghai.  The temperature inside the restaurant was as cold as a freezer, and the customers had to wear special warm jackets and gloves while eating their food.  It was interesting, but once was enough. 

Some other restaurant gimmicks include using swings as chairs, or making the dining table look like a boat, or train carriage, etc. 

I ask my students to come up with their own ideas for unusual restaurant selling points, or gimmicks, which might catch on. 

One of my students had quite a good idea the other day.  She suggested starting a ramen restaurant which catered for elderly customers. 

The ramen noodles would be soft, and so not difficult for elderly customers to chew.  And the soup would be less oily than ramen usually is. 

All my student needs now is a name for her restaurant in order to get the business going.  Do you have any ideas?  Mature Ramen?  Wrinkly Noodles?  Silver Slurpers?  Restful Ramen?

 

Vocabulary:

a slurper – someone who slurps

to slurp – to make a noise, especially when eating soup, by sucking food or drink into your mouth.  (eg., Many Japanese diners slurp when eating ramen noodles.)

superficial – on the surface only