Kura Sushi Bar Partners with Tetris for Piece-Shaped Boxes, Branded Prizes

Kura Sushi Bar, a restaurant chain that specializes in a rotating conveyer belt of deliciousness, just partnered with Tetris for a collection of restaurant prizes, packaging and consumer products.

The thing with Kura is that it's as much a game as it is a dining experience. There's a system in the restaurant where customers insert their used plates, and a sensor registers the number. For each 15 plates inserted, a prize is automatically dispensed from the prize machine. As part of this partnership, there are Tetris-themed products like lanyards, buttons and temporary tattoos to marry the idea of "stacking" plates to stacking Tetris pieces.

Credit: Kura Sushi

For to-go orders, Kura created boxes modeled after the famous Tetris pieces.

Credit: Kura Sushi

"We are proud to partner again with The Tetris Company to celebrate a brand that has created a timeless game beloved by many generations across the globe,” said Sally Kurosaki, promotions and licensing manager of Kura Sushi USA, Inc. “We love rewarding guests of all ages with fun prizes from our Bikkura Pon Prize System, and hope they find stacking up sushi plates just as satisfying as stacking up Tetriminos in the Tetris game!”

Also, Kura Rewards members can receive a limited edition T-shirt for every $80 they spend in the restaurant.

“We’re delighted to be working again with Kura Sushi USA to activate yet another unique opportunity for both Tetris and sushi fans to get their hands on some exclusive prizes through the latest Bikkura Pon collaboration,” said Maya Rogers, president and CEO of Tetris. “Our partnership delivers an unmatched ‘eatertainment’ experience and we are excited to engage with Kura Revolving Sushi Bar guests in a fun and memorable way.”

Tetris has been one of the most played and recognizable video games since its 1984 debut. It's so popular that people can get what's called the "Tetris Effect" from playing too much that the gameplay embeds itself in their everyday thoughts and perception.

So, if you go into a Kura Sushi Bar, you are not experiencing the Tetris Effect. Those boxes are shaped like Tetrominoes (the official name of the pieces).

This is a cool promotion because it links together a dine-in experience and to-go orders with equally interesting products. It incentivizes people to order a certain amount of food in exchange for a prize, and maybe even take something to go so they can have the novelty experience of a T-shaped box.

Also, with the limited release for members only, it could coerce a few people who were on the fence to finally sign up to get that limited edition T-shirt.