FamilyMart removing eat-in spaces in Japan stores nationwide

Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart will be removing its eat-in spaces in Japan nationwide.

The news was announced by the convenience chain on Oct. 2, 2024.

Change in the way customers use eat-in areas

FamilyMart began installing eat-in spaces in 2013 and has implemented them in about 7,000 stores.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, however, the company observed a change in the way customers use the eat-in areas.

As such, the company said it will focus on converting its eat-in areas to expand its sales spaces and meet the diversifying needs of its customers.

After expanding the sales area, the company will focus on strengthening its product lineup like its clothing line, which is becoming increasingly popular.

It will also focus on meeting daily necessities with products like toilet paper and detergent.

Abolishing eat-in areas from 2,000 stores by end of year

A representative from FamilyMart told Yahoo! JAPAN that the company plans to remove the eat-in spaces from 2,000 of its stores by the end of the year.

Plans for the remaining 5,000 stores have not yet been decided.

The company said it plans to analyse the effectiveness of the change and will make changes to the eat-in areas appropriately and suitably for each store.

FamilyMart added that there might be a possibility that certain stores continue to have eat-in spaces.

Top image via family.co.jp and Gok Karaoke/Google Maps