Paying Extra to Skip the Line Spreads to Restaurants and Clinics

In Japan, the use of "fast passes" or priority admission systems—where customers pay an additional fee to bypass long lines—is spreading to tourist spot restaurants and hospitals and clinics with long wait times.

According to the Tokyo Shimbun today (29th), Tokyo Ramen Yokocho, located in an underground shopping area around Tokyo Station, operates a fast pass system that allows customers to enter immediately without waiting by paying an extra fee.

Priority admission tickets are purchased through a website, and prices start at 500 yen per person, or approximately 4,200 won in South Korean currency.

Prices may increase further depending on the restaurant's congestion level.

A restaurant in Mihama-cho, a tourist destination in Aichi Prefecture, has also adopted the same method since last year. It has been evaluated that customers with shorter waiting times thanks to the fast pass have more time to visit nearby tourist facilities and souvenir shops, leading to the revitalization of the local economy.

Fast passes are also spreading to hospitals and clinics where long waiting times are inevitable when patients crowd in.

Medical startup MICIN has been offering the "Curon Smart Pass" service since February of last year. By paying a reservation fee ranging from 500 yen to a maximum of 1,000 yen—about 4,200 won to 8,500 won in South Korean currency—in addition to the consultation fee, patients can receive medical treatment on a priority basis.

Fast passes were previously used mainly in theme parks.

In the case of Tokyo Disneyland, which is notorious for its long lines, fast pass tickets called "Disney Premier Access" are sold for tens of thousands of won per ride.

Regarding the expansion of fast passes beyond theme parks to restaurants and hospitals, the Tokyo Shimbun noted that it has created a new option for consumers who prioritize "time-to-cost efficiency."

Reported by Son Hyeong-an | Video by Jang Yu-jin | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.