Man in Japan eats at same restaurant for over 1,800 consecutive days in challenge to save for Nintendo Switch

Man in Japan eats at same restaurant for over 1,800 days to save money

In a challenge that initially began simply as a way to save up for a game console, a man in Japan has eaten at the same restaurant for over 1,800 days.

On 1 Sept 2019, a man who goes by the handle Manarisu decided to issue a challenge for himself in order to save up for a Nintendo Switch to play the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield.

A simple challenge turned into behemoth

At the time, the popular e-commerce platform Mercari was looking for new users. To do so, they introduced a referral programme in which both the referrer and the referee would get ¥1,000 (~S$9) worth of points in their system each.

Because the points could be used at the popular beef bowl chain Sukiya, Manarisu saw his golden opportunity. He’d use the referral programme to fund his food costs so that he could save up for his new Switch.

To attract people to use his code, he framed it as a challenge: he’d eat at Sukiya every day until the points from this referral programme ran out.

Because Sukiya is well-known for its quick and extremely affordable meals, one referral could feed him up to two meals. A regular-sized Gyudon bowl at Sukiya currently costs only ¥450 (S$4).

The challenge which initially began simply as a way to play Pokemon on the Nintendo Switch has now turned into a battle between Manarisu and the internet as he will soon reach year 5 with multiple years worth of points remaining.

Multiple viral explosions kept challenge going

According to Japanalysis, there had been times when the challenge looked like it would eventually end. The now 31-year-old initially got multiple referrals thanks to his popularity as one of the best players in the online game Phantasy Star Online 2.

At the beginning of the challenge, Manarisu would often find himself earning more points than losing them, even after he had eaten twice at Sukiya.

Eventually, boredom started to set in. In an interview with Japanalysis, he said at around the 100-day mark, he began to make his meals bad on purpose. He’d add a salad on top of his beef bowl, for instance.

In a rather bittersweet moment, around that time, Mercari announced that they’d be halving the amount users would get from the referral programme. Just when he thought it’d be over, he suddenly got a massive boost into his account when an article was written about him.

And although the challenge came close to ending multiple times after that, each time Manarisu would get a viral boost. These came in many forms like Sukiya officially giving Manarisu their support, meeting other influencers, and even appearing on a television programme.

Even though he had become bored at certain points, Manarisu has never failed to eat at least one meal at Sukiya daily. Even when a typhoon was coming, he’d order takeout in advance to honour the challenge.

Entering Year 5

Earlier this month, Manarisu made his latest X update regarding the challenge. On Day 1,873, he ordered regular Gyudon with Mentaiko Mayo. The bowl cost him ¥550 (S$4.85) and reduced his balance to 2,228,130 points (~S$19,600).

As he’s about to turn 32, Manarisu told Japanalysis that he’s looking to eat healthier. With the variety Sukiya offers, he’s been ordering more vegetables. As an added bonus, eating healthier has allowed him to make dents in his constantly growing balance of points.

With no intention to end the challenge early, Manarisu seems set on honouring his challenge until the end. Only time will tell if his many followers decide to continue to troll him with referrals to keep it going.

Also read: Japanese police officer skips work to visit Tokyo Disneyland in bid to expedite resignation

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Featured image adapted from @manarisu9475 on X and @manarisu9475 on X.