Grab-N-Go

Oddly, in Japan, minimal human interaction is required for shopping. Many products are sold as grab-and-go. I say “oddly” because this is a country where everyone speaks the same language—there isn’t a good reason to eliminate communication. Because New Yorkers come from all over the world, the grab-n-go system seen in Japan would make everyone’s life easier, but purchasing many products requires interaction. For instance, it took me several months to be able to buy a sandwich when I first arrived in New York because I did not know how to answer all the questions, like types of bread, cheese, condiments, meat, etc. I felt like telling the cook, “You are the professional. If I knew how to make a great-tasting sandwich, why would I pay you to do it?”