Meet the Restaurant Where Your Order Might Be a Surprise

A fascinating initiative in Tokyo: a local restaurant in the Toyosu district employs waitstaff with dementia and warns diners in advance to expect meals different from what they ordered. If it happens, the rules are to smile at your waiter or waitress, refrain from anger, and avoid returning the dish.

While receiving the wrong order can frustrate many, the restaurant's patrons in Tokyo understand the guidelines and embrace them. On the contrary, 'The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders' name serves to clarify that diners will experience a unique service they won't find elsewhere—and they might not necessarily be happy about it," laughs Mizuho Kudo, a restaurant blogger and one of the establishment's frequent guests.

"For instance, today I ordered a burger but received dumplings instead. I smiled and thanked the elderly waitress who served me. Of course, I didn't get upset—that's the fun of this place. Like all the servers here, she has dementia, which immediately helps you understand how people with this illness think or behave and accept them as an integral part of society."

The restaurant, which started as a 'trial period' by an entrepreneur named Maggie, plans to employ Alzheimer's patients and others in the future, aiming to raise awareness of integrating individuals with various disabilities into mainstream society.