Restaurants

Tokyo Restaurant Bans Couples On Christmas Eve

Elizabeth Licata|

In a move that seems particularly Grinch-like at first glance, a Tokyo restaurant has banned couples from eating there on Christmas Eve.

According to Sora News 24, a Italian restaurant called Pia Pia announced last week that it would be banning romantic couples from dining there on Christmas Eve. The restaurant made the announcement via a post on the company blog, and by means of a large sign in the window that featured a pair of romantic, cuddling figures with a big "X" drawn through them.

Christmas Eve is a big romantic holiday for couples in Japan. Friends and family typically eat together at home, but romantic couples tend to go out and have a splashy romantic dinner. It's a lot like Valentine's Day celebrations in the U.S., and Italian restaurants are a particular favorite among couples, according to Sora News 24's Casey Baseel.

Pia Pia's romance ban is like a U.S. restaurant banning couples on Valentine's Day, which some restaurants do, much to the delight of single people everywhere. Some people were grumpy about Pia Pia's ban and said it was tantamount to discrimination against people in relationships, but the restaurant says it's been doing its couple-free Christmas Eve promotion for about four years now, and the owner says it's a big success. There are plenty of restaurants full of romance on December 24. For any single people who just want to eat spaghetti without being surrounded by love, there's Pia Pia. And for everybody skipping restaurants entirely on Christmas Eve, here are 31 simple recipes because the holidays are difficult enough.

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