
Growing up in the U.S., I had always been pretty jaded with customer service. At best, I’d get a cashier thanking me for my patronage (in response to which I would sometimes awkwardly say, “You too!”), and at worst I’d have to remind the cashier s/he was on the clock just to get them to lazily punch in some numbers and ring up my diet coke.
Things are different in Japan. People in retail and customer service jobs practically fall all over themselves to help the customer – when they aren’t busy taking Twitter photos of themselves in ice boxes, anyway. But this Family Mart employee may put them all to shame; he’s got the whole ringing someone up routine down to superhuman levels, snatching cash out of customer’s hands and tossing it into the register with ease and confidence like he’s some kind of teetotalling flair bartender:
Overenthusiastic Family Mart Guy – a name I just came up with – has been racking up the social media love in his native Japan, with over one million views of his various arm flailing customer service videos.
Kato-san (the guy’s real name), generated so much goodwill and attention online that news outlets started seeking him out. He says of his sort of bizarre brand of customer service, “It’s better to be enthusiastic than not at all.” There’s some sage life advice if we’ve ever heard it.
Fittingly, Kato-san spends most of his days working at an Osu Family Mart – a location in Nagoya known for its funky vibe. So, now you know where to find him if you want to add a little spice to your canned coffee purchasing experience.
Source: Byokan Sunday

Super-enthusiastic convenience store clerk fights the man, continues serving the people
Family Mart’s Famichiki upsize astounds customers in Japan
McDonald’s Japan branch wants employees to literally smile for the cameras recording their faces
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
New Shinkansen Supreme Class private cabins get try-before-you-ride displays at Tokyo, other stations
Tokyo pub prohibits talking or keeping your phone out, only lets you drink in morning on weekends
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japanese people reflect on examples of irritating, excess customer services in Japan
Japanese convenience store FamilyMart inadvertently gives away pearl in pack of seafood snacks
Nine tales of stunningly crazy customer complaints in from the Japanese service industry
Crazy-athletic Japanese convenience store clerk may be employee of year, or Super Mario【Video】
Coordinating a whole outfit with nothing but clothes from Japanese convenience store Family Mart
Family Mart’s new products lead to a luxurious breakfast senbero【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
Female fast food worker in Japan has awesome response to male customers who called her ugly
Family Mart’s new Gyoza Dog proves Japanese convenience store food hits different
Top 10 acts of customer service that Japanese men would rather do without
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Indian curry restaurant worker in Tokyo warms our heart with amazingly sweet customer service