Would you trust $5 sushi? It’s a weekly staple for some people, but others equate it to gas station sushi.
Gone are the days when many Americans were icked out by eating raw fish.
Sushi, already beloved in several parts of the world, has had a bit of a social glow-up in the United States in the last few decades. Once a bit of a culinary outcast has cemented itself as a go-to cuisine, from all-you-can-eat restaurants to fancy-schmacy date-night spots.
For a lot of people, sushi isn’t just a yummy treat but a comfort food or what they eat to celebrate a milestone.
But good quality sushi can quickly get expensive, and not everyone can afford to eat it as much as they want to (especially since few trust themselves to make it at home without getting themselves sick).
That’s why this deal is gaining traction online.
Is $5 sushi worth it?
In a trending video with more than 60,000 views, lifestyle content creator Jocelyn Avila (@jocelynavila96) shared her new favorite sushi spot, and it’s not what you’d expect.
No, it’s not an affordable new sushi chain, and it doesn’t involve a coupon code or hack.
Sprouts, a supermarket specializing in fresh and organic foods, has a weekly $5 sushi deal that nearly slices the price of its rolls in half.
“On Wednesdays we eat $5 sushi from sprouts,” the on-screen caption on Avila’s video reads.
When she walks in, you can see that they have a very wide assortment of sushi rolls packed up and ready to take home or enjoy in your car.
Avila ended up picking up a $5 Krispy Krab roll.
Why would Sprouts sell sushi so cheap?
The sushi is likely a marketing tactic known as a “loss leader.”
A loss leader is an item that’s sold below market value with the purpose of getting people in the door in hopes that once they’re in, they’ll purchase other items that are more profitable.
While a place like Sprouts may not make a profit on the sushi or may even lose a buck or two, the customer that comes in for the sushi is now more likely to stick around to pick up some other things they need and maybe do their whole grocery run for the week.
By the time you factor in the profit on the eggs, cereal, bread, veggies, pasta, and ice cream they bought, the grocery store has more than recovered the $2 sushi profit loss.
So, a loss leader is basically a way to get people in the door.
One of the most well-known and beloved loss leaders is the $5 rotisserie chicken and $1.50 hot dog combo at Costco, which the company has vowed not to touch the price of despite inflation.
@jocelynavila96 Catch me here on Wednesday’s #sushi #lunch #fyp #sprouts #explorepage #parati ♬ original sound – Hillel Barak
Commenters react
“I would actually consider grocery store sushi because it’s sprouts,” a top comment read.
“Game changer, I’m need to tap in,” a person said.
“Sushi from sprouts hits,” another added.
The Daily Dot reached out to Avila for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message and to Sprouts via email.
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