PEOPLE CHANGING NAMES TO ‘SALMON’ TO GET FREE SUSHI

Taiwanese officials urged people to consider the implications before changing their name to “Salmon,” after dozens flooded government offices to register a name change so they could qualify for a restaurant promotion.

The frenzy took hold last week after Japanese chain Sushiro promised a free sushi meal to customers whose names included the traditional Chinese characters “guiyu,” meaning salmon. Customers with names that sounded similar to “salmon” could enjoy a half-price feed.

Many found the offer irresistible, and so ensued what local media branded “Salmon Chaos.”

Dory Wang, a Sushiro marketing manager, said about 200 customers with the name “Salmon” on their identity card had visited one of the chain’s restaurants Wednesday, adding that the response of seafood-loving Taiwanese had exceeded expectations. “We appreciated those who are willing to change their names for our sushi,” Wang said.

For some, the craze has proved more of a hassle.

“Five people requested a name change today and another six yesterday,” said Ou Minxin, an official at a local household registration office in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second-largest city. “We have seen changed names such as ‘Hotness Salmon,’ ‘Dip Wasabi and Eat Salmon,’ and ‘Can’t Help but Want to Eat Free Salmon.’ ”

Ou said most of them changed their names back after their meal. “It has indeed added to our workload, but it is quite interesting,” he said.

But there’s a catch — and some diners may have bitten off more than they can chew.

Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior posted a reminder on Facebook that a person can only change their name three times in a lifetime, explaining that two of those will be wasted if a person changed their name to “Salmon” and back.

“This kind of name change not only wastes time but causes unnecessary paperwork,” Deputy Interior Minister Chen Tsung-yen told reporters. as he urged the public to “cherish administrative resources.”

One resident decided to add 36 characters to his name, including seafood-themed ones such as “crab” and “lobster,” local media reported.

A 19-year-old student surnamed Hong said on Facebook that he changed his name to “Hong Salmon” and invited users to join him for a meal, offering eight time slots. He has not yet considered changing his salmon-themed name, saying it represents his courage to do whatever he wants.