Machida Shoten Manager's Job - A Day in the Life of a Store Manager

What does a day in the life of a manager at Machida Shoten entail?

Here are the answers to your questions!

Mr. Kuniyoshi, manager of Machida Shoten's Totsuka Harajuku store, told us!

A day's work for manager Kuniyoshi

▷9:15-9:30 Confirmation of daily flow

The Totsuka Harajuku branch is open from 11:00 to 3:00 the following day.

Shifts vary from day to day, but on this day I went to work to prepare the food.

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Change into uniform and confirm positions for the day's shift, training plans, orders, etc.

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▷9:30 - 10:50 Preparing

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Together with part-time staff and employees, they clean the restaurant and prepare the food for the day.

The doors open at 11:00 a.m., so everyone divides the workload and efficiently prepares for the event.

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I learned from the manager when I joined the company: "Cleaning is not a task. Imagine the smiles on the customers' faces when cleaning.

Each preparation process is done with sincerity and care so that delicious ramen can be delivered to customers in a fresher state.

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▷10:50-10:55 Morning Waku (morning meeting)

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Finally, 10 minutes before opening for business. At Machida Shoten, we always hold a "morning waku" before opening.

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Asawaku is a morning meeting culture in which all staff members form a circle and cheerfully shout out in order to conduct business at full strength with smiles and vigor, starting with the first customer who comes to the store.

To boost staff morale, we use this opportunity to communicate the day's goals and points of particular importance to be aware of.
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▷Open for lunch from 11:00 to 14:00

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This is the busiest time of the day for customers.

Depending on the day, you may be in charge of cooking or you may go out to the hall to serve customers.

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Many customers come for lunch on weekdays during their lunch break. Our staff members talk to each other and cooperate with each other so that we can smoothly guide them and serve them. When we see them off, we say, "Thank you for coming to our restaurant! Good luck with your work!" and when we tell them, "It was delicious, I'll be back again," they smile.

It is one of the charms of the restaurant business to be able to see the delight and reaction of customers directly.

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▷14:00-15:00 Staff training

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We train new cast members at a time when customer activity has calmed down a bit.

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On the day of employment, we will educate our employees on the philosophy that we value gift at the orientation session. We will rub together the understanding that our mission is not only to deliver delicious ramen, but also to deliver shiawase to our customers.

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New cast members will be assigned to the hall, where they will have many opportunities to interact directly with customers. We make sure that they can feel the joy and pleasure of serving customers while the staff who can follow up with them closely watches over them. We do not overlook small changes and growth, and continue to praise and thank them.

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It is also rewarding as a store manager to see the growth of each staff member up close.

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▷15:00-16:00 bribe and break

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Today's makanai is an okonomiyaki (pork bone soy sauce ramen) "Katame Koime Oome!" I often eat with this okonomiyaki when I get into the mood. I have eaten ramen countless times since I joined the company, but it is truly a wonder that I never get tired of the taste. You can also customize it to your liking with table-top toppings.

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At Machida Shoten, in addition to ramen, you can choose from a variety of side dishes (negicha-don, gyoza, karaage, fried rice, etc.) and have a bribe dish to suit your mood that day. One of our student staff members decided to join the company because of the bribe ramen. It is a system that is kind to both the stomach and the wallet.

After finishing the meal, we will take a well-deserved break to prepare for the rest of the day's preparation and sales!

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▷16:00-18:00 Preparation for dinner sales

Since there are not many customers during idle hours, the restaurant prepares for the evening peak hours by cleaning and preparing the food.

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From the evening to dinner time, more and more students after school and families visit our restaurant. Hungry students often "finish maku" in groups. At Machida Shoten, we call it "Kanmaku" when the customers finish the soup. It is also a silent praise that the food was delicious, so we do our best to call out "Kanmaku" to express our gratitude to our customers. This is the moment when customers and employees become one, and the restaurant becomes a space filled with joy and smiles.

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Time passed quickly and the cast members on the night shift came to work in high spirits. They are top class in cooking, customer service, and trouble-shooting, and can be relied on to take care of the restaurant with ease.

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After taking over, we will move on to managerial duties from here.

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▷18:00-19:00 Shift creation

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Backyard office work, including shift preparation.

In creating shifts, we take into account which members of the staff will be operating in accordance with the sales forecast, as well as the training plan. We have a very cooperative staff, which is always very helpful.

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As a store manager, it is my important role to create an environment where each and every staff member can enjoy his or her work with vitality.

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▷19:00 Return home

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After confirming that there are no problems in the store or in the business situation, the employee takes over with other employees or part-time leaders and goes home.

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The store can be left in the hands of a group of children who will ensure the smooth operation of the store even when the manager is not available.

The entire Totsuka staff will continue to make every effort to "create a store overflowing with smiles and gratitude". Thank you for your hard work today.

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Thank you very much!

I was able to understand the work that the manager does throughout the day.

I was very impressed by the way he always treats customers and colleagues working with him with energy and a smile, even in the busiest of times. Manager Kuniyoshi, please keep up the good work!

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