I love Japan but....

impish

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Often I find myself asking "Why the fuck not?". Example. If I go to a restaurant in the US. I can likely walk in, and order anything on the menu as take out, and they will make it for me. Tonight I was hungry. I didn't want McDonald's I wanted Mac and Cheese from Bikkuri Donki I get there and the hostess asks how many people. I say take out please. She brings over a single page laminated sheet with ONE FUCKING ITEM. That is the only item they do take out. WTF Seriously? This is the most stupidest thing ever. Do you not want my money? Wtf?!?!!?
 
Thats japan for you. Never flexible.

Also he said Bikkuri Donki. Try going to McDonalds in the country of your choice and asking something that's not in the menu.
 
Also he said Bikkuri Donki. Try going to McDonalds in the country of your choice and asking something that's not in the menu.

Mac and Cheese is on the regular menu. They are inflexible because it's an item that they will serve if you sit down, but won't if you want to take it home. Which is fucking stupid...
 
Mac and Cheese is on the regular menu. They are inflexible because it's an item that they will serve if you sit down, but won't if you want to take it home. Which is fucking stupid...

Just took a look on their menu. Take out has four items, one is plain rice and two are side soups. :eek::D

I know many places that don't allow for example anything with egg on it for take out in the fear of food poisoning but these guys are taking it to a totally new level. :ROFLMAO:

But how much this is Japan and how much is about this particular company is open for debate.
 
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Just took a look on their menu. Take out has four items, one is plain rice and two are side soups. :eek::D

I know many places that don't allow for example anything with egg on it for take out in the fear of food poisoning but these guys are taking it to a totally new level. :ROFLMAO:

But how much this is Japan and how much is about this particular company is open for debate.

I have no issue if it's for a safety reason That totally makes sense.

OK, so let's change the situation a little bit. Last year I was hanging out with some friends. We wanted pizza so we went to order a special on domino's website. The website was fubar for some reason and orders couldn't go through. We call to place the order and ask for the same promotion on the website. They told us we had to call customer service. For 20 minutes I tried to call, but got nothing but a buzzy signal. I call them again and they say there is nothing they can do, they can't give us the online offer because it has to be done through the website, even though the website is broken. Very inflexible...

This is due to Japan management not giving their drones the ability to solve problems, and it is stupid...

In the US you can usually negotiate with someone to get what you want, in Japan it's always "sumimasen, blah blah blah can't do shit about it".
 
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This is due to Japan management not giving their drones the ability to solve problems, and it is stupid...

You probably mean they don't give the permission to solve problems, but I get your point. Of course it is idiotic if you are the customer. If it is good or bad depends on largely if your staff actually has the ability to solve problems.

If they don't then this management philosophy makes good sense from the company's point of view. But in general this is a feature of a rule based society. It guarantees everyone gets treated equally and nobody can give special treatment to anyone based on family or other ties but doesn't work very well in handling exceptions like a broken ordering system.
 
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You probably mean they don't give the permission to solve problems, but I get your point. Of course it is idiotic if you are the customer. If it is good or bad depends on largely if your staff actually has the ability to solve problems.

No I don't because when I asked if there was anyone there (ie senior staff) who we could talk too, they said no. Unlike Dominos where even a midlevel staff member could have solve this problem, or at least contacted senior management and asked them how to proceed. They weren't even going to do that.
 
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Often I find myself asking "Why the fuck not?". Example. If I go to a restaurant in the US. I can likely walk in, and order anything on the menu as take out, and they will make it for me. Tonight I was hungry. I didn't want McDonald's I wanted Mac and Cheese from Bikkuri Donki I get there and the hostess asks how many people. I say take out please. She brings over a single page laminated sheet with ONE FUCKING ITEM. That is the only item they do take out. WTF Seriously? This is the most stupidest thing ever. Do you not want my money? Wtf?!?!!?

I feel I can understand your frustration. Mac and cheese would not be difficult at all to be included in the takeout menu. Why Japanese people why?

One of the reasons I guess is that many of Bikkuri restaurants are run by franchise owners. They don't have much say against the HQs' policy and detailed instructions for fear of losing franchise rights. What you could do is to send your opinion to Bikkuri HQs. If they understand there is sufficient level of demand, they would change the policy.

Domino's Pizza Japan's CEO is American actually...since 2010. You can send your complaint to him in English.

Wish you have a nice Sunday!
 
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I have no issue if it's for a safety reason That totally makes sense.

OK, so let's change the situation a little bit. Last year I was hanging out with some friends. We wanted pizza so we went to order a special on domino's website. The website was fubar for some reason and orders couldn't go through. We call to place the order and ask for the same promotion on the website. They told us we had to call customer service. For 20 minutes I tried to call, but got nothing but a buzzy signal. I call them again and they say there is nothing they can do, they can't give us the online offer because it has to be done through the website, even though the website is broken. Very inflexible...

This is due to Japan management not giving their drones the ability to solve problems, and it is stupid...

In the US you can usually negotiate with someone to get what you want, in Japan it's always "sumimasen, blah blah blah can't do shit about it".
that's not a big deal compared to the good point life in Japan has compared to US (or any other country, not trying to bash yours here).
I was expecting worse cases when I read the title. I'm sure there are better examples to be given.
 
I feel I can understand your frustration. Mac and cheese would not be difficult at all to be included in the takeout menu. Why Japanese people why?

One of the reasons I guess is that many of Bikkuri restaurants are run by franchise owners. They don't have much say against the HQs' policy and detailed instructions for fear of losing franchise rights. What you could do is to send your opinion to Bikkuri HQs. If they understand there is sufficient level of demand, they would change the policy.

Talking to Japanese friend on Facebook he seems to believe that a lot of restaurants fear food poisoning, so they don't want to offer large takeout. Which makes no sense to me whatsoever. I totally wrote them before posting this post here. I guarantee they will do nothing about it.

My friend also was surprised at how much "power" to make decisions a low level employee has in the US at restaurants.

I am looking forward to my yearly pilgrimage to Hard Rock @ Ueno where I buy 3 or 4 take out thanksgiving dinners and freeze them for the coming weeks through christmas. I have one a week until Christmas usually.
 
he seems to believe that a lot of restaurants fear food poisoning, so they don't want to offer large takeout. Which makes no sense to me whatsoever.
Fear of getting blamed is the ultimate motivator in Japan. Your friend is right about this according to people I know who work in food service.
 
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I beg to differ: went to many restaurants here where the staff was ok to accomodate requests for changes. Of course if you go to the big chains places where everything must be done by the rule book you won't get much flexibility but that doesnt mean all Japan is like that.
 
I beg to differ: went to many restaurants here where the staff was ok to accomodate requests for changes. Of course if you go to the big chains places where everything must be done by the rule book you won't get much flexibility but that doesnt mean all Japan is like that.

Requests for changes to food are one thing especially now a day with food allergies being more common, but I've had times where I had to negotiate for changes to food. Because I didn't want something included that normally is they are like, but you'll still pay the same fee, is that ok? WHich I totally am, if I'm being the difficult jerk who doesn't want say onions on my burger but the price includes onions, I still expect to pay for the onions I didn't eat. However I have had issue with Wendy's not wanting go off the rail and keep the damn mayonnaise away from my burger on my first visit to Japan back in 1999.
 
Often I find myself asking "Why the fuck not?". Example. If I go to a restaurant in the US. I can likely walk in, and order anything on the menu as take out, and they will make it for me. Tonight I was hungry. I didn't want McDonald's I wanted Mac and Cheese from Bikkuri Donki I get there and the hostess asks how many people. I say take out please. She brings over a single page laminated sheet with ONE FUCKING ITEM. That is the only item they do take out. WTF Seriously? This is the most stupidest thing ever. Do you not want my money? Wtf?!?!!?
I applaud your patronage of Bikkuri Donki. It is the epitome of excellence so you must be a truely discerning gourmand. But I question your general point. Take out and delivery is, in general, more widely available here than any place I have lived in the US, Europe or other parts of Asia. I have a virtual library of take out menus for pretty good places that will deliver to my abode at a moments notice. Sushi, Chinese, thin crust pizza with fresh mozzarella, burgers, soba ramen oden. The list goes on for ever.
 
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I applaud your patronage of Bikkuri Donki. It is the epitome of excellence so you must be a truely discerning gourmand. But I question your general point. Take out and delivery is, in general, more widely available here than any place I have lived in the US, Europe or other parts of Asia. I have a virtual library of take out menus for pretty good places that will deliver to my abode at a moments notice. Sushi, Chinese, thin crust pizza with fresh mozzarella, burgers, soba ramen oden. The list goes on for ever.

The point of the post was not whether delivery or take out was available as a whole. The point was I wanted mac and cheese at midnight and the only place that has it is Bikkuri donki, and I didn't want to spend an hour sitting at there establishment eating it when I could do so at home.

I would say that at the time of the post 95% of all restaurants in my city were closed. Thanks for the crap opinion though.

I don't know where you lived in the US that you had poor delivery and take out availability, but I have never had that issue in the US even when I wasn't living in the city, and any time I go to a restaurant in the US for take out their entire menu is available not just 1 or 2 items.

I suspect you live in metro Tokyo which would be why you have such great ability for takeout and delivery (past midnight even). I don't live in Tokyo. I live out far enough that we generally don't have much in the way of delivery or takeout.
 
The point of the post was not whether delivery or take out was available as a whole. The point was I wanted mac and cheese at midnight and the only place that has it is Bikkuri donki, and I didn't want to spend an hour sitting at there establishment eating it when I could do so at home.

I would say that at the time of the post 95% of all restaurants in my city were closed. Thanks for the crap opinion though.

I don't know where you lived in the US that you had poor delivery and take out availability, but I have never had that issue in the US even when I wasn't living in the city, and any time I go to a restaurant in the US for take out their entire menu is available not just 1 or 2 items.

I suspect you live in metro Tokyo which would be why you have such great ability for takeout and delivery (past midnight even). I don't live in Tokyo. I live out far enough that we generally don't have much in the way of delivery or takeout.

Ok so that's probably the last paragraph which explains your issue , indeed in Tokyo we are spoiled for options.
But dont want to be snarky, and to each his own, however I would not live in Japan to spend my food money on Bikkuri Donkey, Domino, Wendy's etc!
 
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My friend also was surprised at how much "power" to make decisions a low level employee has in the US at restaurants.

I think it's same at an independent restaurant in Japan. Floor staff can make decisions, and usually they are flexible to meet your requests. Just like delis.

At a franchised restaurant, the scope of services is usually stipulated in the franchise agreement to details. The franchise owner and other staff in the restaurant (mostly arubaito) are bound by the agreement. There is no room for flexibility. That's their business model.

The problem is that Japan just doesn't have anything equivalent to delis, independent, open 24/7, with dictionary-like menu, offer dine-in, take-out. delivery.
 
Ok so that's probably the last paragraph which explains your issue , indeed in Tokyo we are spoiled for options.
But dont want to be snarky, and to each his own, however I would not live in Japan to spend my food money on Bikkuri Monkey, Domino, Wendy's etc!

When you live outside of Tokyo and you have limited options for food at midnight and all the grocery stores are closed you take what you can get.
 
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When you live outside of Tokyo and you have limited options for food at midnight and all the grocery stores are closed you take what you can get.

Understood, i was just worried it was your usual diet every day
 
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Not just the imaginary allergies to gluten. ;-p

Which by the way is an allergy totally unknown in Japan. They compensate by having allergy to rice! :eek:

Though I have no idea why gluten became the fashion thing to be allergic to. The real gluten intolerance can kill you, especially when it was still totally unknown and people would give you porridge if you had stomach problems...
 
When you live outside of Tokyo and you have limited options for food at midnight and all the grocery stores are closed you take what you can get.

You no have konbini? Where you at dude, in North Korea? :D
 
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