Introduction example

Located on Tomikoji Street in Kyoto, the Japanese restaurant “Tomikoji Yamagishi” has maintained its Michelin one-star rating for nine consecutive years. The group now operates eight locations in Kyoto and Tokyo, expanding into multiple formats including traditional Japanese cuisine, kaiseki hot pot, izakaya, and yakiniku. The Yamagishi Group had previously faced challenges with its former third-party ledger system, particularly in integrating with reservation platforms and sharing customer information across the group. By introducing Respo, they have achieved more efficient operations across multiple locations, as well as “optimization” tailored to each restaurant—combining tools such as mobile ordering and payment terminals. We spoke with members of the Kyoto Yamagishi Group about the changes they’ve seen since implementing Respo and the unique ways they are making use of it.

Mizutaki Tobu, located in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, is a chicken cuisine restaurant that offers delicious dishes and a relaxing space where guests can unwind. Previously, reservations were only accepted by phone, but after introducing the Respo by AutoReserve (hereafter “Respo”) reservation ledger, not only did day-to-day restaurant operations become easier, it also helped attract new customers. We spoke with the owner couple, the Satos, about what prompted them to introduce the Respo reservation ledger and what has changed since its implementation.

Kagurazaka has long flourished as a geisha district and still retains the atmosphere of its history and culture. Step just one street back from the main road and you’ll find cobblestone alleys and side streets lined with small but carefully curated restaurants and bars of many different types. “124.KAGURAZAKA” is a hidden yakitori restaurant that proudly features premium branded chicken. It has only counter seating and accepts guests by reservation only, yet more than 80% of its bookings come in online. Thanks to the introduction of the Respo reservation ledger, they say they have been able to “create time to focus on serving the customers right in front of us.” We spoke with Mr. Takayoshi Hiyamizu, who handles day‑to‑day operations as the right-hand man of owner‑chef Toshio Kimura, about the key reasons for adopting the system and the benefits it has brought.

Japanese restaurant Takanohane is located within walking distance of Shizuoka Station on the JR Tokaido Line, the gateway to sightseeing in Shizuoka. The warm, wood-accented interior offers just eight counter seats, where guests can watch the chefs at work. Here you can enjoy a kaiseki-style Japanese course meal that showcases seasonal ingredients, together with the refined movements of owner-chef Kotaro Marumo, who honed his skills for 20 years at a renowned Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. From its opening in September 2023, the restaurant has used the Respo reservation ledger. The deciding factors, he says, were “improving efficiency through online reservations and being able to collect cancellation fees.” Marumo adds, “Setting cancellation fees is also a form of ‘trust’ that connects our guests and the restaurant.” At this fully reservation-only restaurant, online bookings account for 40% of all reservations. We spoke with him about his thoughts on the cancellation policy and his impressions after introducing the Respo reservation ledger.

Bistro Neige is a French restaurant nestled amid the rich rural landscape of Yamaga City in Kumamoto Prefecture. Here you can savor course meals that make generous use of local vegetables and ingredients from across Kyushu, perfectly paired with a selection of 40 different wines and craft beers. The garden, handcrafted by owner-chef Noriyuki Kawaguchi, makes this a hidden-gem restaurant where you can enjoy the changing scenery of the four seasons. In September 2023, its eighth year in business, the restaurant introduced the Respo reservation ledger. With zero commission fees for customer referrals, it has led to greater operational efficiency and the acquisition of new customers, prompting Kawaguchi to say that “so far, I haven’t found any drawbacks.” We spoke with him about what prompted the introduction and his thoughts on how he wants to shape the restaurant going forward.

Numata City in Gunma Prefecture is located in the northeastern part of the prefecture, surrounded by mountains such as Mount Akagi and Mount Hotaka, both listed among Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. “Restaurant Cresson” has been loved by many customers for 24 years since its founding in this nature-rich area near the Numata Interchange. Its moss-green exterior walls, which evoke the origin of the restaurant’s name, along with its distinctive triangular roof and windows, really catch the eye. Owner Mr. Suda has used several different management systems from other companies in the past, but in September 2023 he switched to the Respo reservation ledger and POS register. He says, “I couldn’t find any reason not to use a system that, for a flat fee, can save so much effort.” We asked him about his impressions after introducing the Respo reservation ledger and POS register, as well as his thoughts on managing the restaurant going forward.

"Sora Cafe & Dining" in Hirayagawase, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a unique café-restaurant themed around astronomy. The owner, Mr. Otsuka, introduced the Respo self-order system and Respo reservation ledger as a set when the restaurant opened in July 2023, and began operating with them from day one. We asked him about what prompted him to consider implementing the system, how it feels to use, and which features are helpful for day-to-day store operations.

This time, we spoke with Mr. Yamada, the owner of the yakiniku izakaya “Sumibi Yakiniku Kintaro” in Tenpaku Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, which opened in June 2023. From the day the restaurant opened, they started using Respo Self-Order and the Respo Reservation Ledger, and he says the convenience has exceeded his expectations. He shared with us why they decided to introduce the system, the benefits they’ve felt since implementation, and his outlook for the future.

This time, we spoke with Mr. Okuda, the owner of the yakitori restaurant “Yakitori Okuda” in Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Wanting to eliminate missed orders and billing mistakes, he introduced Respo Self-Order in July 2021. He shared with us what has improved since implementation, as well as some unexpected benefits.

"haku," located a short distance away from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya Station, is a wine bar where you can enjoy small plates based on natural wine and spices. With a limited number of seats, it offers a calm, intimate atmosphere, and standing drinking is also available. This time, we spoke with owner Mr. Enomoto and project manager Mr. Sato about what led them to introduce the Respo reservation ledger and how it has affected their store operations.

Located in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, “Wagyu Shio Motsunabe Sumibi Yakitori Nabekin Shin-Yurigaoka” is a restaurant proud of its wagyu offal hot pot and charcoal-grilled yakitori. Manager Mr. Yamada introduced Respo Self-Order in April 2023. Two months later, at “Yakitori Motsunabe Nabekin Musashi-Kosugi Main Branch” in Musashi-Kosugi, where his younger brother serves as manager, they also decided to introduce not only Respo Self-Order but the Respo reservation ledger as well. This time, we spoke with Mr. Yamada, the owner of both locations, about what prompted him to introduce Respo Self-Order, his impressions after actually using it in the restaurants, and how it has affected store operations, including sales.

This time, we spoke with Mr. Kumon, the owner of the soba restaurant “SOBA.BAR.PARTY SPACE 縁 (Soba Bar Party Space Kizuna)” located in Meito Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Although they had previously used a different self-order system, they felt that Respo Self-Order offered greater advantages in terms of faster response to inquiries, cost, and ease of use. By introducing Respo Self-Order, they were able to reduce operational and new-staff training costs, and it has also been well received by regular customers. In this interview, we asked about the reasons for introducing Respo Self-Order, the effects it has had, and feedback from customers.

In addition to being a rice shop, “Shokujidokoro Komeya” is a restaurant where you can enjoy fluffy rice cooked in their own kettle. With counter seats, table seats, raised tatami seating, and irori hearth seating, they offer a variety of spaces that are popular not only with local residents of Kagawa Prefecture but also with travelers. Against the backdrop of labor shortages in the food and beverage industry, Komeya introduced the Respo self-order system in October 2022. This time, we spoke with the manager, Mr. Takagi, about how implementing Respo Self-Order has affected the restaurant, how customers are responding, and his impressions after the introduction.

The izakaya Shutenkyōji TAGURU, where you can enjoy homemade hand-cut soba and local sake from Kanagawa, introduced the Respo self-ordering system in June 2022. Three months later, in September, they also implemented the Respo reservation ledger. Manager Mr. Tanaka says that streamlining reservation management and order handling has brought many benefits to the restaurant. We asked him about his impressions of each product, along with the advantages of standardizing all their store management systems with AutoReserve’s solutions.

Since June, Hello Inc. has been offering the Respo by AutoReserve reservation ledger (hereafter, Respo Reservation Ledger). It allows you to centrally manage all reservations, for a monthly fee of 5,000 yen. It comes equipped with a variety of features, including customer management and automatic collection of cancellation fees. Munch’s Burger Shack, which has been using the Respo Reservation Ledger since mid-June, previously used a different online reservation system and says they had a bitter experience due to the large number of same-day no‑show cancellations. What kind of impact has the introduction of the Respo Reservation Ledger had on the restaurant? And has their image of online reservation systems changed? We asked Munch’s Burger Shack for their impressions of the Respo Reservation Ledger.

Hello Inc. has newly released “Respo by AutoReserve Reservation Ledger” (hereafter, Respo Reservation Ledger) and began full-scale operation in June. For this interview, we spoke with Zenshi Suikōan, a restaurant that has been using the Respo Reservation Ledger since it first became available. Located in Minato Ward, it is an extremely popular establishment with reservations fully booked several months in advance. Suikōan is currently in the process of switching from the reservation ledger they had mainly been using up to now to the Respo Reservation Ledger. We asked them about their impressions of using it and how they make use of it.

With its cozy, at-home atmosphere, “Chinese Snacks, Drinks, and Meals Bama” is a distinctive restaurant. Located in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, Bama is loved by a wide range of customers, from students to seniors, and an impressive 80% of them are repeat visitors. To reduce the burden on staff, Bama introduced Respo Self-Order in May 2022. Not only did it solve their operational challenges, it also brought surprising benefits such as “an increase in average spend per customer.” We spoke with the owner, Mr. Maruyama, about the impact of implementing Respo Self-Order.

At “Ris Café,” a popular spot near Takadanobaba Station, you’ll be greeted by their mascot dog, Mochi. The sweets, created under the direction of a former owner–pâtissier from Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, are highly photogenic and frequently become a hot topic on Instagram. Ris Café says that within just one month of introducing Respo Self-Order, the issues they had been struggling with were resolved. We asked them about the specific benefits and how their customers have reacted.

On Thursday, December 10, 2020, the “MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2021” was released. Ahead of the book’s publication, the listed establishments were announced on December 7. In the category of dining establishments and restaurants, there are 12 three-star, 42 two-star, and 158 one-star venues, for a total of 212 starred restaurants. There is one more three-star restaurant than last year, and among the three-star establishments, three have retained their three stars for 14 consecutive years. One restaurant newly received two stars, and two restaurants were promoted from one star to two stars. Starting with MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2021, a new standard called the “MICHELIN Green Star,” which recognizes environmentally conscious initiatives, has also been introduced. Now, let us introduce the restaurants that were listed in the MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2021.

On Friday, November 29, 2019, the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2020” was released. Ahead of the book’s publication, the listed establishments were announced on November 26. Among restaurants and eateries, there are 11 three-star, 48 two-star, and 167 one-star establishments, for a total of 226 starred restaurants. The number of three-star restaurants is two fewer than last year, and three of the three-star establishments have retained their three stars for 13 consecutive years. Only one restaurant newly received two stars, and two restaurants were promoted from one star to two stars. With 226 starred restaurants in total, Tokyo has once again become the city with the most Michelin stars in the world this year. Now, let us introduce the restaurants that were listed in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2020.

On Thursday, November 30, 2018, the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2019” was released. Ahead of the book’s publication, the listed establishments were announced on November 28. In the restaurant and dining category, there are 13 three-star restaurants, 52 two-star restaurants, and 165 one-star restaurants, for a total of 230 starred establishments. There is one more three-star restaurant than last year, and among the three-star restaurants, four have retained their three stars for 12 consecutive years. One restaurant newly received two stars, and two restaurants were promoted from one star to two stars. With 230 starred restaurants in total, Tokyo surpassed Paris’s 118 and set a new record as the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. Now, let us introduce the restaurants that were listed in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2019.

On Friday, December 1, 2017, the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2018” was released. Ahead of the book’s publication, the listed establishments were announced on November 28. Among restaurants and eateries, there are 12 three-star venues, a record-high 56 two-star venues, and 166 one-star venues, for a total of 234 starred establishments. The three-star lineup remains unchanged from last year, and 4 of those three-star restaurants have retained their three stars for 11 consecutive years. Two restaurants newly earned two stars, and three restaurants were promoted from one star to two stars. Now, let us introduce the restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2018.

The popular yakiniku restaurant in Akita Prefecture, “Sumibi de Iroiro Yaitetekureya,” has introduced Respo Self-Order in a fully online setup. We asked them about the impact Respo Self-Order has had on their restaurant and their impressions at the time of implementation.

L.S cafe switched from another company and implemented Respo by AutoReserve Self-Order (hereafter, Respo Self-Order). This time, we asked them about the background of the switch and the benefits of introducing the system.

Many restaurant owners may be struggling with issues like, “Managing reservation times is difficult…” or “I want to reduce double-bookings and mistakes in reservation times…”. In this article, we’ll explain what a reservation ledger actually is, the functions of a reservation ledger, the benefits of introducing one, how to choose one, and also introduce recommended reservation ledger systems. By reading this article, you will be able to do the following three things: Understand what a reservation ledger is Understand the benefits of a reservation ledger Learn about recommended reservation ledger systems If you’re having trouble with reservation management, please read through to the end.

To run a restaurant successfully, it’s of course important to improve quality in areas such as the taste of the food, expanding the menu, and the level of service. However, it’s also crucial to understand the true state of your business through accurate accounting work and to file your taxes correctly. Accounting software is an indispensable tool when you want to streamline this kind of accounting work. That said, some owners may be unsure how to choose the right accounting software for their restaurant. In this article, we’ll explain in detail the key points for choosing accounting software for restaurants, recommend some options, and discuss why accounting is so important.

Customer service in restaurants is one of the essential tasks, and making sure not only you but all other staff provide consistent service can be quite challenging. That’s why creating a customer service manual is highly recommended. So why is it beneficial to have a customer service manual prepared? In this article, we will explain in detail the necessity of a customer service manual for restaurants, the steps to create one, and key points to keep in mind.

There are many things restaurant owners should understand. Among them, accounting work is directly tied to profits, so it’s something you’ll want to have a solid grasp of. In this article, we’ll introduce some recommended accounting books for beginners in restaurant management.

When you run a restaurant, you have to handle a variety of accounting tasks, such as recording sales, managing purchases and expenses, and tracking part-time staff attendance. Because of this, many owners may be struggling with how to manage their accounting. In this article, we will explain in detail how to handle accounting for restaurants. We will also introduce the “cashbook,” which is the basic ledger used in restaurant accounting, so please use this as a reference.

The way staff handle customers at the time of payment in a restaurant has a major impact on the restaurant’s overall image. No matter how much attention you pay to service and appearance, it’s meaningless if you speak to customers using incorrect language. In this article, we will explain in detail how to handle the payment process in restaurants. We will also introduce proper phrases to use when serving customers and important points to keep in mind, so please use this as a reference.

When people decide they want to run a restaurant, most of them do so with the idea, “I want lots of customers to enjoy my delicious food,” and go on to open a food business. However, in this day and age, you can get tasty food anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day. Because of this, simply serving good food is no longer enough to keep a restaurant in business; you need to come up with various strategies to differentiate yourself from other establishments. In this article, we will summarize and introduce the essential know-how for successfully managing and opening a restaurant. The details of each point are explained in other articles, so if you’d like to learn more, please take a look at those as well.

When it comes to running a restaurant, many people may feel anxious about what to do if the business goes into the red. Running a business generally requires taking on a certain amount of debt, and if the venture fails, you can end up burdened with a large amount of it. Here, we will explain what you can do to turn things around when your restaurant business falls into the red.

When it comes to how restaurants should operate, many people think in terms of attracting as many customers as possible and keeping the place constantly full, and there are probably many owners who are aiming for exactly that situation. However, there are many other approaches that can be taken as business strategies for restaurants. This time, we will introduce what kinds of management strategies are available in addition to a restaurant’s normal day‑to‑day operations.

To run a restaurant, you need not only the initial capital required before opening, but also working capital after the restaurant has opened. Because the funds you can raise when starting a restaurant are limited, many people may be unsure what to prioritize and how best to allocate their money. In this article, we will clearly explain where you can secure the funds needed to operate a restaurant and how you can keep expenses down, along with effective ways to use your budget.

If you’re aiming to run a restaurant, you’ve probably often heard that managing a restaurant is difficult. So, in what specific ways is restaurant management difficult, and what kinds of problems are likely to occur? Here, we’ll introduce the key reasons why restaurant management is said to be challenging and how to solve those issues.

Many people may be wondering where to learn the know-how of running a restaurant, and struggling because there are few opportunities to actually acquire it. Regardless of the type or genre of restaurant, there is a certain amount of common know-how when it comes to restaurant management. Running a restaurant is not as simple as “if you serve delicious food with solid service, the place will definitely be a hit.” Here, we will introduce several pieces of restaurant management know-how that apply to any type of restaurant.

In Japan today, compared to 20 years ago, IT has rapidly advanced with the widespread use of smartphones, electronic payments, and more. Even in the restaurant industry, many establishments are promoting digitalization, running their businesses more efficiently than before while also cutting labor costs. In this article, we will introduce self-order systems that allow customers to place orders using smartphones and tablets.

In recent years, cash register functions have become even more high-tech and very convenient. Among these, more and more restaurants and supermarkets have been introducing a type of register called a “POS register.” In this article, we will explain the basic information about POS registers and introduce the different types of POS registers.

Due to the spread of COVID-19 infections, it continues to be a difficult time for restaurants. Many establishments are likely finding new ways forward by taking various measures, such as starting lunch or café service that they hadn’t offered before, or adding takeout and delivery options. If you can sell the products you make in your shop through an online store, you can open up new sales channels nationwide, but this also brings new business permits and requirements you’ll need to address. In this article, we explain the key points you should pay attention to when starting an online store.

What kinds of tasks are important for restaurant owners? Also, what are the things you should do yourself as an owner, and what are the things you can delegate to others? In this article, we will clearly explain what restaurant owners should be doing and the important responsibilities that only the owner can handle.

Because working in a restaurant is a customer-facing job, you must be careful with your language. Just one mistake in how you speak can greatly change the impression customers have of the restaurant and can even have a major impact on its business. This is especially true for restaurants with an elegant atmosphere and high average spending per customer; if the language used lacks refinement, it will inevitably affect the overall feel of the establishment. In this article, we will clearly explain the importance of proper language use in restaurants and the reasons why you should pay close attention to how you speak.

What kind of restaurant would you like to visit again? Of course the taste of the food matters, but a very large number of people say they want to go back because the staff’s customer service was good. The impression and evaluation of a restaurant can change completely based on the service alone, so it’s no exaggeration to say that customer service is the “face” of the restaurant, just like its food. In this article, we will introduce the benefits of making a good impression through customer service in restaurants, as well as specific service techniques.

Unlike ordinary restaurants, opening a bakery requires specialized cooking equipment and facilities. On the other hand, because you don’t need to install many customer seats, the shop itself doesn’t have to be very large. So how much capital is actually needed to start a bakery? In this article, we will explain how much startup capital a bakery requires and clearly outline what is necessary for a bakery to succeed.

A POS register is a system that helps with inventory management and with analyzing which products sold and in what quantities. Many people may think it’s a system intended for retail stores and that there isn’t much point in introducing it to restaurants. In this article, we will clearly explain what a POS register is and why restaurants should also consider implementing one.

Do you know what is important when running a café? In this article, we’ll introduce the basic aspects of café management and the essential equipment you need to have in place.

What kind of qualifications are required to run a café? Also, what are the things you must do when managing a café? In this article, we will clearly explain the qualifications needed to run a café, along with the key points for successful management and the reasons why they matter.

Many people who are about to start running a café are probably wondering what kind of annual income they can expect from successful management. In this article, we will clearly explain how café owners can increase their annual income and what factors may prevent their income from rising.

For many restaurants, increasing customer traffic on weekdays is a major challenge. It’s not uncommon for places to be fully booked on weekends yet almost completely empty on weekdays. What are the reasons they struggle to attract customers on weekdays, and are there ways to solve this problem? In this article, we’ll introduce several ideas to help you draw customers even on weekdays, as well as countermeasures for dealing with slow weekday business.

For restaurants, increasing the number of customers is crucial, and many restaurant owners may be struggling because they’re not attracting as many customers as they’d like. To attract customers to a restaurant, there are several ideas that have been tried at various establishments, and if they match your restaurant’s situation well, it’s possible to boost customer numbers all at once. In this article, we’ll introduce several ideas for helping restaurants attract more customers and clearly explain what kind of effects each one can have.

There are probably many people in the restaurant industry who are confident in the taste of their food and the quality of their service, yet struggle to attract enough customers. If the restaurant itself is excellent, word of mouth will gradually spread, but that takes time, so various strategies are needed to quickly turn this into customer acquisition. In this article, we will introduce methods for attracting customers to restaurants and clearly explain how to put them into practice in concrete ways.

Introducing self-order systems is attracting attention as a way to reduce personnel costs and as one of the measures to prevent infections such as COVID-19. What kinds of changes occur when a self-order system is implemented? In this article, we will clearly explain how self-order systems work in detail and the benefits of introducing them.

Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, contactless self-order systems that allow customers to place orders without face-to-face interaction have been attracting attention. For restaurants as well, these systems help reduce labor costs, so introducing a self-order system offers very significant benefits. In this article, we will compare different types of self-order systems.

When opening a restaurant, you must obtain certain qualifications and submit the required notifications. Researching what qualifications are needed to open a restaurant can be a lot of work. Here, we have summarized the qualifications required to start a restaurant and the related procedures.

It’s often said that even keeping a restaurant open for five years is difficult, but why is that? Of course, there’s no guaranteed way to succeed, but eliminating the causes of failure is extremely important. In this article, we’ll clearly explain the reasons restaurant startups fail and how to solve them.

Opening a restaurant typically requires around 10 million yen, but is it really possible to raise the entire startup budget through loans and other financing with zero personal funds? In this article, we introduce four ways to start a restaurant business and clearly explain the characteristics and advantages of each.

It’s said that you need 10 million yen to open a restaurant. Since 10 million yen isn’t an amount you can usually put together right away, considering ways to raise funds might be one of your options. Here, we’ll introduce various methods of financing for opening a restaurant.

What kinds of licenses are required to run a restaurant? Many people may not be sure which ones are mandatory, such as a cook’s license or a food sanitation supervisor qualification. Here, we will introduce the licenses and procedures necessary for operating a restaurant.

Did you know that you need a health department inspection to open a restaurant? In fact, restaurants cannot open unless they obtain a “Restaurant Business License” from the health department before opening. If you understand in advance what the health department will inspect and prepare accordingly, it shouldn’t be difficult to obtain permission to operate. This time, we will introduce what is required in the health department checks before opening a restaurant, as well as the key points of hygiene management for food service businesses.

There are many things you need to prepare when considering opening a restaurant. You must decide before opening whether to start the business on your own, run it as a franchise, and whether to introduce credit card payments. In particular, anything related to systems is hard to change once the restaurant is open, and changing them often incurs significant costs, so we recommend deciding carefully in advance. In this article, we will introduce business formats and payment methods that are worth considering before opening a restaurant.

There are probably many people who are thinking, “I want to open a restaurant, but I have no idea where to start.” There are countless things you need to do to open a restaurant, such as finding a location, creating a menu, and raising funds. Since there aren’t many people around you who actually run restaurants, you may not have many chances to get advice. So in this article, we will introduce the key points you should consider when opening a restaurant, in a way that you can use as a practical manual for getting started.

This time, we’ll clearly explain the steps you need to take when opening a restaurant and the benefits of submitting a business opening notification.

This time, in this article, we’ll introduce grants and subsidies that can be used when opening a restaurant or other food and beverage business.

If you’re aiming to open a restaurant, you’re probably wondering what the overall process looks like. Before opening a restaurant, there are many things you need to do, and if you neglect them, you may end up not being able to open at all. In this article, we’ll walk through the entire process of opening a restaurant and clearly explain the key points and things to consider at each stage.

We interviewed the restaurant “Sobaya Tesshin,” a place whose delicious food turns ordinary days into something special, about their use of AutoReserve Store. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they began offering mail-order using Instagram messages, but we heard how managing it became difficult and how they built up their sales, among other stories.