100 Yen Sushi House

CASE: 100 YEN SUSHI HOUSE

1. Prepare a service blueprint for the 100 Yen Sushi House operation.
Physical Clean Wait Looks Attractive Food Cash
Evidence Smell

Stack
Customer Arrive Find Make Select Eat Plates Leave
Actions Seat Paste Plate & Pay

Onstage
Contact Remove
Person Greet Uneaten Replenish Fill Take Thanks
Sushi Plate Tea Payment

Line of Visibility ****************************************************************

Support Monitor Fish Wash

Processes Demand Supplier Plates

100 Yen Sushi House Blueprint

2. What features of the 100 Yen Sushi House service delivery system differentiate it from the
competition, and what competitive advantages do they offer?
The main differentiating factor of 100 Yen Sushi House is its production-line approach to food
preparation and service. Even the customers are included in the production line. The rate at
which customers enter the restaurant, remove dishes from the food train, and leave the restaurant
determines the flow of the delivery process. This "pull" system that originates directly from the
customers' inputs gives 100 Yen a competitive advantage because it allows the cooks to match
the preparation of particular foods to the demand for them, thereby eliminating waste.
100 Yen's method of food delivery reduces the number of personnel needed to serve customers
and this feature represents a competitive advantage. The restaurant has also differentiated itself
from most other establishments by offering each of its items at the same price, but varying the
size of the item according to its cost. This arrangement simplifies the customer-billing procedure
and, here again, 100 Yen realizes savings in personnel costs.
 100 Yen Sushi House

3. How has the 100 Yen Sushi House incorporated the just-in-time system into its operation?
One way that 100 Yen has incorporated the JIT system is making agreements with vendors who
deliver fish several times each day. Because it receives fish only when it is needed, the
restaurant does not need refrigerators for storing an inventory of perishable items and,
consequently, more space is available for customers.
Another feature of JIT that 100 Yen practices is making quality the responsibility of every
employee instead of leaving it to be "inspected in" by selected "quality inspectors." For
example, all employees are charged with the task of monitoring the prepared sushi and removing
the "old" dishes from the serving train.
Because the sushi is not made to order, 100 Yen does experience some waste, but the trade-off
between the time that is saved and the waste can be turned to the management's advantage by
giving careful attention to customer demand. 100 Yen also uses a kanban system (empty space
on the conveyor) rather than a push system.
In general, the attention of all employees to the delivery of a quality service and the
responsiveness of management to customer demand are both indicative of a successful
implementation of the just-in-time philosophy.
4. Suggest other services that could adopt the 100 Yen Sushi House service delivery concepts.
Other organizations that could use the 100 Yen technique include baking cookies for shopping
mall customers, delicatessen restaurants, specialty cafes and bars that are located close to their
suppliers, and refreshment concessions in amusement parks. One student recalls a cafeteria that
had three circulating self-serve dishes. This system eliminated a bottleneck in the delivery of the
service and replacing unused dishes each time they rotated behind the wall ensured quality.