Standardizing Product Quality, Service and Hygiene Under the New President

「This recognition is particularly strong regarding employee training, and during the current fiscal year we established a dedicated department and have been actively holding in-house study sessions and other activities.」

「Customer traffic exceeded 2019 levels, before the COVID-19 pandemic, from June 2024 onward. As a result, all stores in the "Steak no Asakuma" format achieved higher revenue for 32 consecutive months through the end of July 2025.」

「From April 2024, customer traffic approached nearly 100% of the 2019 level, and from June onward it exceeded the 2019 level. Across all stores in the "Steak no Asakuma" format, revenue increased by double digits for 25 consecutive months through January 2025.」

「Since the previous fiscal year, we have continued to focus on improving complaints and enhancing the salad bar. The recovery in customer traffic at existing stores was slow compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022 it was below 70% of the 2019 level. From April 2024, it approached nearly 100%, and from June it exceeded the 2019 level. Across all stores, revenue increased by double digits for 20 consecutive months through August 2024.」

「Our aim is for customers to say, "The service has improved," even while operating stores with fewer employees. However, for the time being, training has not kept pace, and we have begun receiving many complaints about stores' QSC (product quality, customer service and cleanliness)」

「As a result of identifying issues and working to address them, we feel that although the results are still insufficient, customers are gradually becoming more satisfied, as reflected in comments from customer surveys and other feedback.」

「As a new initiative for product quality, we moved beyond simply sending out manuals by creating video manuals, preparing questions that could not be answered without viewing them, and conducting tests, as well as practical cooking tests. Through these efforts, we worked to provide products of consistent quality at all stores.」

「Regarding product quality, we designated priority stores and, in addition to the monthly area meetings, brought together the product department, area managers, store managers and Fukakachi-san (part-time employees) to conduct training and tests on preparation and cooking methods for steaks, hamburgers, soups and curries, and the salad bar. We checked and improved cooking skills and reviewed cooking methods, suppliers and ingredients.」

「As a result, some stores still receive complaints, but their number has fallen substantially.」

「We have continued to focus thoroughly on replenishing the salad bar and clearing used dishes, or bussing, which customers had particularly pointed out. We are working to avoid keeping customers waiting and to prevent dissatisfaction, but some stores still receive complaints because training remains insufficient, while customers have also begun to offer words of praise.」

「Because customer traffic at our stores has remained in the 70% range compared with the fiscal year ended March 2020, immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic, we have identified the issues affecting customer attraction and are working to improve them.」

「Under the direction of Hirota (廣田), the new president elected on 24 June 2022, we will first work to restore to normal levels four areas that had been neglected in day-to-day operations: product quality, service and two other areas. First, for the products we provide, we will manage quantities and conduct checks to maintain freshness. This will ensure that the lettuce at the salad bar is crisp and that our signature steaks are served in the best possible condition, retaining their flavor and taste. To achieve this, we will continue training employees to work in accordance with the manuals. Second, we will establish a system for providing service that does not leave customers dissatisfied. We will train employees so that everyone can perform all tasks, rather than continuing to divide responsibilities as before. This will increase productivity per employee and allow us to serve more customers. By raising employee skill levels, we will enable stores to operate with fewer staff and provide training to improve service levels so that customers are not left dissatisfied. Third, customers in the community have been visiting Steak no Asakuma for many years, and some stores have become increasingly old. We will systematically renovate and repair these stores so that customers do not experience dissatisfaction with hygiene. Fourth, customers have provided severe feedback concerning product quality, customer service and hygiene. The new president will take the lead in addressing each issue to prevent similar incidents from recurring.」