Yamazato, the flagship restaurant of Hotel Okura, has made its mark in Manila by blending traditional Japanese cuisine with warm Filipino hospitality. We spoke with Mr. Danner Barbasa, Director of Food and Beverage at Hotel Okura Manila, to discover how Yamazato leverages TableCheck to enhance operations and deliver exceptional dining experiences.

TYPE OF RESTAURANT

Traditional Japanese fine dining restaurant

LOCATION

Manila, Philippines

A Fusion of Japanese Excellence and Filipino Warmth

"Our hotel is committed to providing an exceptional guest experience that combines the best of both Japan and the Philippines. We practice meticulous attention to detail, as part of Japanese omotenashi, where we strive to anticipate our guests’ needs and exceed their expectations, and provide them with the genuine warmth of Filipino hospitality," explains Mr. Barbasa. 

With this corporate philosophy in mind, several Yamazato restaurants around the globe are either Michelin-starred or Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants. And recently, Yamazato at Hotel Okura Manila has also earned the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award 2024.

The restaurant boasts three specialty Japanese chefs, each a master in their cuisine. With dedicated areas for teppanyaki, sushi, and traditional shabu-shabu, Yamazato offers a comprehensive Japanese dining experience.

Revolutionizing Operations with TableCheck

Mr. Barbasa highlights how TableCheck has transformed Yamazato's day-to-day operations.

1. Optimizing space utilization: "We can carefully balance ambiance and profitability by ensuring our restaurant is neither too crowded nor too empty."

2. Personalizing guest experience: "Being able to understand each guest’s preferences through their dining history, and seeing their most ordered dishes and seating preferences allow us to create a truly personalized and memorable dining experience.”

3. Efficient seating management: "The system ensures quick and efficient seating, minimizing wait times and improving table turnover. This allows us to serve more guests, increasing revenue."

4. Seamless POS integration: "Our POS system is fully integrated with our operations, allowing us to automatically update table status in real-time. This eliminates manual processes, reduces errors, and streamlines our workflow."

Data-Driven Decision Making with TableCheck Insight

TableCheck's Insight has become a crucial tool in managing Yamazato. "We use it to track customer preferences, revenue, occupancy, and reservations. It has helped us forecast business trends, optimize staffing, and manage inventory," says Mr. Barbasa. The impact has been significant: Yamazato saw a 33% increase in revenue and a 2.21% increase in active covers within a month after Chef Ikuma Sato arrived.

Enhancing Marketing Efforts with TableCheck EDM

While still in its early stages of implementation, Mr. Barbasa expresses excitement about TableCheck's EDM system: "We are excited about the endless possibilities that TableCheck could offer for our marketing efforts."

Creating Memorable Dining Experiences

For Mr. Barbasa, the key to an authentic and memorable dining experience that combines Japanese omotenashi principles with Filipino warmth lies in several elements:

• Focus on guest experience: "Good guest service starts with focusing on the guest experience and not just the food and drinks. We are always looking for ways to improve this part of our business, by considering using surveys and reviews to collect feedback and guide future decisions."

• Ambiance: "Keep in mind that Filipinos love gathering at the dining table. We want our space to be comfortable and inviting, with careful attention to details like table height, lighting, and ventilation."

• Menu design: "A well-designed menu that accurately reflects the restaurant's brand, cuisine, and offerings can immediately engage and excite guests. At Yamazato and Yawaragi (Hotel Okura’s other multifunction Japanese restaurant), we carefully craft our menus to assure our guests that we take our food and dining experiences seriously. We have a menu that is easy to navigate and presents dishes and pricing that can make ordering easier and more enjoyable for guests."

• Exceptional service: "Excellent service starts with a warm greeting as they step foot in the restaurant. This aspect of hospitality requires proper training and experience. Keeping in mind to always exceed guests’ expectations makes for a great experience."

By combining these elements with their unique blend of Japanese and Filipino hospitality, Yamazato at Hotel Okura Manila has created a dining experience that keeps guests coming back for more. 

Discover how TableCheck can transform your restaurant operations and enhance guest experiences. Contact us today for a personalized demo.