The Benihana Restaurants

What the Case Study is About The Benihana case study highlights the operational processes of a Japanese restaurant operating in America. Based on its operational challenges and the problems encountered by the company in expanding into new locations, the case study also highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the restaurant.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Benihana Restaurants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In line with this analogy, the article also compares the similarities and differences between Benihana restaurant and other restaurants in the US. To do so, it explains the history and development of the restaurant, and how it has succeeded by using a Japanese restaurant management strategy to guide its operations. Therefore, comprehensively, the case study explains the operational processes of the Benihana restaurant by highlighting its key design features and marketing strategies (Sasser, 1972). Issues Associated with the Case Study Some of the issues associated with the Benihana case study include the operational management efficiencies and brand success strategies of the restaurant. Other issues mentioned in the paper include training, business expansion, organization control, and advertisement strategies of the enterprise (Sasser, 1972). Difference between the Benihana Production Process and that of a Typical Restaurant The production process of Benihana restaurants differs with those of typical restaurants because it uses the hibachi table concept which allows the restaurant staff to prepare food in front of the customers. Rocky (the restaurant owner) introduced this concept in the 1960s after realizing that American customers often wanted to eat in exotic surroundings, but failed to order exotic foods because they did not trust foreign delicacies. Therefore, to mitigate this problem, Rocky introduced the hibachi table concept for his clients to see how they prepare th e â€Å"exotic† foods. This way, he expected the customers to trust foreign delicacies. The â€Å"gamble† paid off because the restaurant achieved tremendous success in this regard. Furthermore, it helped the restaurant managers to reduce their labor costs and maximize the business’s space productivity (Sasser, 1972). Analysis of Production Process (Major Design Choices that Generate Efficiencies) Benihana’s production process mainly centers on cooking through showmanship. This strategy involves the ability to cook food attractively and fast. Other restaurants are unable to adopt this production philosophy, partly because they do not have the skills and refined chefs to do so. For example, a key component of Benihana’s production process is the recruitment of skilled Japanese chefs.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The restaurant recrui ts them from Japan and through a free trade agreement with American authorities; they are allowed to work in the US. They have â€Å"exotic† skills for preparing Japanese foods. As seen in exhibit six of the case study, Benihana restaurants take a lot of time selecting and training these chefs (Sasser, 1972). They have to undergo a gruesome training process that involves a 2-year apprenticeship program in Japan and a comprehensive training program at the Benihana College of Chefs in Tokyo. When the chefs complete their training programs, they come to America when they are prepared to take on the challenging task of preparing food for American clients. Another component of Benihana’s production process is its management structure. Sitting at the helm of the operations department is Bill Susha (the vice president of the company). According to exhibit three of the case study, he oversees the operations of company franchises and company-owned units. However, he is surround ed by a team of agile Japanese and American managers. This blend of employees provides a dynamic understanding of the restaurant management process (Sasser, 1972). The hibachi production process has greatly contributed to Benihana’s success because its competitors are unable to match the same production standards that it provides. This assertion stems from the intense competition that Benihana experiences by operating in the competitive American hospitality industry. In terms of production competencies, other restaurants specialize in providing specialized customer services to a dynamic clientele. Comparatively, Benihana succeeds by operating a simple production process. By using a standard production process, the restaurant almost operates like a â€Å"flow† shop. This production process makes sure it enjoys a high efficiency and low production costs. The key to Benihana’s success is the large menu and the personalized food ordering and preparation processes. T herefore, while the average American customer orders for food and waits for chefs to prepare it in the kitchen, Benihana’s customers order food and watch professional chefs prepare it for them.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Benihana Restaurants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although the restaurant adopts a standard production process, customers can make special requests to the chefs and have their food prepared in an â€Å"exciting† way (Sasser, 1972). This creative production process largely explains Benihana’s success. Benihana restaurants are also unique because they have an authentic historical value. For example, Rocky often disassembled valuable architectural installations from old Japanese houses and shipped them to the US. He used these pieces to decorate the restaurant, thereby giving it an authentic â€Å"Japanese feel† that other restaurants did not have. Alth ough an eatery outlined the main design component of Benihana restaurants, exhibit two shows that a bar was also a key design component of the restaurants (Sasser, 1972). The bar was not an original design feature of the enterprise because Rocky did not see it as playing an instrumental role in the restaurants’ operations. However, over time, he started to appreciate its importance. Consequently, the floor designs of Benihana restaurants have eight seats for bar patrons (Sasser, 1972). New Benihana outlets have more spaces for the bar. Now, it is a key design feature of the restaurants. The customer seating design is another key design feature of Benihana restaurants. The Hibachi seating design allows eight customers to sit around a table. This setting allows strangers to sit next to one another and interact in an environment that would otherwise not have permitted open interactions. The menu is also a key design feature of Benihana restaurants because it is simple (mainly co ntains three components – chicken, shrimp, and steak). The selections of favorite American dishes inform this design. For example, the restaurant reduced the menu components to only three main American dishes – steak, chicken, and shrimp. This process increased the organization’s efficiency by reducing storage costs and minimizing waste. In fact, depending on the price of meat, the restaurant enjoys cost efficiencies of up to 35% (Sasser, 1972). Furthermore, the menu comes with standard accompaniments that include rice, bean sprouts, and zucchini (among other food types) (Sasser, 1972).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More How I Understand These Issues The Benihana case study highlights issues that revolve around restaurant management processes. The operations management discipline mainly encompasses these issues. For example, it includes marketing, inventory management, employee management, customer service, public relations and such like concepts that are highlighted in the Benihana case study. In line with this reasoning, I believe restaurants should understand that, although their operations management processes may yield positive results, customers are always right. Therefore, their strategic management concepts should show a strong customer focus. Furthermore, restaurants need to have clear goals and appreciate the need for regular updates to their menus and operations. These principles highlight the evolving nature of operations management. If we extrapolate this finding to the Benihana case study, we find out that the Hibachi model should receive regular updates as well. Furthermore, there sho uld be more customer involvement in the restaurant management process. How these issues link with the Theories discussed (Concept and Experience Design) The Benihana case study gives information about the restaurant’s production process. Its main components highlight different management jargon used to explain such production processes. Stated differently, the operational management issues, highlighted in the case study, bring our attention to the expanded applicability of management literature, such as throughput capacity and demand variability, beyond manufacturing sectors (where they are predominantly used). Therefore, the case study shows how such concepts also apply to service-oriented industries. Lastly, the operational management issues, highlighted in the case study, also show how concepts affect operational outcomes. For example, the case study shows how input variations affect restaurant operations. Specifically, it shows how operational management issues affect res taurant profitability. Alternative Approach to Managing the Issues This paper has already shown that efficiency and operations management issues outline the main focus of the Benihana case study. It also shows how the restaurant has used the hibachi food preparation system to improve these key areas. While this strategy has proved to be largely successful, an alternative approach that would provide the same outcome is the â€Å"speedy† service system. Unlike the Hibachi system, which requires a few skilled workers to prepare food, the â€Å"speedy† service system relies on unskilled workers to perform different tasks in the food preparation process (Wilson, 2014). The workers do not need to be knowledgeable about the entire system; they only need to understand one step in this process. This strategy hails from the assembly line process (used in the automotive industry). Instead of having one group of employees who understand all vehicle assembly processes, automotive i ndustries require workers to specialize in only one assembly area. This approach could similarly work in the restaurant business. Besides re-organizing the food preparation process, it could also change the restaurant design and setup. This paper has already shown that Benihana restaurants do not have a kitchen because the food preparation process occurs on the client’s table. The â€Å"speedy† service system would require a kitchen, but unlike conventional restaurants, it would have few, but large, types of equipment for every step of the food preparation process. For example, restaurants that prepare burgers could have only one grill for this purpose. Similarly, the same restaurant could have only one condiment for adding one ingredient in the food preparation process. Many fast-food restaurants have used this food preparation model, successfully. For example, McDonald’s popularity stems from this alternative food preparation approach (Wilson, 2014). Impact of Alternative Approach Unlike the Hibachi strategy, where customers make special requirements to chefs during the food preparation process, the â€Å"speedy† model does not accommodate customized food processes. Workers prepare food in a standard way and all customers get the same quality of food. Compared to Benihana’s Hibachi strategy, this food preparation model shortens the food preparation process and avails it to customers in a relatively shorter time than Benihana restaurants do. References Sasser, E. (1972). Benihana of Tokyo. Web. Wilson, T. (2014). How Fast Food Works. Web. This case study on The Benihana Restaurants was written and submitted by user Alana Gutierrez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.